Jerzy Brzezinski, Author at Traditional Sea Shanties

Lay Me Down – Folk Song

March 17, 2023December 19, 2022 by Jerzy Brzezinski

Interesting Facts about the Lay Me Down

“Lay Me Down” is the folk song that Stan Hugill acquired from Patrick Shuldam-Shaw. Shuldam-Shaw did not mention exactly when, but what he says: “is when he did the talk about sea shanties in the Cecil Sharp House London”. He met Patrick Shuldam-Shaw and was on the lookout for some personal evidence of the song “Yellow Meal”, He mentioned the matter to him. Shuldam-Shaw said that; on one of his visits to the Shetland Islands collecting folk songs; and take down such a song from the singing of a certain John Stickle of Balla Sound, but he called it “Lay Me Down”. Here is this song.

The source of this song

The music: “Shanties from the Seven Seas” by Stan Hugill (1st ed: p 299).
The lyrics: “Shanties from the Seven Seas” by Stan Hugill (1st ed: p 299).

The Record

You also can find this record on my YouTube channel here or directly listen below. Additionally, if you want to share your opinion about the record or share your opinion you can do it in my Facebook forum here, or leave a comment at the bottom of this blog article.

The musical notation

The full lyrics

Lay Me Down

As I went one morning down by the Clarence Dock,
Who shipped I there. There but Tapscott,
“Good morning, Mister Tapscott”, “Good morning, six”, says he,
“Have you got any ship bound for New York and the Coast of Amerikee?”

– Lay me down, lay me down,
– Lay me down dead,
– Lay me down, ay-jer-bup, Mrs. McQuale,
– Lay me down, ay-jer-bup, Mrs. Mahoolichan,
– Jeannie go ‘hooch’!
– Fire away, Bridget, I’m dying for thee

* 2 *

‘I have a packet, a packet or two,
The one, the Georgie Walker, and the other, the Kangaroo.
The one, the Georgie Walker, on Friday she’ll set sail,
And all the provisions she’d got on board is a thousand bags of meal.’

* 3 *

Now I’m landed in New York, and working in a canal,
For me to go back in a packet ship, a thing I never shall,
I’ll go back on one of the White Star Lines. They carry both steam and sail,
And there I’ll get plenty of beef and soft tack, and none of your yellow meal.

Related to this victorian ditty

Cialoma Di Li Tunnari

Brindisi Di Marinai

Blow The Wind Southerly – Shore Song

Leave Her Johnny Leave Her – Pumps

March 17, 2023December 17, 2022 by Jerzy Brzezinski

Interesting Facts about the Leave Her Johnny Leave Her – Pumps

“Leave Her Johnny Leave Her – Pumps” was a shanty that was used at pumps or capstan, also sometimes used as halyard shanty. However, it was mostly not used during the voyage due to the risk of being accused of mutiny by the singers, which was quite a serious risk as it was the unwritten rule of the merchant fleet that no serious complaints aloud about the captain or the job were allowed. So, due to the lyrics of this song (many verses are unprintable), it was especially used at the end of the voyage, when the (especially wooden) ship was in port, and all that was left was the final clearing and pumping out the water from the bilge, then the sailors could complain freely and it was accepted by the captain. This reconstruction will be a pump shanty.

The source of this sea shanty

The music: “Shanties from the Seven Seas” by Stan Hugill (1st ed: p 293).
The lyrics: “Shanties from the Seven Seas” by Stan Hugill (1st ed: p 297, 298).

The Record of the Leave Her Johnny Leave Her – Pumps

The musical notation

The full lyrics

Leave her Johnny Leave Her (Pumps)

Oh, a dollar a day is a Jack Sprite’s pay,
– leave her, Johnny, leave her!
To pump all night an, to work all day,
– An’ it’s time for us to leave her!

– Leave her, Johnny, leave her,
– Ooh! leave her, Johnny, leave her!
– For the winds do roar an’ we wish we wuz ashore,
– An it’s time for us to leave her!

* 2 *

Though times is hard an’ the wages low,
There’s fathom o’ water down in the hold.

* 3 *

The Old Man shouts, the pumps stand by,
Oh, we can never suck her dry.

* 4 *

Heave one more turn an’ around she goes,
Or else we’ll be kickin’ up our toes.

* 5 *

Leave her, Johnny, we can pump no more,
Of pump or down we’ve had full store.

* 6 *

It’s pump or drown, the Old Man said,
Or else damn soon ye’ll all be dead.

* 7 *

Heave around or we shall drown,
Hey! don’t yiz feel her settlin’ down?

* 8 *

Heave around them pump-bowls bright,
There’ll be no sleep for us this night.

