Jerzy Brzezinski, Author at Traditional Sea Shanties

Were All Bound To Go – Sampson

Yo Heave Ho! – Smith

March 17, 2023February 28, 2023 by Jerzy Brzezinski

Interesting Facts about the Yo Heave Ho! – Smith!

“Yeo Heave Ho!” capstan shanty in Stan Hugill classification belonging to the group of shanties with the word “heave”. This version comes from “The Music of The Waters” by Laura Alexandrine Smith (1888) (1st ed p 9). Alexandrine Smith on the occasion of this shanty Alexandrine Smith describes the capstan shanties, she says:
“In the capstan chanties the metre is generally long, and they are of a more pathetic nature than the hauling ones. To those who have heard it as the men run round the capstan, bringing up the anchor from the English mud of a ship outward bound for a two or three years’ trip, perhaps never to return, what can be more sad or touching, although sung with a hearty good-will, than ” Yo, heave ho!”.
I will reconstruct this song as the capstan shanty.

The source of this sea shanty

The music: “The Music of The Waters” by Laura Alexandrine Smith (1888) (1st ed p 9).
The lyrics: “The Music of The Waters” by Laura Alexandrine Smith (1888) (1st ed p 9).
Mentioned in: “Shanties from the Seven Seas” by Stan Hugill (1st ed p 318).

The Record of the Yo Heave Ho! – Smith

The musical notation

And the full lyrics

Yo Heave Ho! – Smith

Yo, heave ho! Round the capstan go!
Round, men, with a will!
Tramp, and tramp it still!
The anchor must be heaved, The anchor must be heaved.
– Yo, ho ! Yo, ho! Yo, ho! Yo, ho!

Related to this sea shanty

Were All Bound To Go – Davis And Tozer

Heave Away – Colcord

Yeo Heave Ho!

March 17, 2023February 24, 2023 by Jerzy Brzezinski

Interesting Facts about the Yeo Heave Ho!

“Yeo Heave Ho!” capstan shanty in Stan Hugill classification belonging to the group of shanties with the word “heave”. This song is also given by Davis & Tozer, and L. A. Smith. Stan Hugill thinks that by form and music, it must rank as one of the earliest of the capstan shanties. He also has some unconfirmed theory, that the song is one referred to in Chapter 36 of Richard Dana’s book “Two Years Before Mast”. I will reconstruct this song as the capstan shanty.

The source of this sea shanty

The music: “Shanties from the Seven Seas” by Stan Hugill (1st ed: p 318).
The lyrics: “Shanties from the Seven Seas” by Stan Hugill (1st ed: p 318).

The Record of the Yeo Heave Ho!

The musical notation

And the full lyrics

Yeo Heave Ho!

Yeo heave hoo! Round th’ capstan go
Heave men with a will,
Tramp and tramp it still,
The anchor must be weighed – The anchor must be weighed
– Yeo hoo, he-ave hoo, yeo hoo, he-ave ho!

* 2 *

Yeo heave hoo! cheerily wy go
Heave men with a will,
Tramp and tramp it still,
The anchor grips the ground – The anchor grips the ground
– Yeo hoo, he-ave hoo, yeo hoo, he-ave ho!

* 3 *

Yeo heave hoo! raise her from below,
Heave men with a will,
Tramp and tramp it still,
The anchor off the ground – The anchor off the ground
– Yeo hoo, he-ave hoo, yeo hoo, he-ave ho!

* 4 *

Yeo heave hoo! round the capstan go,
Heave men with a will,
Tramp and tramp it still,
The anchor now is weighed – The anchor now is weighed
– Yeo hoo, he-ave hoo, yeo hoo, he-ave ho!

Related to this sea shanty

Were All Bound To Go – Sampson

Were All Bound To Go – Davis And Tozer

Heave Away – Colcord

Haul Er Away! B

March 17, 2023February 20, 2023 by Jerzy Brzezinski

Interesting Facts about the Haul Er Away! B

“Haul Er Away! B” it is the halyard song (long drag) shanty very close to “Cheerily Man”. The tune of this song according to Stan Hugill have common elements with the Jamaican song “Missy Ramgoat”, and “Hill an’ Gully Rider”. Both those songs have been featured in the film “Moby Dick”, and later spliced into the West Indian work song “Banana Boat” and turned into a “Pop” song. This version, also West Indies, part of this song appears in the Francis Allyn Olmsted book “Incidents of a Whaling Voyage” – 1840, so it appears to be fairly old.
This song will be reconstructed as the halyard (long drag) shanty.

The source of this sea shanty

The music: “Shanties from the Seven Seas” by Stan Hugill (1st ed: p 317).
The lyrics: “Shanties from the Seven Seas” by Stan Hugill (1st ed: p 317).

The Record of the Haul Er Away! B

The musical notation

The full lyrics

Haul Er Away! B

Young Sally Rackett, she shipped in a packet,
– HAUL ‘er away, oh, HAUL ‘er away!
Horraw, hooraw for ol’ Sally Racket,
– HAUL ‘er away, oh, HAUL ‘er away!

