Interesting Facts about the Cheerily Man – Catting the anchor shanty
“Cheerily Man” is probably the most primitive, and one of the oldest of all these heaving and hauling songs of the sea. This song was really obscene, so most of the verses were camouflaged. This particular version is described by Stan Hugill in the description of the “Cheerily Man”, but the description tells us that this song can be used for more jobs than only halyards, namely can be also used for cutting the anchor.
Cutting an anchor is the job that happened when the anchor was about the water line beside the board, so sailors connected a line (tackle blocks) between the ring on the head of the anchor and the cat head, and catting started when they start pulling the rope, and at the same time loose bit the anchor chain used for raise anchor up to the board.
This heavy job required long steady pulls, so this shanty is a perfect fit for this job. The word “cheerily” means “quickly” and was often used at capstan and halyards when exhorting the men to harder efforts. “Cheerily” when used in shanties has to mean that heave or haul is slow and steady.
This song will be reconstructed as the “Catting the anchor shanty” (this work is definitely a long-haul shanty). For this reconstruction, I will use only additional six verses from page 314 of the “Shanties from the Seven Seas”, which according to Stan Hugill sang specifically only for catting the anchor.
The source of this sea shanty
The music: “Shanties from the Seven Seas” by Stan Hugill (1st ed: p 313).
The lyrics: “Shanties from the Seven Seas” by Stan Hugill (1st ed: p 314).
The Record of the Cheerily Man – Catting the anchor 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
And the full lyrics
Cheerily Man – Catting the anchor Shanty
Haul all together, aye yeo,
– Cheerily man!
Haul for good weather, aye yeo – o,
– Cheerily man!
She’s light as a feather, aye yeo – o,
– Cheerily man!
Oh, hauley aye yeo!
– Cheerily man!
* 2 *
To the cathead,
We’ll shift the dead,
She’s heavy as lead.
Oh, hauley …
* 3 *
We’ll haul again,
With might an’ main,
Pay out more chain.
* 4 *
Chain stopper bring,
Pass through the ring,
Oh, haul an’ sing.
* 5 *
She’s up to the sheave,
At the cathead we’ll leave,
Soon the tackle unreeve,
* 6 *
Pull one an’ all,
On the ol’ catfall,
An’ then belay all!