* 9 *

The rats have gone an’ we, the crew,
It’s time be damned that we went too.

* 10 *

Oh, pump away in merry, merry strife,
Oh, heave away for to save dear life.

* 11 *

Oh, pump her out from down below,
Oh, pump her out an’ away we’ll go.

* 12 *

The starboard pump is like the crew,
It’s all worn out an’ will not do.

* 13 *

Leave her, Johnny, we can pump no more,
It’s time we wuz upon dry shore.

Related to this sea shanty

John come tell us as we haul away

The Ox-eyed Man (Davis & Tozer)

Across The Rockies

Leave Her Johnny – Halyard

March 17, 2023December 15, 2022 by Jerzy Brzezinski

Interesting Facts about the Leave Her Johnny – Halyard

“Leave Her Johnny Leave Her – Halyard” was a shanty that was used at pumps or capstan, also sometimes used as a halyard shanty. This version Stan Hugill learned from Liverpool seamen, and it has a slightly different tune, and of course, as a halyard shanty, it doesn’t have the grand chorus. However, it was mostly not used during the voyage due to the risk of being accused of mutiny by the singers, which was quite a serious risk as it was the unwritten rule of the merchant fleet that no serious complaints aloud about the captain or the job was allowed.

So, due to the lyrics of this song (many verses are unprintable), it was especially used at the end of the voyage, when the (especially wooden) ship was in port, and all that was left was the final clearing and pumping out the water from the bilge, then the sailors could complain freely and it was accepted by the captain. This reconstruction will be a halyard shanty, I added 4 additional verses from the capstan version of this shanty to make some sensible length at least long enough for a better understanding of the melody (In the book is only one vers).

The source of this sea shanty

The music: “Shanties from the Seven Seas” by Stan Hugill (1st ed: p 297).
The lyrics: “Shanties from the Seven Seas” by Stan Hugill (1st ed: p 297).

The Record of the Leave Her Johnny – Halyard

The musical notation

The full lyrics

Leave her Johnny (Halyard)

Oh, I thought I heard the Ol’ Man say,
– LEAVE her, Johnny, LEAVE her!
Oh, I thought I heard the Ol’ Man say,
– It’s TIME for us to LEAVE her!

* 2 *

The work wuz hard an’ the voyage wuz long,
The sea wuz high an’ the gales wuz strong.

* 3 *

The grub wuz bad an’ the wages low,
But now once more ashore we’ll go.

* 4 *

The winds wuz foul, all work, no pay,
To Liverpool Docks from ‘Frisco Bay.

* 5 *

The Old Man swears an’ the mate swears to,
The crew all swear, an’ so would you.

Related to this sea shanty

Whisky Johnny D

Hanging Johnny

John Kanaka

Leave her Johnny Leave Her – Capstan

March 17, 2023December 12, 2022 by Jerzy Brzezinski

Interesting Facts about the Leave her Johnny Leave Her – Capstan

“Leave her Johnny Leave Her” was a shanty that was used at pumps or capstan, also sometimes used as halyard shanty. However, it was mostly not used during the voyage due to the risk of being accused of mutiny by the singers, which was quite a serious risk as it was the unwritten rule of the merchant fleet that no serious complaints aloud about the captain or the job were allowed. So, due to the lyrics of this song (many verses are unprintable), it was especially used at the end of the voyage, when the (especially wooden) ship was in port, and all that was left was the final clearing and pumping out the water from the bilge, then the sailors could complain freely and it was accepted by the captain. This reconstruction will be a capstan shanty.

The source of this sea shanty

The music: “Shanties from the Seven Seas” by Stan Hugill (1st ed: p 293).
The lyrics: “Shanties from the Seven Seas” by Stan Hugill (1st ed: p 295, 296).

The Record of the Leave her Johnny Leave Her – Capstan

The musical notation

The full lyrics

Leave her Johnny Leave Her (Capstan)

Oh, the times wuz hard, an’ the wages.. low,
– leave her, Johnny, leave her!
But now once more ashore we’ll go,
– An’ it’s time for us to leave her!

– Leave her, Johnny, leave her,
– Oooh! leave her, Johnny, leave her!
– For the voyage is done and the winds don’t blow
– An it’s time for us to leave her!

* 2 *

Oh, I thought I heard the Ol’ Man say,
Tomorrow ye will get your pay,

* 3 *

The work wuz hard an’ the voyage wuz long,
The sea wuz high an’ the gales wuz strong.

* 4 *

The wind wuz foul an’ the sea ran high,
She shipped it green an’ none went by.

* 5 *

The grub wuz bad an’ the wages low,
But now once more ashore we’ll go.

