Jerzy Brzezinski

Interesting Facts about the A Long Time Ago (G)

A Long Time Ago (G) was very popular in English and American Ships It was probably, in the nineties of the XIX century of the most-used halyard shanty of them all. Even the Germans and Scandinavians popularized versions in their own tongues. This song was sung as a halyard shanty. The stanzas from stanza 4, as suggested in the book (see “A Hundred Years Ago”), comes from “A Hundred Years Ago'” from page 510 (same book 1st edition).

The song will be reconstructed by myself as the halyard shanty.

The source of this sea shanty

The music: “Shanties from the Seven Seas” by Stan Hugill (1st ed p 97).

The lyrics: “Shanties from the Seven Seas” by Stan Hugill (1st ed p 101).

The Record of the A Long Time Ago (G)

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 full lyrics

A Long Time Ago (G)

Old Bully John from Baltimore
– Timme WAY, hay, HO,high ho!
Old Bully John from the Eastern Shore
– Oh a LONG time aGO!

* 2 *

Old Bully John I knew him well,
But now he’s dead an’ gone to hell.

* 3 *

A bully on land an’ a bucko at sea,
Old Bully John wuz the boy for me,

* 4 *

He’s as dead as a nail in the lamproom door,
He’s dead as nail, that son-o’-a-whore.

* 5 *

A hundred years have passed an’ gone,
‘Tis a hundred years since I made this song.

* 6 *

They used to think that pigs could fly,
Can you believe this bloody lie?

* 7 *

They thought the stars were set alight
By bunch o’ angels every night.

* 8 *

They thought the word was flat or square,
That old Columbus never got there.

* 9 *

They though the moon was made o’ cheese;
You can believe if yer please.

* 10 *

They thought that merimaids were no yarn,
But we know better ‘cos we can larn.

* 11 *

They hung a man for making steam,
They pitched his body in a stream.

* 12 *

Oh, a very long time an’ a very long time,
‘Tis a hell o’ a time since I made this rhyme.

* 13 *

Oh, don’t yiz hear the Old Man say,
Just one more pull, lads, then belay!

Related to this sea shanty

As-Tu-Connu Le Per’ Lanc’lot

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De Runer Von Hamborg

Interesting Facts about the A Long Time Ago (F)

A Long Time Ago, including version A Long Time Ago (F), was probably, in the nineties of the XIX century the most-used halyard shanty of them all. Even the Germans and Scandinavians popularized versions in their tongues. This song was very popular on English and American Ships. This song was sung as a halyard shanty. The stanzas from stanza 5, as suggested in the book (see “A-Rovin'”), comes from “A-Rovin'” from pages 48, and 49 (same book 1st edition).

The song will be reconstructed by myself as the halyard shanty.

The source of this sea shanty

The music: “Shanties from the Seven Seas” by Stan Hugill (1st ed p 97).

The lyrics: “Shanties from the Seven Seas” by Stan Hugill (1st ed p 101).

The Record of the A Long Time Ago (F)

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 full lyrics

A Long Time Ago (F)

In ‘Frisco Town there lived a maid,
– Timme WAY, hay, HO,high ho!
An’ she wuz mistress of her trade.
– Oh a LONG time aGO!

* 2 *

One night I crept from my abode,
To meet this fair maid down the road.

* 3 *

I placed my arm around her waist,
Sez she, “Young man, yer in great haste!”

* 4 *

I put me hand upon her knee,
Sez she, “Young man, yer rather free!”

* 5 *

I put my hand upon her thigh,
Sez she, “Young man, yer rather high!”

* 6 *

I towed her to the Maiden’s Breast,
From south the wind veered wes’sou’west

* 7 *

An’ the eyes in her head turned east an’ west,
And her thoughts wuz as deep as an ol’ sea-chest.

* 8 *

We had a drink – of grub a snatch,
We sent two bottles down the hatch.

* 9 *

Her dainty arms wuz white as milk,
Her lovely hair wuz soft as silk.

* 10 *

Her heart wuz poundin’ like a drum,
Her lips wuz red as any plum.

* 11 *

We laid down on a grassy patch,
An’ I felt such a ruddy ass.

* 12 *

She pushed me over on me back,
She laughed so hard her lips did crack.

* 13 *

She swore that she’d be true to me,
But spent me pay-day fast and free.

* 14 *

In three weeks’ time I wuz badly bent,
Then off to sea I sadly went.

* 15 *

In a bloodboat Yank bound round Cape Horn,
Me boots an’ clothes wuz all in pawn.

* 16 *

Bound round Cape Stiff through ice an’ snow,
An’ up the coast to Callyo.

* 17 *

An’ then back to the Liverpool Docks,
Saltpetre stowed in our boots an’ socks.

* 18 *

Now when I got back home from sea,
A soger had her on his knee.

