Heaving Shanties

Interesting Facts about The Liverpool Packet A

“The Liverpool Packet A”, the song was given with different titles and versions, Stan Hugill tells us:
“As early Naval ballad it was called “La Pique” or “The Flash Frigate”, as a sailor John’s forebitter it was named “The Dreadnaught”, and as a capstan shanty its title, usually, was “The Liverpool Packet” or “Bound Away!” but quite often the last three titles were used indiscriminately.”
I will reconstruct this song as a capstan shanty.

The source of this sea shanty

The music: “Shanties from the Seven Seas” by Stan Hugill (1st ed p 466).
The lyrics: “Shanties from the Seven Seas” by Stan Hugill (1st ed p 466,468).

The Record of The Liverpool Packet 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

And the full lyrics

The Liverpool Packet A

At the Liverpool docks at the break o’ the day.
I saw a flash packet bound west’ard away,
She was bound to the west’-ard where the wild waters flow,
– She’s a Liverpool packet, oh Lord let ‘er go!

– Bound away! Bound away!
– Through the ice, sleet an’ snow,
– She’s a Liverpool packet,
– Oh, Lord let ‘er go!

* 2 *

Oh, the time of her sailin’ is now drawin’ night,
Stand by all ye lubbers we’ll wish ye goodbye;
A pair o’ clean heels to ye now we will show,
– She’s a Liverpool packet, oh Lord let ‘er go!

* 3 *

An’ now we are leavin’ the sweet Salthouse Docks,
All the boys an’ the gals on the pierhead do flock;
All the boys an’ the gals are all shoutin’ hurro!
– She’s a Liverpool packet, oh Lord let ‘er go!

* 4 *

An’ now we are waitin’ in the Mersey so free,
Awaitin’ the tugboat to tow us to sea;
An’ we’ll round the Rock Light where the salt tides do flow,
– She’s a Liverpool packet, oh Lord let ‘er go!

* 5 *

Sheet home yer big tops’ls, haul aft yer jib sheets,
Sheet home fore ‘n’ aft, boys, ye’ll git no darn sleep;
Come aft now, God damn yets, come aft one an’ all,
– For over yer heads flies the bonnie BlackBall!

* 6 *

An’ now we are howlin’ down the wild Irish Sea,
Our passangers are merry, an’ their hearts full of glee;
Our sailors like tigers they walk to an’ fro,
– She’s a Liverpool packet, oh Lord let ‘er go!

* 7 *

An’ now we are sailin’ the Atlantic so wide,
An’ the hands are now ordered to scrub the ship’s side;
Now then, holystones boyos, the bosun do bawl,
– For Kickin’ Jack Williams commands this Blackball!

* 8 *

An’ now we are off the Banks o’ Newf’n’land,
Where the bottom’s all fishes an’ fine yeller sand;
An’ the fishes they sing at they swim to n’ fro’
– She’s a Liverpool packet, oh Lord let ‘er go!

* 9 *

An’ now we’re arrivin’ in old New York town,
We’re bound for the Bovery, an, let sorrow drown;
With our gals an’ our beer, boys, oh let the song flow,
– She’s a Liverpool packet, oh Lord let ‘er go!

Related to this sea shanty

Et Nous Irons a Valparaiso (French)

Heave Away Me Johnnies A

Heave Away Me Johnnies C

Interesting Facts about The Drummer And The Cook

“The Drummer And The Cook”, song gived to us by Richard Runciman Terry on his “The Shanty Book part II” (1926). Terry thell us that:
“This obviously a music-hall song taken over wholesale. I learnt it from Captain John Runciman, who in turn had it from the cook of the Blyth brig “Norththumberland”, in which vessel it was used as a shanty.”
Terry forgot the whole song but the first verse, so from his memory, he did reconstruct a great length of this song, but of course, he does not have warrant that the words were the original he heard in his past.
I will reconstruct this song as a capstan shanty.

The source of this sea shanty

The music: “The Shanty Book part II” (1926) – Richard Runciman Terry.
The lyrics: “The Shanty Book part II” (1926) – Richard Runciman Terry.
Mentioned in: “Shanties from the Seven Seas” by Stan Hugill (1st ed p 460).