* 6 *

Oh, our Old Man he don’t set no sail,
We’d be better off in a nice clean goal.

* 7 *

We’d be better off in a nice clean goal.
With all night in an’ plenty o’ ale.

* 8 *

She’s poverty-stricken an’ parish-rigged,
The bloomin’ crowd is fever-stricked.

* 9 *

Oh, sing that we boys will never be
In a hungry bitch the likes o’ she.

* 10 *

The mate wuz a bucko an’ the Old man a Turk,
The bosun wuz a beggar with the middle name o’, work.

* 11 *

The Old Man swears an’ the mate swears to,
The crew all swear, an’ so would you.

* 12 *

It’s growl yer may an’ go yer must,
It matters not whether yer last or fust.

* 13 *

The winds wuz foul, all work, no pay,
To Liverpool Docks from ‘Frisco Bay.

* 14 *

The ship won’t steer, nor stay, nor wear,
An’ so us shellbacks learnt to swear.

* 15 *

She will not wear, nor steer, nor stay,
Her sails an’ gear all carried away.

* 16 *

We wuz made to pump all night an’ day,
An’ we half-dead had beggar-all to say.

* 17 *

We’ll leave her tight an’ we’ll leave her trim,
We’ll heave the hungry bastard in.

* 18 *

Oh, leave her, Johnny, an’ we’ll work no more,
Of pump or drown we’ve had full stroke

* 19 *

Leave her, Johnny, an’ we’ll leave her with a grin,
There’s many a worser we’ve sailed in.

* 20 *

The sails is furled an’ our work is done,
An’ now ashore we’ll have our bit o’ fun.

* 21 *

We’ll make her fast an’ stow our gear,
The gals are a-waitin’ on the pier.

* 22 *

Leave her, Johnny, ye can leave her like a man,
Oh, leave her, Johnny, oh, leave her while yer can.

* 23 *

Now I thought I heard the Old Man say,
One more good heave an’ then belay.

Related to this sea shanty

Ooker John

Hooker John (Harding)

Across The Western Ocean ( I )

March 17, 2023December 9, 2022 by Jerzy Brzezinski

Interesting Facts about the Across The Western Ocean ( I )

Here is probably one of the development stages for the very famous shanty “Leave her, Johnny, Leave here”, the “Across The Western Ocean ( I )”. Stan Hugill mentions this song just before the description of the “Leave her, Johnny, Leave here”. This is the hauling shanty and will be reconstructed as a halyard shanty.

The source of this sea shanty

The music: “Shanties from the Seven Seas” by Stan Hugill (1st ed: p 292).
The lyrics: “Shanties from the Seven Seas” by Stan Hugill (1st ed: p 292, 293).

The Record of the Across The Western Ocean ( I )

The musical notation

Across The Western Ocean - music notation

The full lyrics

Across The Western Ocean ( I )

Oh, though times are hard and the wages low,
– AMELia whar yer BOUND to?,
The Rocky Mountains is me home,
– Oh, ACROSS the Western OCEAN!!

* 2 *

A land of promise there ye’ll see,
I’m bound away across that sea.

* 3 *

To Liverpool that I’ll take my way,
To Liverpool that Packet School.

* 4 *

There’s Liverpool Pat wid his tarpaulin hat,
An’ Yannkee John, the Packet Rat.

* 5 *

Beware them Packet Ships I pray,
They’ll steal yer gear an’ clothes away.

* 6 *

We are bound away from our friends and home,
We’re bound away to seek for gold.

* 7 *

Mothers and sweetharts don’t ye cry,
Sister an’ brothers say goodbye.

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Ooker John

Supen Ut En Dram På Man

O Whos Been Here – Cecil Sharp

Across The Rockies

March 17, 2023December 1, 2022 by Jerzy Brzezinski

Interesting Facts about the Across The Rockies

Here is probably one of the development stages for the very famous shanty “Leave her, Johnny, Leave here”, the “Across The Rockies”. The places where this shanty can be sung were various depending on time, so in the beginning was serve as the hauling shanty, mainly for halyards, and when the grand chorus was added later used mainly at the pumps and even capstan. Stan Hugill partially learned it from his mother’s father and partially from an Irish sailor, both used the final chorus. His suppositions carry over the theory that the song came to life about the time of the Irish potato famine, in the forties of the nineteenth century. This reconstruction will be sung as a pump shanty.

The source of this sea shanty

The music: “Shanties from the Seven Seas” by Stan Hugill (1st ed: p 292).
The lyrics: “Shanties from the Seven Seas” by Stan Hugill (1st ed: p 292).

