Jerzy Brzezinski, Author at Traditional Sea Shanties

Haul Away Joe B

August 2, 2023August 2, 2023 by Jerzy Brzezinski

Interesting Facts about the Haul Away Joe B

Haul Away Joe B – is another really famous and popular shanty, especially used for tack and sheets. Stan Hugill gives us an interesting theory that this song probably was sung as the halyard shanty. This happens because the song has a countless number of verses, which are definitely not for sheet or tack work, which usually takes no more than three verses.
The song will be reconstructed by myself as the sheet shanty.

The source of this sea shanty

The music: “Shanties from the Seven Seas” by Stan Hugill (1st ed: p 358).
The lyrics: “Shanties from the Seven Seas” by Stan Hugill (1st ed: p 358 – 360).

The Record of the Haul Away Joe B

The musical notation

The full lyrics

Haul Away Joe B

Hey don’t yer see that black cloud a-risin’?
– ‘Way haul away, we’ll haul away JOE!
Hey don’t yer see that black cloud a-risin’?
– ‘Way haul away, we’ll haul away JOE!

* 2 *

Naow whin Oi wuz a little boy an’ so me mother told me,
That if Oi didn’t kiss the gals me lips would all grow mouldy.

* 3 *

An’ Oi sailed the seas for many a year not knowin’ what Oi wuz missin’,
Then Oi sets me sails afore the gales an’ started in a kissin’.

* 4 *

Naow first Oi got a Spannish gal an’ she wuz fat an’ lazy,
An’ then Oi got a nigger tart- she nirly druv me crazy.

* 5 *

Oi found meself a yankee gal an’ sure she wasn’t civil,
So Oi suck a plaster on her back an’ sent her to the Divil.

* 6 *

Sheepskin, pitch, an’ beeswax, they make a bully plaster;
THe more she tried ter git it off it only stuck the faster.

* 7 *

Then Oi got meself an Oirish gal an’ her name wuz Flannigan,
She stole me boots, she stole me clothes, she pinched me plate an’ pannikin.

* 8 *

Oi courted then a Frenchie gal, she took things free an’ aisy,
But naow Oi’ve got an English gal an’ sure she is a daisy.

* 9 *

So list while Oi sing ter yer about me darlin’ Nancy,
She’s cooper-bottomed, clipper-built, she’s jist me style an’ fancy.

* 10 *

Ye may talk about yer Yankee gals an’ round-the-corner-Sallies,
But they couldn’t make the grade, me bhoys, wid the gals from down our alley.

* 11 *

We sailed away for the China Seas, our bhoys so neat an’ handy,
The Ould Man in his cab’n, bhoys, a-drinkin’ rum an’ brandy.

* 12 *

We loaded for the homeward rum, all hands so free an’ aisy,
And in his galley sat the doc, a-makin’ plum-duff graisy.

* 13 *

We squared our yards an’ away we rolled, with the fiddles playin’ handy
Wid a roll ‘n’ go, an’ a westward ho, an’ a Yankee Doodle Dandy.

* 14 *

Oh, King Louis wuz the King o’ France, afore the revolution,
But the people cut his big head orf an’ spoiled his constitution.

* 15 *

Then they sent the King away ter sea, to larn him how ter swim,
They sent him wid a Bluenose mate who put a squarehead on him.

* 16 *

Oh, once Oi wuz in Oireland a-diggin’ turf an’ taties,
But naow Oi’m on a Limejuice ship an’ a-haulin’ on the braces.

* 17 *

Saint Patrick wuz a gintelman, an’ he come of daycent paypul,
He built a church in Dublin town an’ on it set a staypul.

* 18 *

From Oireland thin he druv the snakes, then drank up all the whisky,
This made him dance an’ sing an’ jig, he felt so fine an’ frisky.

* 19 *

He held High Mass for forty days before he blessed the staypul,
He held High Mass, ’twas a sorry pass, but he couldn’t fool the paypul.

* 20 *

Yiz call yerself a second mate an’ cannot tie a bowline,
Ye cannot even stand up straight when the packet she’s a-rollin’.

