Halyard Shanties

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.

Related to this sea shanty

As-Tu-Connu Le Per’ Lanc’lot

Stormalong Lads Stormy

De Runer Von Hamborg

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)

Stormalong Lads Stormy

De Runer Von Hamborg

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.

Related to this sea shanty

As-Tu-Connu Le Per’ Lanc’lot

Stormalong Lads Stormy

De Runer Von Hamborg

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.

Related to this sea shanty

As-Tu-Connu Le Per’ Lanc’lot

Stormalong Lads Stormy

De Runer Von Hamborg

Interesting Facts about the Yankee John Stormalong

Yankee John Stormalong is the last member of the Stormalong family from the “Shanties From The Seven Seas”, an alternative title for this shanty is “Liza Lee”.

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 80).

The lyrics: “Shanties from the Seven Seas” by Stan Hugill (1st ed p 80).

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

Yankee John, Stormalong

Oh, you Liza Lee,
– Yankee John, Storm–along!
Liza Lee she’in the gal for me,
– Yankee John, Storm-along!

* 2 *

Liza Lee she promised me,
She promised to get spliced to me,

* 3 *

So I shipped away acros the sea,
In a hard-case Dawn-Easter to Miramashee.

* 4 *

I promesed her a golden ring,
I promesed her that little thing.

* 5 *

I promised I would make her mine,
Oh, wouldn’t we have a Jamboree fine?

* 6 *

Liza Lee she’s jilted [slihgted] me,
Now she will not marry me.

* 7 *

Oh, up aloft that yard must go,
Up aloft from down below.

* 8 *

Oh, stretch her, boys, and show her clew,
We’re the boys to kick through!

Related to Yankee John, Stormalong

A Long Time Ago (A)

As-Tu-Connu Le Per’ Lanc’lot

De Hoffnung

Interesting Facts about the Walk Me Along Johnny

The origin of Walk Me Along Johnny is West Indian and it probably stemmed from a slave song. Chas. Nordhoff in his “The Merchant Vessel” gives us a similar song as a cotton Stowers’ chant, but fits the words the tune must have been slightly different. Stan Hugill gives this song the halyard shanty.

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 78, 79).

The lyrics: “Shanties from the Seven Seas” by Stan Hugill (1st ed p 78, 79).

The Record of the Walk Me Along Johnny

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

Way Stormalong, John

Stormy he is dead an’gone,
– WALK me along Johnny, CARry me along!
Stormy he is dead an’gone,
– CARry me to the BURyin’ ground,

– Then away ay-ay-ay-ay O Storm an’ Blow,
– WALK me along Johnny, CARry me along!
– Way ay-ay-ay-ay O Storm an’ Blow,
– CARry me to the BURyin’ ground,

* 2 *

We dug his grave with a silver spade
His shroud o’ finest silk wuz made

* 3 *

Oh, ye who dig Ol’ Stormy’s grave,
Dig it deep an’ make it safe

* 4 *

Oh, lower him down with a golden chain,
Make sure that he don’ rise again.

* 5 *

Oh, General Tailor died long ago,
He’s gone, me boys, where the winds don’s blow.

* 6 *

He died on the field of ol’ Monterey,
An’ Santiana he gained the day.

* 7 *

Dan O’Connell he died long ago,
Dan he was an Irish boy-O

* 8 *

We’ll haul, me boys an’ wake the dead
Let,s stow him in his little bed.

Related to this sea shanty

A Long Time Ago (A)

As-Tu-Connu Le Per’ Lanc’lot

De Hoffnung