Jerzy Brzezinski

Interesting Facts about the Hanging Johnny

This is one of the most famous shanties of all “Hanging Johnny”. According to Stan Hugill’s Hanging Johnny, it can be legendary hangman Jack Ketch, but obviously, nobody can confirm this information, so we have to get it as a legend. Probably melancholy tune and macabre lyrics and rhythm length itself made this song one of the best halyard shanties ever.
Here the description of how Stan Hugill described the use of this shanty:
“The word ‘Hang’ was often used when ‘swinging’. In this maneuver (when a buntline or clewline or light halyard had to be given a few final strong pulls), one man took a part turn with the line around the portion of the belayin’-pin beneath the pin rail, while two or three other seamen with their hands as high as they could place them gripped the line and fell backward heavily, then ‘giving in’ the resultant slack to the chap at the pin.”
Usually was used at t’gallant halyards.

The source of this sea shanty

The music: “Shanties from the Seven Seas” by Stan Hugill (1st ed: p 284).
The lyrics: “Shanties from the Seven Seas” by Stan Hugill (1st ed: p 283, 284, 285).

The Record of the Blow the Hanging Johnny

“Shanties from the Seven Seas” by Stan Hugill (1st ed p 203, 204).

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

Hanging Johnny

Oh, they calls me Hangin’ Johnny,
– AWAY, boys, AWAY!
They sez I hangs for money,
– So HANG, boy-oys, HANG!

* 2 *

They sez I hang for money,
But hangin’ is so funny,

* 3 *

At first I hanged me daddy,
An’ then I hanged me mammy.

* 4 *

Oh, yes, I hanged me mother,
Me sister, an’ me brudder.

* 5 *

I hanged me sister Sally,
I hanged the whole damn family.

* 6 *

An’ then I hanged me granny,
I hanged her up quite canny.

* 7 *

I’d hang the mate and skipper,
I’d hang ’em by their flippers.

* 8 *

I’d hang a ruddy copper,
I’d give him the long dropper.

* 9 *

I’d hang a rotten liar,
I’d hang a bloomin’ frair.

* 10 *

I’d hang to make things jolly,
I’d hang Jill, Jane, an’ Polly.

* 11 *

A rope, a beam, a ladder,
I’d hang yiz all tergether.

* 12 *

We’ll hang an’ haul tergether,
We’ll hang for better weather.

Related to this sea shanty

Hilo Come Down Below

Whisky Johnny C

Whisky Johnny D

Interesting Facts about the Whisky Johnny D

The “Whisky Johnny D” is a halyard one, usually used at either t’gallant or tops’l halyards, and from time to time it even was used at the capstan.
Here is the list of versions given to us by Stan Hugill:
(a) The advantages and disadvantages of whisky drinking,
(b) Shanghaiing version,
(c) The limejuice skipper, and
(d) Crabfish, crayfish, or lobster version.
This song will be reconstructed as the Halyard shanty. Some collectors claim that this song is very antique, and is dating back to Elizabethanian times.

The source of this sea shanty

The music: “Shanties from the Seven Seas” by Stan Hugill (1st ed: p 274).
The lyrics: “Shanties from the Seven Seas” by Stan Hugill (1st ed: p 277).

The Record of the Whisky Johnny D

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

Whisky Johnny D

‘Mornin’, Mister Fisherman’; ‘Good mornin’, ‘sez he,
– Whisky Johnny!
‘Have ye got a crabfish ye can sell to me?’
Whisky for my Johnny!

* 2 *

‘Oh, yes,’ sez he, ‘I have got two,
One for me an’ the other for you.’

* 3 *

I took the crabfish home, but I couldn’t find a plate.
I put it in the place where me Missus always ate.

* 4 *

Early next mornin’ as ye may guess,
The Missus got up for an early breakfast.

* 5 *

The Missus gave a howl, a groan, and a shout,
She danced around the room with the crabfish on her snout.

* 6 *

I grabbed a scrubber, the Missus grabbed a broom,
We chased the bloomin’ crayfish round an’ round the room.

* 7 *

We hit it on the head, we hit it on the side,
We hit the bloomin’ crabfish, until the blighter died.

* 8 *

The end of my story – the moral is this,
Always put yer spacs on before ye eat yer fish.