Related to this sea shanty

Haul Away Joe A

August 2, 2023August 1, 2023 by Jerzy Brzezinski

Interesting Facts about the Haul Away Joe A

Haul Away Joe A – is another really famous and popular shanty, especially used for tack and sheets. Stan Hugill gives us an interesting theory that this song probably was sung as the halyard shanty. This happens because the song has a countless number of verses, which are definitely not for sheet or tack work, which usually takes no more than three verses. This version is learned by Stan Hugill from Paddy Griffiths, who told to Stan Hugill it was used mainly for hauling aft the forsheet after reefing the fores’l.
The song will be reconstructed by myself as the sheet shanty.

The source of this sea shanty

The music: “Shanties from the Seven Seas” by Stan Hugill (1st ed: p 358).
The lyrics: “Shanties from the Seven Seas” by Stan Hugill (1st ed: p 358 – 360).

The Record of the Haul Away Joe A

The musical notation

The full lyrics

Haul Away Joe A

Hey don’t yer see that black cloud a-risin’?
– ‘Way haul away, we’ll haul away JOE!
Hey don’t yer see that black cloud a-risin’?
– ‘Way haul away, we’ll haul away JOE!

* 2 *

Naow whin Oi wuz a little boy an’ so me mother told me,
That if Oi didn’t kiss the gals me lips would all grow mouldy.

* 3 *

An’ Oi sailed the seas for many a year not knowin’ what Oi wuz missin’,
Then Oi sets me sails afore the gales an’ started in a kissin’.

* 4 *

Naow first Oi got a Spannish gal an’ she wuz fat an’ lazy,
An’ then Oi got a nigger tart- she nirly druv me crazy.

* 5 *

Oi found meself a yankee gal an’ sure she wasn’t civil,
So Oi suck a plaster on her back an’ sent her to the Divil.

* 6 *

Sheepskin, pitch, an’ beeswax, they make a bully plaster;
THe more she tried ter git it off it only stuck the faster.

* 7 *

Then Oi got meself an Oirish gal an’ her name wuz Flannigan,
She stole me boots, she stole me clothes, she pinched me plate an’ pannikin.

* 8 *

Oi courted then a Frenchie gal, she took things free an’ aisy,
But naow Oi’ve got an English gal an’ sure she is a daisy.

* 9 *

So list while Oi sing ter yer about me darlin’ Nancy,
She’s cooper-bottomed, clipper-built, she’s jist me style an’ fancy.

* 10 *

Ye may talk about yer Yankee gals an’ round-the-corner-Sallies,
But they couldn’t make the grade, me bhoys, wid the gals from down our alley.

* 11 *

We sailed away for the China Seas, our bhoys so neat an’ handy,
The Ould Man in his cab’n, bhoys, a-drinkin’ rum an’ brandy.

* 12 *

We loaded for the homeward rum, all hands so free an’ aisy,
And in his galley sat the doc, a-makin’ plum-duff graisy.

* 13 *

We squared our yards an’ away we rolled, with the fiddles playin’ handy
Wid a roll ‘n’ go, an’ a westward ho, an’ a Yankee Doodle Dandy.

* 14 *

Oh, King Louis wuz the King o’ France, afore the revolution,
But the people cut his big head orf an’ spoiled his constitution.

* 15 *

Then they sent the King away ter sea, to larn him how ter swim,
They sent him wid a Bluenose mate who put a squarehead on him.

* 16 *

Oh, once Oi wuz in Oireland a-diggin’ turf an’ taties,
But naow Oi’m on a Limejuice ship an’ a-haulin’ on the braces.

* 17 *

Saint Patrick wuz a gintelman, an’ he come of daycent paypul,
He built a church in Dublin town an’ on it set a staypul.

* 18 *

From Oireland thin he druv the snakes, then drank up all the whisky,
This made him dance an’ sing an’ jig, he felt so fine an’ frisky.

* 19 *

He held High Mass for forty days before he blessed the staypul,
He held High Mass, ’twas a sorry pass, but he couldn’t fool the paypul.

* 20 *

Yiz call yerself a second mate an’ cannot tie a bowline,
Ye cannot even stand up straight when the packet she’s a-rollin’.