* 2 *

Miss Nancy Dawson, she’s got flannel drawers on!
Hooraw, horraw for ol’ Nancy Dawson,

* 3 *

Little Miss Muffet, she sat on a tuffet.
Hooraw, horraw for ol’ Miss Muffet,

* 4 *

Nancy Fernaner, she married a barber.
Hooraw, horraw for ol’ Nancy Fernaner,

* 5 *

Sussy Skinner, she sure is a winner.
Hooraw, horraw for ol’ Sussy Skinner,

* 6 *

Young Kitty Carson ran off with a parson.
Hooraw, horraw for ol’ Kitty Carson,

* 7 *

Ol’ Missus Ducket, she lived in a bucket.
Hooraw, horraw for ol’ Missus Ducket,

* 8 *

Betsy Baker, she married a Quaker.
Hooraw, horraw for ol’ Betsy Baker,

* 9 *

Polly Riddle, she broke her new fiddle.
Hooraw, horraw for ol’ Polly Riddle,

* 10 *

Little Miss Walker’s a hell o’ a talker.
Hooraw, horraw for ol’ Miss Walker,

* 11 *

We all love the gals, oh, rouse an’ shake ‘er,
Hooraw, horraw for the gals o’ Jamaicker!

Related to this sea shanty

Haul Er Away! A

March 17, 2023February 17, 2023 by Jerzy Brzezinski

Interesting Facts about the Haul Er Away! A

“Haul Er Away! A” it is the halyard song (long drag) shanty very close to “Cheerily Man”. Under the title of “Sally Rackett” was well served as a cargo-working song among the timber stowers of Quebec and elsewhere. This song is of West Indian origin, hailing either from Barbados or Jamaica. Stan Hugill learned this beautiful song from Harding Barbadian from Barbados.
This song will be reconstructed as the halyard (long drag) shanty.

The source of this sea shanty

The music: “Shanties from the Seven Seas” by Stan Hugill (1st ed: p 316).
The lyrics: “Shanties from the Seven Seas” by Stan Hugill (1st ed: p 316, 317).

The Record of the Haul Er Away! A

The musical notation

The full lyrics

Haul Er Away! A

Little Nancy Dawson,
– Haul’ er away!
She’s got flannel drawers on,
– Haul’ er away!
So sez our ol’ Bosun,
– Haul’ er away!
Wid a hauley high-O!
– Haul’ er away!

* 2 *

Little Sally Rackett,
She shipped in a packet,
An’she never did regret it,
Wid a Hauley high-O!

* 3 *

Little Betty Baker
Ran off wid a Quaker,
Guess her Mum could shake ‘er,
Wid a hauley …

* 4 *

Little Susie Skinner
Sez she’s a beginner,
But prefers it to ‘er dinner.

* 5 *

Little Flo Fanana
Slipped on a banana,
Now she can’t play the pianner.

* 6 *

Little Rose Riddle
Broke her brand new fiddle,
Got a hole right in the middle.

* 7 *

Little Polly Walker
Ran offf with a hawker,
Oh, he was a corker.

* 8 *

Little Kitty Karson
Ran off with a parson,
Now sh’s got a little parson.

* 9 *

Little Dolly Duckett
Washes in a bucket,
She’s tart but doesn’t look it.

Related to this sea shanty

Cheerily Man – Sharp

March 17, 2023February 13, 2023 by Jerzy Brzezinski

Interesting Facts about the Cheerily Man – Sharp

“Cheerily Man – Sharp” version from “English Folk Chanteys” by Cecil Sharp, and it is a halyard shanty (originally in Sharp’s book “Pulling Chantey”), it is probably the most primitive, and one of the oldest of all these heaving and hauling songs of the sea. This Sharp version is interesting in terms of having only three solos and three refrains. Unfortunately Sharp gives us only one verse of this beautiful song. Song was sung to Cecil Sharp by Mr. John Short, at Watched. Mr. Short says to Sharp, that was the first chantey he learned and he thought it must have been the “first chantey ever invented”.
This song will be reconstructed as the halyard long haul shanty.

The source of this sea shanty

The music: “English Folk Chanteys” by Cecil Sharp (1914) (1st ed: p 50).
The lyrics: English Folk Chanteys” by Cecil Sharp (1914) (1st ed: p 50).
Mentioned in: “Shanties from the Seven Seas” by Stan Hugill (1st ed: p 315).

The Record of the Cheerily Man – Sharp

The musical notation

The full lyrics

Cheerily Man

O………. o ly i o
– Cheerily man!
Walk him up o…………,
– Cheerily man!
O………. o ly i o, O………. o ly i o,
– Cheerily man!