Related to this sea shanty

Whisky Johnny B

The Gal With The Blue Dress

Whisky Johnny A

Interesting Facts about the Whisky Johnny C

The “Whisky Johnny C” is a halyard one, usually used at either t’gallant or tops’l halyards, and from time to time it even was used at the capstan. An interesting fact about this beautiful shanty was that sailors used this shanty, at the mizen tops’l halyards – the hands in the case being strung out across the poop, the idea was to give the captain a gentle hint from the very nature of the words sung to issue a tot of rum.
Here is the list of versions given to us by Stan Hugill:
(a) The advantages and disadvantages of whisky drinking,
(b) Shanghaiing version,
(c) The limejuice skipper, and
(d) Crabfish, crayfish, or lobster version.
The text for this version Stan Hugill took from Mr. Jimmy Sexton, Arthur Spencer, and other seamen. This song will be reconstructed as the Halyard shanty.

The source of this sea shanty

The music: “Shanties from the Seven Seas” by Stan Hugill (1st ed: p 274).
The lyrics: “Shanties from the Seven Seas” by Stan Hugill (1st ed: p 277).

The Record of the Whisky Johnny C

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

Whisky Johnny C

There wuz a limejuice skipper of the name of Hogg,
– Whisky Johnny!
Once tried to stop his sailor’s grog,
– Whisky for my Johnny!

* 2 *

Which made the crew so weak an’ slack,
That the helmsman caught her flat aback.

* 3 *

An’ ever after so they say,
That crew grog three times a day.

* 4 *

So we’ll boost her up an’ bowl along,
An’ dring that skipper’s health in song.

* 5 *

We’ll keep closehauled without a breach,
With just a shiver in the weather leach.

* 6 *

Now if this ship wuz the ol’ James Baines,
That yard would never be lowered again.

* 7 *

The halyards they would racked be,
We’ll drive along through a big green sea.

* 8 *

Oh, hoist the yard from down below,
To the sheave-hole she must go.

* 9 *

Up aloft with taunted leach,
Hand over hand, lads, ye must reach.

* 10 *

Whisky made the Ol’ Man say,
One more pull, lads, than belay!

Related to this sea shanty

Whisky Johnny B

The Gal With The Blue Dress

Whisky Johnny A

Interesting Facts about the Whisky Johnny B

The “Whisky Johnny B” is a halyard one, usually used at either t’gallant or tops’l halyards, and from time to time it even was used at the capstan. Clark in his book “Seven Years of a Sailor’s Life (1867), refers to the singing of Whisky Johnny at the windlass.
Here is the list of versions given to us by Stan Hugill:
(a) The advantages and disadvantages of whisky drinking,
(b) Shanghaiing version,
(c) The limejuice skipper, and
(d) Crabfish, crayfish, or lobster version.
The text for this version Stan Hugill took from Mr. Jimmy Sexton, Arthur Spencer, and other seamen. This song will be reconstructed as the Halyard shanty.

The source of this sea shanty

The music: “Shanties from the Seven Seas” by Stan Hugill (1st ed: p 274).
The lyrics: “Shanties from the Seven Seas” by Stan Hugill (1st ed: p 276, 277).

The Record of the Whisky Johnny B

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

Whisky Johnny B

Now if ever go to ‘Frisco town,
– Whisky Johnny!
Mind ye steer clear o’ Shanghai Brown,
– Whisky for my Johnny!

* 2 *

He’ll dope yer whishy night an’ morn,
An’ then shanghai ye round Cape Horn.

* 3 *

Two months’ wages are dead,
An’ a donkey’s breakfast for yes bed.

* 4 *

Ol’ Shanghai Brown an’ Larry Marr,
Their names are known both near an’ far.

* 5 *

Ol’ Larry Marr an’ Shanghai Brown,
They robbedme up an’ robbed me down.

* 6 *

They fit ye out wid bumboat gear,
That’s got ter last yer ‘alf-a-year,

* 7 *

Carpet slippers made o’ felt,
An’ a nice, clean rope-yarn for a belt.

* 8 *

A suit o’ oilskins made o’ cotton,
An’ ol’ sea-chest wid bricks in the bottom.

* 9 *

Oh, the Barbary Coast is no place for me,
Ye have one drink then wake up at sea.

* 10 *

Ol’ Shanghai Brown he loves us sailors,
Oh, yes he does like hell ‘n’ blazes.