Related to this sea shanty

A Long Time Ago – Gordon Hitchcock version

Haul Away Boys Haul Away!

July 12, 2023July 12, 2023 by Jerzy Brzezinski

Interesting the Haul Away Boys Haul Away!

“Haul Away Boys Haul Away!”, a hauling shanty, which according to Stan Hugill was the first time in print, in his book (“Shanties From The Seven Seas”). He learned this song from Harding Barbadian. He tells us, that Harding sang this song with a lot of wild yelps, and it was quite popular on West Indian ships.
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 357).
The lyrics: “Shanties from the Seven Seas” by Stan Hugill (1st ed: p 357, 358).

The Record of the Haul Away Boys Haul Away!

Haul Away Boys Haul Away! - Halyard Shanty

The musical notation

The full lyrics

Haul Away Boys Haul Away!

Oooh! Haul away for the windy weather boys,
– HAUL away boys, HAUL away!
Ooh Haul away an’ pull tergether boys,
– HAUL away boys, HAUL away!

* 2 *

Oooh! Haul away an’ let’s git goin’, boys,
Ooooh! Haul away for the merchant’s money, boys,

* 3 *

Haul away like jolly young sailor-boys,
Haul away an’ roll her over, boys.

* 4 *

Oh! God made the bees an’ the bees made the honey, boys,
And’ God sent the food, but the Divil sent the cooks, boys.

* 5 *

Oooh! God made man an’ man made money, boys,
But the Divil sent the woman for to rob us of our money, boys.

* 6 *

Oooh! We’re rollin’ down to Cuba for a load up sugar, boys,
Rollin’ down to Cuba fer to meet our Creole doudous, boys.

* 7 *

Oooh! The packet’s now rollin’ down the river, boys,
As she rolls down her tops’ls shiver, boys.

* 8 *

An’ soon we’ll be in red-hot Cuba, boys,
Oh! Haul away an’ the wind ‘ll move her, boys.

* 9 *

Soon we’ll see our bright-eyed women, boys,
Ooh! Haul an’ shake her as she rolls, boys.

* 10 *

Haul away for finer weather, boys,
Ooooh! Haul away for the better weather, boys.

Related to this shanty

Banks Of Sacramento – Patterson Halyard version

The Sailor Fireman (I’ll Fire Dis Trip)

Haul On The Bow-Line – Sharp

July 5, 2023July 5, 2023 by Jerzy Brzezinski

Interesting Facts about the Haul On The Bow-Line – Sharp

“Haul On The Bow-Line – Sharp”, as stated in “English Folk Chanteys” by Cecil Sharp (1914), is the “Pulling Chantey”, which is the contradiction to this what mention Stan Hugill. He mentions that Sharp gives us this song in the “capstan form”. In the later description, Stan Hugill says:
“of course, these forms were also used for hauling; in this case, my form would be sung with the first line of the final chorus as a solo – the third solo. The same applies to Sharp’s version”.
This song was Sung to Cecil Sharp by one of the most famous shantymen, Mr. John Short, at Watchet.
The song will be reconstructed by myself as the sheet shanty.

The source of this sea shanty

The music: “English Folk Chanteys” by Cecil Sharp (1914) (1st ed: p 42).
The lyrics: “English Folk Chanteys” by Cecil Sharp (1914) (1st ed: p 42).
Mentioned in: “Shanties from the Seven Seas” by Stan Hugill (1st ed: p 356).

The Record of the Haul On The Bow-Line – Sharp

Haul On The Bow-Line (Sharp) - Sheet Shanty

The musical notation

The full lyrics

Haul On The Bow-Line – Sharp

Haul on the bowline, O Kitty you are my darling,
– Haul on the bowline, the bowline haul,
Because she had a fore-top, fore and main to bowline;
– Haul on the bowline, the bowline haul,
Because she had a main-top main and mizen to bowline;
– Haul on the bowline, the bowline haul,
Haul on the bowline, O Kitty you are my darling,
– Haul on the bowline, the bowline haul,

Related to this sea shanty