Jerzy Brzezinski

John come tell us as we haul away

Interesting Facts about John come tell us as we haul away

“John come tell us as we haul away” is another shanty with “Johnny” in text, often sung at pumps. Stan Hugill tells us a bit more about what kind of pump he talks about it:
“when the word ‘pump’ would be substituted for the word ‘haul’, although in the more modern flywheel type of pump where a bell-rope was used both words were equally appropriate.”

Also, Stan Hugill tells us that this is one of not too many shanties that had two singers for the solo lines.

The source of this sea shanty

The music: “Shanties from the Seven Seas” by Stan Hugill (1st ed: p 287).
The lyrics: “Shanties from the Seven Seas” by Stan Hugill (1st ed: p 287, 288).

The Record of the John come tell us as we haul away

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

John come tell us as we haul away - music notation

The full lyrics

John come tell us as we haul away

From Liverpool Town we sailed away,
– John, come tell us as we haul away!
Outward bound at the break of day,
– John, come tell us as we haul away!
Aye, aye, haul, aye,
– John, come tell us as we haul away!

* 2 * – First Shantyman:

Wuz ye never down in Mobile Bay?
– John, come_tell us as we haul away!
A-screwin’ cotton all the day,
– John, come_tell us as we haul away!
Aye, aye, haul, aye,
– John, come_tell us as we haul away!

* 3 * – Second Shantyman:

Oh, yes, I’ve bin down Mobile Bay,
– So he tells us as we haul away!
A-screwin’ cotton all the day,
– So he tells us as we haul away!
Aye, aye, haul, aye,
– So he tells us as we haul away!

* 4 * – First Shantyman:

What did yer see down in Mobile Bay?
– John, come_tell us as we haul away!
Were the gals all free an’ gay?
– John, come_tell us as we haul away!
Aye, aye, haul, aye,
– John, come_tell us as we haul away!

* 5 * – Second Shantyman:

Oh this I saw in Mobile Bay,
– So he tells us as we haul away!
A spankin’ gal in a hammock lay,
– So he tells us as we haul away!
Aye, aye, haul, aye,
– So he tells us as we haul away!

* 6 * – First Shantyman:

An’ this flash gal wuz Saucy May,
– John, come_tell us as we haul away!
She wuz tall an’ fine an’ had lots to say.
– John, come_tell us as we haul away!
Aye, aye, haul, aye,
– John, come_tell us as we haul away!

* 7 * – Second Shantyman:

An’ what did yer do in Mobile Bay?
– John, come_tell us as we haul away!
Did yiz give that flash tart all yer pay?
– John, come_tell us as we haul away!
Aye, aye, haul, aye,
– John, come_tell us as we haul away!

* 8 * – First Shantyman:

Oh, this I did in Mobile Bay,
– So he tells us as we haul away!
I courted this gal whose name was May,
– So he tells us as we haul away!
Aye, aye, haul, aye,
– So he tells us as we haul away!

* 9 * – Second Shantyman:

I married her in Mobile Bay,
– So he tells us as we haul away!
An’ lived there happy many a day,
– So he tells us as we haul away!
Aye, aye, haul, aye,
– So he tells us as we haul away!

Related to this sea shanty

The Ox-eyed Man (Davis & Tozer)

The Girl With The Blue Dress (Davis & Tozer)

Shallow Brown C

Johnny Come-A-Long

Interesting Facts about the Johnny Come-A-Long

“Johnny Come-A-Long”, a stamp-‘n’-go shanty popular in German ships. Stan Hugill took this shanty from “Knurrhahn” Seemannslieder und Shanties (Zweiter Band) by Richard Baltzer; Klaus Prigge; Knurrhahn-Lotsen-Gesangverein (1936). In comparison, Stan Hugill’s version is slightly different in text and almost identical in music to the “Knurrhahn” version, also title “Knurrhahn” is different (The title from “Knurrhahn” is “Johnny” you can find on page 90 and 91).

The source of this sea shanty

The music: “Shanties from the Seven Seas” by Stan Hugill (1st ed: p 286).
The lyrics: “Shanties from the Seven Seas” by Stan Hugill (1st ed: p 273).

The Record of the Johnny Come-A-Long

My reconstruction will imitate “stamp-n-go” shanty.

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

Johnny Come-A-Long - music notation

The full lyrics

Johnny Come-A-Long

Oh, Johnny, Johnny, John,
Come along, come along,
Oh, Johnny, Johnny, John, come along,
Dont stand there like a silly ol’ fool,
don’t stand there a lookin’ so cool,
Dont be shy of the ladies,
an’ the teeth in his mouth want bang-bang!

– Down by the sea, Where the watermelon grow,
– Back to my home, I shall not go,
– And shall I dream of love’s sweet song,
– Who can be happier than a sailor tonight?