The Record of the Across The Rockies

The musical notation

The full lyrics

Across The Rockies

Oh, a young girl said to me one day,
– A YOUNG gal goes a-WEEPin’,
I’ve got no money an’ I can’t get home,
– ACROSS the Rocky MOUNtains!

* 2 *

Oh, what shall we poor shellbacks do?
We’ve got no money and we can’t get home,

* 3 *

I thought I heard the Ol’ Man say,
If ye git no money, oh, ye’ll niver git home.

* 4 *

Oh, my poor ol’ mother she wrote to me,
She wrote to me to come home from sea.

* 5 *

Oh, I’ve got no money an’ I’ve got no clothes,
I’ve joined a bunch of though hoboes.

Related to this sea shanty

John come tell us as we haul away

The Ox-eyed Man (Davis & Tozer)

Shallow Brown C

Hooker John (Harding)

May 13, 2023November 27, 2022 by Jerzy Brzezinski

Interesting Facts about the Hooker John (Harding)

“Hoker John” is the capstan shanty, which comes from Harding Barbadian, probably the most recognizable source of the shanties that Stan Hugill when sailed with on merchant ships service. Harding Barbadian tells to Stan Hugill, that this song was still popular in the West Indies (1931). It probably originated as a cotton Stower’s song.

The source of this sea shanty

The music: “Shanties from the Seven Seas” by Stan Hugill (1st ed: p 291).
The lyrics: “Shanties from the Seven Seas” by Stan Hugill (1st ed: p 291).

The Record of the Hooker John (Harding)

The musical notation

The full lyrics

Hooker John (Harding)

Oh! me Mary she’s a sailor’s lass,
– To me Hooker John, me Hoojohn!
Oh, we courted all day on the grass,
– to me Hooker John, me Hoojohn!

– ‘Way Susanna–oh, way, hay, high, high ya!
– Johnny’s on the foreyard,
– Yonder, way up yonder.

* 2 *

Oh, my Susie she’s a nigger’s gal,
She’s nine foot high–that gal’s so taall.

* 3 *

Oh, my Flora she’s a hoosier’s frien’,
She’s beamy round the ol’ beam-end.

* 4 *

Oh, Sally Brown she’s the gal for me,
She courts a bit when her man’s at sea.

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Ooker John

Supen Ut En Dram På Man

O Whos Been Here – Cecil Sharp

Ooker John

March 17, 2023November 24, 2022 by Jerzy Brzezinski

Interesting Facts about the Ooker John

“Ooker John” is the shanty mentioned by Stan Hugill in his biggest book, when he describes the shanty with the title “Hooker John”. A couple of issues that this shanty has are that fact is, that was never directly told for what work was used this shanty for, however, was mentioned is similar to other capstan shanties, so by this and by the construction of verse and chorus with good probability we can say it is capstan shanty.
Another issue is that Captain Whall in his book “Sea Songs Ships & Shanties” (4th enlarged edition 1913 page 101), which Stan Hugill refers to, doesn’t even give to us the title of this song, so actually, the title comes from Stan Hugill. Harding Barbadian tells to Stan Hugill, it was still popular in the West Indies (1931). It probably originated as a cotton Stower’s song.

The source of this sea shanty

The lyrics: “Sea Songs Ships & Shanties” by W. B. Whall (4th enlarged edition 1913 page 101).
The lyrics: “Sea Songs Ships & Shanties” by W. B. Whall (4th enlarged edition 1913 page 101).
Mentioned in: “Shanties from the Seven Seas” by Stan Hugill (1st ed p 290).

The Record of the Ooker John

The musical notation

The full lyrics

Ooker John

O my Mary she’s a blooming lass,
– To my Ooker John, my Oo-John,
O my Mary she’s a blooming lass,
– To my Ooker John, my Oo-John,

– Way, fair lady, O way-ay-ay-ay-ay,
– My Mary’s on the highland,
– O yonder’s Mary–yonder….

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The Hawks-Eye Man (Bolton)

O Whos Been Here – Cecil Sharp

Johnny Bawker (Sweating-up)

March 17, 2023November 20, 2022 by Jerzy Brzezinski

Interesting Facts about the Johnny Bawker

“Johnny Bawker” is another shanty from Stan Hugill’s “Johnny” shanties family. It was the shanty used for sheets. It was used for ‘sweating up’, i.e. to give a final drag on a halyard to gain the last inch, at tacks and sheets. Stan Hugill also mentions that this song was used for bunting sails, quite a unique theory because this job was considered the prerogative of “Paddy Doyle” shanty (we don’t know if Stan Hugill saw this song in action when sails were bunting or if this is only the theory). Another interesting fact is that the final “DO” was grunted out staccato, or rather the word was sung to its correct note and then a rising, gasped-out ‘UGH” would follow as the pull came.