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Interesting Facts about A Long Time Ago (E)

A Long Time Ago (E) was very popular on English and American Ships. It was probably, in the nineties of the XIX century of the most-used halyard shanty of them all. Even the Germans and Scandinavians popularized versions in their tongues. This song was sung as a halyard shanty. The stanzas from stanza 6, as suggested in the book (see “Blow the Man Down” and “The Blackball Line”), come from “Horraw For The Blackball Line” from page 131 (same book 1st edition).

The song will be reconstructed by myself as the halyard shanty.

The source of this sea shanty

The music: “Shanties from the Seven Seas” by Stan Hugill (1st ed p 97).

The lyrics: “Shanties from the Seven Seas” by Stan Hugill (1st ed p 101).

The Record of the A Long Time Ago (E)

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 full lyrics

A Long Time Ago (E)

I’ll sing ye a song of the Blackball Line,
– Timme WAY, hay, HO,high ho!
That’s the Line where ye can shine
– Oh a LONG time aGO!

* 2 *

In the Blackball Line I served me time,
That’s the Line where I wasted me prime.

* 3 *

It’s when a Blackballer hauls out of the dock,
To see them poor ‘Westers’, how on deck they flock.

* 4 *

There’s tinkers an’ tailors, an’ fakirs an’ all,
They’ve all shipped as A.B.s aboard the Blackball.

* 5 *

It’s fore tops’l halyards the Mate he will roar,
It’s lay along Paddy, ye son-o-a-whore!

* 6 *

Blackball ship are good an’ true,
They are ships for me an’ you,

* 7 *

If yer wish to find a real goldmine,
Just take a trip on a Blackball ship.

* 8 *

Just take a trip to Liverpool,
To Liverpool that Yankee school.

* 9 *

Yankee sailors ye’ll see there,
With red-topped boots an’ short-cut hair.

* 10 *

There’s Liverpool Pat with his tarpaulin hat,
An’ Paddy Magee the Packet Rat.

* 11 *

There was once a Blackball ship,
That fourteen knots an hour could slip.

* 12 *

They’ll carry ye along through the ice an’ snow,
They’ll take ye where the winds don’t blow

* 13 *

I’ve seen the Line rise an’ shine,
An’ crossed the line ’em many a time.

* 14 *

Oh, drink a health to the Blackball Line,
Their ships are stout an’ their men are fine.

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Interesting Facts about the A Long Time Ago (D)

A Long Time Ago including version A Long Time Ago (D), was very popular in English and American ShipsIt was probably, in the nineties of the XIX century the most-used halyard shanty of them all. Even the Germans and Scandinavians popularized versions in their tongues. This song was sung as a halyard shanty. The stanzas from stanza 7, as suggested in the book (see Roll The Cotton Down), come from “Roll The Cotton Down (C)” from pages 154-155 (same book 1st edition).

The song will be reconstructed by myself as the halyard shanty.

The source of this sea shanty

The music: “Shanties from the Seven Seas” by Stan Hugill (1st ed p 97).

The lyrics: “Shanties from the Seven Seas” by Stan Hugill (1st ed p 100, 101).

The Record of the A Long Time Ago (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 full lyrics

A Long Time Ago (D)

Oh, away down south where I wuz born,
– Timme WAY, hay, HO,high ho!
Among them fields o’ golden corn.
– Oh a LONG time aGO!

* 2 *

Oh, away down south where I wuz born,
An’ away down south where I wuz born

* 3 *

Around Cape Horn where the salty winds blow,
Around Cape Horn through the ice an’ the snow.

* 4 *

Around Cape Horn we’ve got to go,
Around Cape Horn to ol’ Callyo.

* 5 *

I wisht to the Lord that I’d niver bin born
To be all a-ramblin’ round Cape Horn.

* 6 *

Oh, a dollar a day is a white man’s pay,
To pump all night and to work all day,

* 7 *

Oh, away down south around Cape Horn,
Oh, we wisht to Christ we’d niver bin born!

* 8 *

Oh, away down south one winter’s morn,
Oh, away down south around Cape Horn.

* 9 *

We’re bound to Mobile Bay.
We’re bound away at the break o’ day.

* 10 *

Oh, around Cape Horn we’re bound to go,
Around Cape Stiff midst the ice an’ snow.

* 11 *

Oh, ‘Frisco town is far behind,
An’ the gals down south are free an’ kind.

* 12 *

Oh, fare-ye-well we’re bound to go,
Never let it be said we’ll forget you.

* 13 *

So stretch it aft an’ start a song,
A bloody fine song and it won’t take long

* 14 *

Oh, stretch yer backs an’ haul away,
An’ make yer port an’ take yer pay.

* 15 *

I’ll sing ye a song if ye’ll git me some gin,
That’ll bouse this block right down to the pin.

* 16 *

Oh, rock ‘n’ shake ‘er is the cry,
The bloody topm’st sheave is dry.

* 17 *

Oh, haul away when she takes the next roll,
Why don’t the Mate shake ‘er, oh, Gawd blast his soul.

* 18 *

Oh, I wisht Johnny Slite would keep his luff,
The bastard thinks we’ve hauled enough.