* 11 *

All ye young sailors take a warnin’ from me,
Keep an eye on yer drink, lads, when ye come from sea.

* 12 *

Or else ye’ll awake on a cold frosty morn,
On a three-skys’l yarder bound round the Horn.

* 13 *

On a skys’l yarder all bound round the Horn,
Ye’ll wish ter hell that ye’d niver bin born.

* 14 *

Oh, I thought I heard the Ol’ Man say,
Just one more pull, lads, then belay!

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Walk Me Along Johnny

The Gal With The Blue Dress

Hilo Boys Hilo

Interesting Facts about the Whisky Johnny A

The “Whisky Johnny A” is the first shanty that opens the family of the shanties with the name Johnny, in its lyrics. This shanty is a halyard one, usually used at either t’gallant or tops’l halyards, and from time to time it even was used at the capstan.
Here is the list of versions given to us by Stan Hugill:
(a) The advantages and disadvantages of whisky drinking,
(b) Shanghaiing version,
(c) The limejuice skipper, and
(d) Crabfish, crayfish, or lobster version.
The text for this version Stan Hugill took from Mr. Butcher. This song will be reconstructed as the Halyard shanty.

The source of this sea shanty

The music: “Shanties from the Seven Seas” by Stan Hugill (1st ed: p 274).
The lyrics: “Shanties from the Seven Seas” by Stan Hugill (1st ed: p 274, 275, 276).

The Record of the Whisky Johnny A

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

Whisky Johnny A

Ooh, whisky is the life of man
– Whisky Johnny!
Ooh, whisky from an old tin can,
– Whisky for my Johnny!

* 2 *

Whisky here, whisky there,
Oooo! whisky almast everywhre,

* 3 *

Whisky up an’ whisky down,
Oooh! whisky all around the town.

* 4 *

I’ll drink it hot, I’ll drink it cold,
I’ll drink it new, I’ll drink it old.

* 5 *

Whisky made me sell me coat,
Whisky’s what keeps me afloat.

* 6 *

Whisky fills a man with care,
Whisky makes a man a bear.

* 7 *

Whisky gave me many a sigh,
But I’ll swing whisky till I die.

* 8 *

Whisky made me mammy cry,
Whisky closed me stabbud eye.

* 9 *

Whisky killed me poor ol’ Dad,
Whisky druv me mother mad.

* 10 *

Whisky made me pawn me cloes,
Whisky gave me a broken nose.

* 11 *

Whisky made me shun the booze,
Put me in the calabooze.

* 12 *

Whisky gave me a big, fat head,
But I’ll drink whisky till I’m dead.

* 13 *

If I can’t have whisky, then I’ll have rum,
That’s the stuff to make good fun.

* 14 *

Whisky killed me Sister Sue,
Whisky killed me brother too.

* 15 *

I had a sister an’ her name wuz Lize,
She puts whisky in her tea.

* 16 *

My wife an’ I could never agree,
She’d put whisky in her tea.

* 17 *

Some likes whisky, some likes beer,
I wisht I had a barrel here.

* 18 *

Oh, the mate likes whisky an’ the skipper likes rum,
The sailors like both but we can’t git none.

* 19 *

Oh, a tot of whisky for each man,
An’ a bloody big bottle for the shantyman.

* 20 *

If whisky wuz a river an’ I could swim,
I’d say here goes an’ I’d dive right in.

* 21 *

If whisky wuz a river an’ I wuz a duck,
I’d dive to the bottom an’ never come up.

* 22 *

I wist I knew where whisky grew,
I’d eat the leaves an’ the branches too.

* 23 *

The Divil came from the worl’ below,
That is where bad whisky do grow.

* 24 *

Oh, whisky straight an’ whisky strong,
Gimme some whisky an’ I’ll sing ye a song.

* 25 *

If whisky comes too near me nose,
I tip it up an’ down the hatch she goes.

* 26 *

Here comes the cook with the whisky-can,
A glass o’ grog for every man.

* 27 *

Whisky made me scratch me toes,
Whisky makes me fight me foes.

* 28 *

I say Ol’ Man it is a sin,
To make us work widout any gin.

* 29 *

Whisky made the bosun call,
Hang over hand, lads, ye must reach.

* 30 *

Whisky made the Ol’ Man say,
One more pull, lads, than belay!

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Walk Me Along Johnny

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