* 2 *

Oh, Johnny, Johnny, John,
Was a sailorman,
He’d bin around all day,
Jolin’ with the ladies, playin’ hide’n’seek,
Not a penny to pay for to have a little peek,
Happy as the day went high-diddle-dee,
An’ the girls all shouted bang-bang!

* 3 *

Oh, Johnny, Johnny, John,
In the garden with his gun,
Monkey’s been a-playin’ all the day,
Johnny takes his gun and the gun was loaded,
Johnny took his gun and the gun exploded,
High-diddle-dee, high-diddle-bum,
An’ he never let it go bang-bang!

* 4 *

Oh, Johnny, Johnny, John,
Git along, git along,
Leave little ladies on the shore,
Keep off, John, leave the girls alone,
Say goodbye an’ sail away for home,
Don’t hang round any more,
An’ his ol’ knees went bang-bang!

Related to this sea shanty

John Dameray (Silsbee)

Cant Ye Hilo? (short drag)

Rise Me Up From Down Below – Doerflinger

Hanging Johnny

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

Hanging Johnny - music 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

Supen Ut En Dram På Man

Interesting Facts about the Supen Ut En Dram På Man

The “Supen Ut, En Dram Pa Man”, a fantastic Swedish Capstan shanty from “Sang Under Segel” by Sigurd Sternvall (1935) (1st ed p 322, 323). is the shanty which also we can include in the Hugill family of shanties with the words “Whisky Johnny” in the theme. It comes from recollections of sailmaker Oskar Johansosson of Masthugget in Gothenburg. According to the footnotes from the original book it was very popular among all the Scandinavian vessels lying in Delagoa Bay, Portuguese East Africa, in the year 1904.

The source of this sea shanty

The music: “Shanties from the Seven Seas” by Stan Hugill (1st ed p 282).
The lyrics: “Shanties from the Seven Seas” by Stan Hugill (1st ed p 282, 283).

The Record of the Supen Ut En Dram På Man

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

Supen Ut, En Dtam På Man - music notation

The full lyrics

Supen Ut, En Dram På Man

Å, supen ut, en dr–am på man!
Väl klarar skutan sig från land.
om blott I hugger i med kläm.
– En dram för oss Johnnies!

– Kom hör, kom hör, kom hör oss nu!
– Ur djupa strupar kallas du.
– En tår som går från lår till lår,
– en dram för oss Johnnies!

* 2 *

Du stewart, fram med flaska grann!
Fyll i en peg till varje man!
De ä långt till Rio som ni vet.

* 3 *

Slå pall i spelet, vinda hem!
Nu går det med en väldans kläm,
slik olja nyttar som I ser.

* 4 *

Den stewart kommer snart igen,
så fort vårt ankar vindats hem.
Ligg an på spaken, alle man!

* 5 *

Fast heaven, gubbar, klart vid fall!
Nu alla segel sättas skall,
stolt skutan faller av för vind.

Related to this sea shanty

O Johnny Come To Hilo – Cecil Sharp

The Hawks-Eye Man (Bolton)

O Whos Been Here – Cecil Sharp

The Ghost of John James Christopher Benjamin Binns (Victorian Ditty)

Interesting Facts about The Ghost of John James Christopher Benjamin Binns

This is the beautiful Victorian ditty “The Ghost of John James Benjamin Christopher Binns” by Harry Randall (1888), no doubt, the original predecessor of the “Rise Me Up From Down Below”, stamp-‘n’-go shanty. Fortunately, I found a musical score for this surely forgotten poem, which had a great time on broadsides of the 19th century.
I did not find any publication of this song mentioned, fortunately, Stan Hugill mention it, so this is probably my only opportunity to reconstruct this song and bring it back to life, and show this beautiful ballad to all who want to listen to sound of the past.

The source of this victorian ditty

The music: “The Ghost of John James Benjamin Christopher Binns” by Harry Randall (1888).
The lyrics: “The Ghost of John James Benjamin Christopher Binns” by Harry Randall (1888).
Mentioned in: “Shanties from the Seven Seas” by Stan Hugill (1st ed p 281).

The Record of this victorian ditty

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 Ghost of John James Christopher Benjamin Binns - music notation 1
The Ghost of John James Christopher Benjamin Binns - music notation 2

The full lyrics

The Ghost of John James Christopher Benjamin Binns – Victorian Ditty

Hear my song, gentle folks, and dont be afraid,
I’m only a ghost, a poor harmless shade,
I would not hurt any one here if I could;
And you couldn’t do me much harm if you would;

Knives will not stab me nor shots thro’ me fly,
But oh! the experiment please do not try;
It’s not for my self that I care, not at all,
I’m only afraid you might damage the wall.

||   For:   ||

– I’m the ghost of John James Christopher Ben-jamin Binns,
– I was cut down right in the midst of my sins;
– For my home is down below, I’m let out for an hour or so;
– When the cock begins to crow, Fare well Benjamins Binns.