And in end due to the specifics of the “sweetening up” job (final pulls), would not take more than three or four verses at the most. For my reconstruction, I select five verses which are more than enough for the described job.

The source of this sea shanty

The music: “Shanties from the Seven Seas” by Stan Hugill (1st ed: p 289).
The lyrics: “Shanties from the Seven Seas” by Stan Hugill (1st ed: p 289, 290).

The Record of the Johnny Bawker

The musical notation

The full lyrics

Johnny Bawker

Ooh! do, me Johnny Bowker, Come rock ‘n’ roll me over,
– Oh do me Johnny Bowker do!

* 2 *

O do, me Johnny Bowker, Come roll me down to Dover,

* 3 *

O do, me Johnny Bowker, lets’ all go on a Jamboree.

* 4 *

O do, me Johnny Bowker, the watches are cala-la-shee.

* 5 *

O do, me Johnny Bowker, the chief mate he’s a croaker.

* 6 *

O do, me Johnny Bowker, the Old Man he’s a soaker.

* 7 *

O do, me Johnny Bowker, the bosun’s never sober.

* 8 *

O do, me Johnny Bowker, I bet ye are a rover.

* 9 *

O do, me Johnny Bowker, the he is a tailor.

* 10 *

O do, me Johnny Bowker, the chips he ain’t no sailor.

* 11 *

O do, me Johnny Bowker, come roll me in the clover.

* 12 *

O do, me Johnny Bowker, come rock an’ roll ‘er over.

* 13 *

O do, me Johnny Bowker, from Calais down to Dover.

* 14 *

O do, me Johnny Bowker, in London lives yer lover.

* 15 *

O do, me Johnny Bowker, the packet she is rollin’.

* 16 *

O do, me Johnny Bowker, come haul away the bowline.

* 17 *

O do, me Johnny Bowker, we’ll either break or bend it.

* 18 *

O do, me Johnny Bowker, we’re men enough to mend it.

* 19 *

O do, me Johnny Bowker, get round the corner, Sally.

* 20 *

O do, me Johnny Bowker, let me an’ you live tally.

* 21 *

O do, me Johnny Bowker, we’ll haul away an’ bend ‘er.

* 22 *

O do, me Johnny Bowker, me sweethart’s young an’ tender.

* 23 *

O do, me Johnny Bowker, one more pull then choke ‘er.

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Cant Ye Hilo? (short drag)

Rise Me Up From Down Below – Doerflinger

John Kanaka

November 5, 2023November 17, 2022 by Jerzy Brzezinski

Interesting Facts about the John Kanaka

“John Kanaka” is a halyard shanty closely related to “Mobile Bay”. Stan Hugill informs us in his book, that this shanty is the first time it has been in print. This is one of the songs from a collection of wonderful shantymen, Harding of Barbados. “The last Shantyman,” says, that Harding sang it with many falsetto yelps and hitches almost impossible to imitate. Polynesian in origin chorus and the word “Tulai-ē” were Samoan. Also very unique for this halyard shanty are three solos and three refrains.
Because I always prefer the origin audio record (which rarely exists), to using music notation, I will try to reconstruct this fantastic halyard shanty base from an album by Stan Hugill with Stormalong John’s band “Chants des Marins Anglais” (1992).

The source of this sea shanty

The music: “Shanties from the Seven Seas” by Stan Hugill (1st ed: p 288).
The lyrics: “Shanties from the Seven Seas” by Stan Hugill (1st ed: p 288, 289).

The Record of the John Kanaka

The musical notation

The full lyrics

John Kanaka

I heard, I heard the Old Man say,
– JOHN Kanaka-naka, TULAI-ē!
Today, today is a holiday,
– JOHN Kanaka-naka, TULAI-ē!
Tulai-ē! oooh! Tulai-ē!
– JOHN Kanaka-naka, TULAI-ē!

* 2 *

We’ll work termorrer, but no work terday,
We’ll work termorrer, but no work terday,
Tulai-ē! oooh! Tulai-ē!

* 3 *

We’re bound away for ‘Frisco Bay,
We’re bound away at the break o’ day,
Tulai-ē! oooh! Tulai-ē!

* 4 *

We’re bound away around Cape Horn,
We wisht ter Christ we’d niver bin born,
Tulai-ē! oooh! Tulai-ē!

* 5 *

Oh, haul, O haul, oh haul away,
Oh, haul away an’ make yer pay,
Tulai-ē! oooh! Tulai-ē!

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Blow The Man Down (E)

Blow The Man Down (F)