The Record of The Drummer And The Cook

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

The Drummer And The Cook

Oh, there was a’ little drummer and he loved a one-eyed cook,
An’ he loved her; O he loved her through she had a cook-eyed look,
– With her one eye in the pot, and the t’other up the chimney,
– with a bow, wow, wow, fallal the dowadidy, bow, wow, wow!

* 2 *

When this couple went a-courtin’ for to walk along the shore,
Sez the drummer to the cookie, “You’re the gel that I adore”.

* 3 *

When this couple went a-courtin’ for to walk along the pier,
Sez the cookie to the drummer “An’ I love you too, my dear.”

* 4 *

Sez the drommer to the cookie, “Aint the weather fine to-day?”
Sez the cookie to the drummer, “Is that all ye got to say?”

* 5 *

Sez the drummer to the cookie, @Will I buy the weddin’ ring?
Sez the cookie “Now you’;re talkin’. That would be the very thing.”

* 6 *

Sez the drummer to the cookie, “Will ye name the weddin’ day?”
Sez the cookie, “We’ll be married in the merry month o’ May”.

* 7 *

When they went to church to say “I will”, the drummer got a nark
For her one eye gliffed the Parson, and the t’other killed the Clerk.

Related to this sea shanty

Jamboree (Whall)

Whoop Jamboree (Terry)

Whip Jamboree (Sharp)

Interesting Facts about The New York Gals

“The New York Gals” was a popular capstan shanty on both American and British ships. This is the last version described by Stan Hugill in his “Shanties from the Seven Seas”. Stan Hugill claims this version is “probably” the oldest one, and he dated it before the thirties of the nineteen century. The version has been taken from Irish seamen by the name of Spike Sennit, a man who had sailed for years in Yankee windbags. Also worth mention a note from stan Hugill’s description that the place name Shanghai used in the song is pronounced in the way old-time seamen used to say it – “Shanghee”.
The song will be reconstructed by myself as the capstan shanty.

The source of this sea shanty

The music: “Shanties from the Seven Seas” by Stan Hugill (1st ed: p 374).
The lyrics: “Shanties from the Seven Seas” by Stan Hugill (1st ed: p 374-375).

The Record of The New York Gals

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

The New York Gals

As I rolled down ol’ South Street,
A fair maid I did meet,
Who axed me then to see her home,
She lived down Fourteenth Street,

– An’ away, you Johnny
– My dear honey.
– Oh, you New York gals,
– Ye love us for our money.

* 2 *

Sez I, ‘My dear young lady,
I’m a stranger here in town,
I left me ship only yesterday,
From China I am bound,’

* 3 *

‘Now come wid me, me dearie,
An’ I will stand ye treat,
I’ll buy ye rum an’ brandy, dear,
An’ tabnabs for to eat.’

* 4 *

‘My friend she has a brother,
Just now away at sea,
The last time that she heard from him,
His ship was in Shanghee.’

* 5 *

When we got down to Fourteenth Street,
We stopped at Number Four,
Her mother and her sister came
To meet us at the door.

* 6 *

An’ when we got inside the house,
The drinks wuz handed round.
The liquor wuz so awful strong,
Me head went round an’ round.

* 7 *

Before we all sat down to eat,
We had another drink.
THe liquor wuz so very strong,
Deep sleep came in a wink.

* 8 *

When I awoke next morning,
I had an achin’ head,
An’ there wuz I Jack-all-alone,
Stark naked on the bed.

* 9 *

My gold watch an’ me pocket-book
An’ lady friend wuz gone.
An’ there wuz I with nary a stich,
All left there on me own.

* 10 *

On lookin’ all around the room,
Oh, nothing could I see,
But a lady’s shift an’ pantaloons,
Not worth a damn to me.

* 11 *

With a flour for a suit,
I wisht I’d ne’er bin born.
A boarding master then I met,
Who shipped me round the Horn.

* 12 *

Now all ye bully sailormen,
Take warnin’ when ashore,
Or else ye’ll meet some charmin’ gal,
Who’s nothing but a whore.

* 13 *

Yer hard-earned cash will disappear,
Your rig an’ boots as well,
For Yankee gals are tougher than
The other side o’ Hell!

Related to this sea shanty

Ooker John

Hooker John (Harding)

Across The Western Ocean ( I )