* 19 *

Oh, sweat that yard the Mate do say.
Give one more pull, lads, then belay!

Related to this sea shanty

A Long Time Ago (A)

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Interesting Facts about the A Long Time Ago (B)

According to Stan Hugill the patterns sang to this shanty He knows including Interesting Facts about A Long Time Ago (B), are:
(1) “The ‘Frisco Ship” (from an A.B. of the New Zeland tops’l schooner Huia);
(2) The “If” version (Captain Kihlberg, ex-scots barque “Fasces”);
(3) The “Noah’s Ark” version (Bosun Chenoweth, ex-“Mount Stewart”);
(4) A “Roll the Cotton Down” version (this version was very popular);
(5) A “Blow the Man Down” version (from the singing of Paddy Delaney);
(6) An “A-rovin'” version (mainly bawdy);
(7) A “Time for us to go” version;
(8) A “China Clipper” version (from the singing of Jock Anderson).

The song will be reconstructed by myself as the halyard shanty.

The source of this sea shanty

The music: “Shanties from the Seven Seas” by Stan Hugill (1st ed p 97). I try to recreate this song from hearted Stan Hugill’s version from the album “Shanties From The Seven Seas” (1962).

The lyrics: “Shanties from the Seven Seas” by Stan Hugill (1st ed p 98, 99).

The Record of the A Long Time Ago (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 full lyrics

A Long Time Ago (B)

A ship lay becalmed off Portland Bill,
– Timme WAY, hay, HO,high ho!
If she hasn’t a fair wind she’s layin’ there still.
– Oh a LONG time aGO!

* 2 *

There once wuz a family which lived on a hill,
If they’re not dead they’re livin’ there still.

* 3 *

There once wuz a sailor shipped a ballon,
An’ if he’s still floatin’ he’s now reached the moon.

* 4 *

There once wuz a farmer in Norfolk did dwell,
If he went off an’ died, oh, he’s sure bound to hell.

* 5 *

There wuz an ol’ woman that lived in a shoe,
If she’d had ten bras more, oh, she’d have forty-two.

* 6 *

There wuz an ol’ lady who lived in Dundee,
If she hadn’t been sick she’d have gone off to sea.

* 7 *

There wuz an ol’ yokel in Sussex did dwell,
He had an ol’ wife an’ he wished her hell.

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Interesting Facts about the A Long Time Ago (A)

A Long Time Ago (A) was very popular on English and American Ships. It was probably, in the nineties of XIX century of the most-used halyard shanty of them all. Even the German and Scandinavians popularized versions in their own tongues. This song was sung as halyard shanty.

The song will be reconstructed by myself as the halyard shanty.

The source of this sea shanty

The music: “Shanties from the Seven Seas” by Stan Hugill (1st ed p 97). I try to recreate this song from hearted Stan Hugill’s version from the album “Shanties From The Seven Seas” (1962).

The lyrics: “Shanties from the Seven Seas” by Stan Hugill (1st ed p 97, 98).

The Record of the A Long Time Ago (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

A Long Time Ago (A)

O-ho, there ships they lay in Frisco Bay,
– Timme WAY, hay, HO,high ho!
There ships they lay in Frisco Bay,
– Oh a LONG time aGO!

* 2 *

These smart Yankee packets lay out in the Bay,
All a-waiting a fair wind to get under way,

* 3 *

With all their poor sailors so weak an’ so sad,
They’d drunk all their limejuice, no more could be had.

* 4 *

With all their poor sailors so sick an’ so sore,
They’d scoffed all their whack an’ they couldn’t get more.

* 5 *

Oh, I sailed out of ‘Frisco in a full rigged ship,
I sailed out o’ ‘Frisco in a full-rigged ship.

* 6 *

Her masts wuz of silver an’ her yards wuz of gold,
Her masts wuz of silver an’ her yards wuz of gold.

* 7 *

We wuz bound for New York with a cargo o’ gold,
Bound south ’round the Hotn through the ice an’ the cold.

* 8 *

In eighteen hundred and ninety-four,
We shipped in a drogher bound for Singapore.

* 9 *

An’ I fell in love with young Malay maid,
She swiped all me money, before I wuz paid

* 10 *

My ol’ mum she wrote to me,
She wrote to me to come home from sea.

* 11 *

Says she ‘Me son, ye’ll rue the day,
When the girls have blown, lad, all yer pay.

* 12 *

She sent me some money, she sent me some clothes,
But I spent all the money an’ pawned the clothes.

* 13 *

An’ ever since then I have thought of her word,
‘Twas the finest advice that a man ever heard.

* 14 *

An’ as soon as I gits me feet on shore,
I,ll ship as a bosun of a little rum store.

* 15 *

An’ if ever I gits me feet on land,
I’ll ship as some young lady’s fancyman.

* 16 *

Oh, a long time, an’ a very long time,
Tis a very long time since I first made this rhyme.

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