* 2 *

My wife she would say when I liv’d on this earth,
If I should die first, she’d never get wed;
To night I call’d on her, through key holes I crept,
If ghost could have tears, I am sure I’d have wept;

A man held my wife in his tender embrace,
She call’d him her hubby, hed taken my place;
To make matters worse, and to crown all my woes,
The fellow was wearing my best Sunday clothes.

||   The gass full on _ she could not see me _     ||
||   but I was determined she should hear me,      ||
||   So I said -"Hold mortal piece of flesh" _     ||
||   She shrieked and "held" the "mantel piece" _  ||
||   Then I in Sephulcral tones said,              ||
   - (chorus)

* 3 *

On the day that I died I left up on earth,
A fam’ly large and a boy of good birth,
Whom I taught to be honest and ever upright,
And hold on to money securely and tight;

But a short time thereafter imagine my woe,
When I heard that to canada off he did go;
“And just like his father” the people now say,
“Good riddins, bad rubbish, he’s out of the way!”

||   But I manage to get even with the rascally lad, ||
||   for each night when he lies in restless sleep,  ||
||   I crawl up from below and say:                  ||
   - (chorus)

Related to this victorian ditty

Cialoma Di Li Tunnari

Brindisi Di Marinai

Blow The Wind Southerly – Shore Song

Rise Me Up From Down Below – Doerflinger

Interesting Facts about the Rise Me Up From Down Below – Doerflinger

“Rise Me Up From Down Below”, stamp-‘n’-go shanty. Doerflinger took this song from “Lemon” Curtis, and says it is one of his favored songs. Negro origin shanty which combined the functions of a regular halyard shanty and a “walk away (stamp-‘n’-go)” song. In hoisting topgallants to this shanty, the men would first take two “drags” on the rope and then “walk away” with it. The pulls came on “WHISKEY Oh, JOHNny Oh,” while the rest of the chorus was sung as the men stamped along the deck gripping the halyard.

The source of this sea shanty

The music: “Shantymen And Shantyboys” by William Main Doerflinger (1951).
The lyrics: “Shantymen And Shantyboys” by William Main Doerflinger (1951).
Mentioned in: “Shanties from the Seven Seas” by Stan Hugill (1st ed p 281, 282).

The Record of the Rise Me Up From Down Below – Doerflinger

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

Rise Me Up From Down Below - Doerflinger - music notation

The full lyrics

Rise Me Up From Down Below – Doerflinger

Oh, I come from the world below.
That is where the cocks do crow.

– Whisky O, Johnny O!
– Oh, Rise me up from down below,
– Down below, Oh Oh Oh Oh!
– Up aloft this yard must go, John.
– Rise me up from down below.

* 2 *

I come from the world below!
That is where the fires do roar.

Related to this sea shanty

Drunken Sailor (A)

Donkey Riding

Roll The Old Chariot (Stamp-n-go)

Rise Me Up From Down Below

Interesting Facts about the Rise Me Up From Down Below

Here is another great stamp-‘n’-go shanty, “Rise Me Up From Down Below”. According to Harding Barbarian, Stan Hugill’s shipmate this song was very popular on Yankee ships with Coloured crews. Harding also said that the tune is the Jamaican work song taken to sea by West Indian seamen and modify it to their needs.

The source of this sea shanty

The music: “Shanties from the Seven Seas” by Stan Hugill (1st ed: p 281).
The lyrics: “Shanties from the Seven Seas” by Stan Hugill (1st ed: p 281).

The Record of the Rise Me Up From Down Below

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

Rise Me Up From Down Below - music notation

The full lyrics

Rise Me Up From Down Below

I’m just up from the world below,
That is where the cocks do crow,

– Whisky O, Johnny O!
– Rise me up from down below,
– Down below, Oh, Oh, Oh, Oh!
– Rise me up from down below, boys
– Rise me up from down below!

* 2 *

I an the ghost of the Bertie Binns,
Cut down wuz I for me ‘orrible sins.

* 3 *

Me only home is down below,
They’ve let me out for an hour or so.

* 4 *

An’ when the cocks begin to crow,
‘Tis time for me to roll ‘n’ go.

* 5 *

Back in a hurry to the southern shore,
That is where the fires do roar.

* 6 *

I’ll tell yuh, boys ’tis hot in hell,
An’ I should know the place damn well.

* 7 *

An’ now the bleedin’ sail is set,
Back to me hole I’ll have ter get.

Related to this sea shanty

Drunken Sailor (A)

Donkey Riding

Roll The Old Chariot (Stamp-n-go)

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

Whisky Johnny D - music 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

Whisky Johnny C

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

Whisky Johnny C - music 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

Whisky Johnny B

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

Whisky Johnny B - music 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!

Related to this sea shanty

Walk Me Along Johnny

The Gal With The Blue Dress

Hilo Boys Hilo