Related to this sea shanty

Rise Me Up From Down Below

Cheerily Man – Catting the anchor shanty

March 17, 2023February 9, 2023 by Jerzy Brzezinski

Interesting Facts about the Cheerily Man – Catting the anchor shanty

“Cheerily Man” is probably the most primitive, and one of the oldest of all these heaving and hauling songs of the sea. This song was really obscene, so most of the verses were camouflaged. This particular version is described by Stan Hugill in the description of the “Cheerily Man”, but the description tells us that this song can be used for more jobs than only halyards, namely can be also used for cutting the anchor.
Cutting an anchor is the job that happened when the anchor was about the water line beside the board, so sailors connected a line (tackle blocks) between the ring on the head of the anchor and the cat head, and catting started when they start pulling the rope, and at the same time loose bit the anchor chain used for raise anchor up to the board.
This heavy job required long steady pulls, so this shanty is a perfect fit for this job. The word “cheerily” means “quickly” and was often used at capstan and halyards when exhorting the men to harder efforts. “Cheerily” when used in shanties has to mean that heave or haul is slow and steady.
This song will be reconstructed as the “Catting the anchor shanty” (this work is definitely a long-haul shanty). For this reconstruction, I will use only additional six verses from page 314 of the “Shanties from the Seven Seas”, which according to Stan Hugill sang specifically only for catting the anchor.

The source of this sea shanty

The music: “Shanties from the Seven Seas” by Stan Hugill (1st ed: p 313).
The lyrics: “Shanties from the Seven Seas” by Stan Hugill (1st ed: p 314).

The Record of the Cheerily Man – Catting the anchor shanty

The musical notation

And the full lyrics

Cheerily Man – Catting the anchor Shanty

Haul all together, aye yeo,
– Cheerily man!
Haul for good weather, aye yeo – o,
– Cheerily man!
She’s light as a feather, aye yeo – o,
– Cheerily man!
Oh, hauley aye yeo!
– Cheerily man!

* 2 *

To the cathead,
We’ll shift the dead,
She’s heavy as lead.
Oh, hauley …

* 3 *

We’ll haul again,
With might an’ main,
Pay out more chain.

* 4 *

Chain stopper bring,
Pass through the ring,
Oh, haul an’ sing.

* 5 *

She’s up to the sheave,
At the cathead we’ll leave,
Soon the tackle unreeve,

* 6 *

Pull one an’ all,
On the ol’ catfall,
An’ then belay all!

Related to this sea shanty

John Dameray (Silsbee)

Johnny Come-A-Long

Cheerily Man – Halyard

June 16, 2023February 6, 2023 by Jerzy Brzezinski

Interesting Facts about the Cheerily Man – Halyard

“Cheerily Man – Halyard” is a halyard shanty, it is probably the most primitive, and one of the oldest of all these heaving and hauling songs of the sea. This song was really obscene, so most of the verses were camouflaged. The word “cheerily” means “quickly” and was often used at capstan and halyards when exhorting the men to harder efforts. “Cheerily” when used in shanties has to mean that heave or haul is slow and steady, this gives us the intuitive answer to the tempo which definitely suits long haul halyard shanty. This song will be reconstructed as the halyard long haul shanty.

The source of this sea shanty

The music: “Shanties from the Seven Seas” by Stan Hugill (1st ed: p 310).
The lyrics: “Shanties from the Seven Seas” by Stan Hugill (1st ed: p 310, 311).

The Record of the Cheerily Man – Halyard

The musical notation

The full lyrics

Cheerily Man

Oh, Nancy Dawson, aye yeo,
– Cheerily man!
So sez the Bosun, aye yeo-o,
– Cheerily man!
Has flannel drawers on, aye yeo-o,
– Cheerily man!
Oh, hauley aye yeo!
– Cheerily man!

* 2 *

Oh, Sally Racket, aye yeo!
In her pea-jacket, aye yeo!
Shipped in a packet, aye yeo!

* 3 *

Oh, Flora Fernanah
Slipped on a banana,
Can’t play the pianner.

* 4 *

Oh, Susie Skinner
Sez she’s beginner,
Prefers it to dinner.

* 5 *

Oh, Missus Duckett,
She’s kicked the bucket,
Oh, nip an’ tuck it.

* 6 *

Oh, Polly Riddle
Has a hole in the middle
Of her new fiddle.

* 7 *

Oh, Betty Baker,
Kissed by a Quaker,
Oh, rock ‘n’ shake ‘er.

* 8 *

Oh, Jenny Walker,
Kissed by a hawker,
He wuz a corker.

* 9 *

Oh, Jennifer Bell,
She drinks as well,
An’ never will tell.

* 10 *

Oh, Katie Karson
Slept with a parson,
She’s got a bar-son.

* 11 *

Oh, Polly Hawkins
In her white stockings
Has done some rockin’s.

* 12 *

Ooh, haughty cocks,
Ooh, split the blocks,
Ooh, stretch her luff.

* 13 *

Ooh, rouse ‘n’ shake ‘er.
Ooh, shake ‘n’ wake ‘er.
Ooh, go we’ll make ‘er.

* 14 *

Avast there, avast!
Make the fall fast,
Make it well fast.

Related to this sea shanty