Recorded Shanties

A Long Time Ago (E)

December 10, 2023March 19, 2022 by Jerzy Brzezinski

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)

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

A Long Time Ago (D)

December 10, 2023March 19, 2022 by Jerzy Brzezinski

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)

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)

A Long Time Ago (C)

December 9, 2023March 19, 2022 by Jerzy Brzezinski

Interesting Facts about the A Long Time Ago (C)

A Long Time Ago (C) sometimes was sung in a lively fashion other times slow and melancholy, depending on the shantyman. Sometimes it was used at the capstan and then a full chorus was added.

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 97).

The lyrics: “Shanties from the Seven Seas” by Stan Hugill (1st ed p 99, 100).

The Record of the A Long Time Ago (C)

The full lyrics

A Long Time Ago (C)

The ships they lay in ‘Frisco Bay,
– To me WAY, hay, HO,high ho!
The ships they lay in ‘Frisco Bay,
– A LONG time aGO!

– A long, long time, an’ a very long time,
– To me WAY, hay, HO,high ho!
– A long, long time, and a very long time,
– A LONG time aGO!

* 2 *

An’ one o’ these packets wuz ol’ Noah’s Ark,
All covered all over with hickory bark.

* 3 *

They filled up her seams with oakum an’ pitch,
Her sails wuz baldly in need o’ a stitch.

* 4 *

Her bow it wuz bluff an’ her counter wuz round,
Her knees wuz so thin, an’ her timbers unsound.

* 5 *

Her fo’c’sle wuz low, an’ her starn wuz too high,
The hold for the animals never wuz dry.

* 6 *

Her pumps they wuz jammed and her fores’l wuz torn,
She looked like an ol’ Spanish galley-eye-orn.

* 7 *

Now this is the gangway the animals went down,
An’ this is the hold were they walk round an’ round.

* 8 *

Ol’ Noah of old he commanded this Ark,
His cargo wuz animals out for a lark.

* 9 *

He boarded the animals, two of each kind,
Birds, snakes, an’ jiggy-bugs, he didn’t mind.

* 10 *

The animals rolled up, oh, two by two,
The elephant casin’ the kangaroo.

* 11 *

The bull an’ the cow they started a row,
The bull did his best to horn the cow.

* 12 *

Then Ol’ Noah said with a flick o’ his whip,
‘Stop this bloody row, or I’ll scuttle the ship.’

* 13 *

An’ the bull put his horns through the side o’ the ark,
An’ the little black doggie, he started to bark.

* 14 *

So Noah took the dog, put his nose in the hole,
An’ ever since then the dog’s nose has been cold.

* 15 *

The animals came in three by three,
The elephant ridin’ the back o’ the flea.

* 16 *

The animals came in four by four,
Ol’ Noah wentmad an’ he hollered for more.

* 17 *

The animals came in five by five,
Some wuz half-dead, an’ some half-alive.

* 18 *

The animals came in six by six,
The hyena laughed at the monkey’s tricks.

* 19 *

The monkey was dressed up in soger’s clo’es;
Where he got ’em from, God only knows.

* 20 *

The animals came in seven by seven,
Sez the ant to the elephant, ‘who are yer shovin’?’

* 21 *

The animals came in eight by eight,
A drunken big chimp an’ a scabby big ape.

* 22 *

The animals came in nine by nine,
The sea-lions havin’ a bloomin’ fine time.

* 23 *

The animals came in ten by ten,
The Ark with a shriek blew her whistle then.

* 24 *

An’ Noah while working at loading her stock,
Had anchored the Ark with a bloody great rock.

* 25 *

Ol’ Noah he then hove the gang-plank in,
An’ then the long voyage it sure did begin.

* 26 *

They hadn’t the foggiest where they wuz at,
Untill they piled right up on ol’ Ararat.

* 27 *

The ol’ Ark with a bump landed high an’ dry,
And the bear give the turkey a sailor’s goodbye.

* 28 *

I thought that I heard Ol’ Noah say,
Give one more pull lads, an’ then belay!

Related to this sea shanty

A Long Time Ago (B)

December 9, 2023March 19, 2022 by Jerzy Brzezinski

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)

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

A Long Time Ago (A)

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

The Record of the A Long Time Ago (A)

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

Oh, Aye, Rio

The Gals O’ Dublin Town (A)

Interesting Facts about the Oh, Aye, Rio

Oh, Aye, Rio was first printed in a book by Stan Hugill, and he stated that he learned it from an old sailor at Port Adelaide, South Australia. It’s a dragging song, totally dirty, so Stan Hugill had to camouflage it a bit, keeping the original theme as much as possible. According to Stan Hugill, this song is a forebitter.

The source of this sea shanty

The music: “Shanties from the Seven Seas” by Stan Hugill (1st ed p 96). I try to recreate this song from hearted Stan Hugill’s version from the album “Shanties From The Seven Seas” (1962), with The York & Albany Crew. Intriguingly, in this song, Stan Hugill only sings himself, without the crew in the chorus.

The lyrics: “Shanties from the Seven Seas” by Stan Hugill (1st ed p 96).

The Record of the Oh, Aye, Rio

The musical notation

The full lyrics

Oh Aye Rio

Ooh, lady have; you a daughter fine?
– Oh aye Ri-ho!
Ooh lady have; you a daughter fine,
Fit for a sailor that’s crossed the Line.
– To me way, hay, ho, high, a long, long time ago!
– To me way, hay, ho, high, a long, long time ago!

* 2 *

Oh, yes I have a daughter fine,
Oh, yes I have a daughter fine,
Fit for a sailor that’s crossed the Line.

* 3 *

But madam, dear madam, she is too young,
But madam, dear madam, she is too young,
She’s never been courted by anyone.

Related to this Forebitter

The Five-Gallon Jar

Susannavisan

Opsang For Brasiliefareren, Briggen Preciosa (Norwegian)

Et Nous Irons a Valparaiso

Interesting Facts about the Opsang For Brasiliefareren, Briggen Preciosa (Norwegian)

A Norwegian version of “Opsang” is a good example of the type of verse Henrik Wergeland, the Norwegian composer, wrote Opsang For Brasiliefareren, Briggen Preciosa (Norwegian), to supplant the usual ribald ones. In “Opsang” can be found the other fifty-four verses, He wrote – quite enough to finish a long heave! “Rio Grande” was always sung at the anchor capstan or windlass, and was an outward-bound song.

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 90).

The lyrics: The first six stanzas from “Shanties from the Seven Seas” by Stan Hugill (1st ed p 93, 94). The whole text all 54 verses have been taken from “Samlede Skirifter. I. Dikt, 3. Bind 1842-1845” p 55,56,57,58,59).

The Record of the Opsang For Brasiliefareren, Briggen Preciosa (Norwegian)

The full lyrics

Opsang For Brasiliefareren, Briggen Preciosa

Nu tage vi et langt Farvel
– O Rio!
med dig, du gamle, norske Fjeld.
– To my rolling Rio Grande!

– Way Rio!
– O Rio!
– Then sing fare-ye-well, to me pretty young gel,
– To my rolling Rio Grande!

* 2 *

Farvel, du gamle Graa! Farvel!
Vi tænke, at du staaer nok lel.

* 3 *

Vi tænke, at du staaer endda,
mens vi er i Amerika.

* 4 *

I Golfen under Mexico
vi skifte ei vor norske Tro.

* 5 *

I Rio og i Pernambuc
paa Norge tænke vi med Suk.

* 6 *

Ja vestenfore selv Cap Horn
i Hjertet sidder Hjemvees Torn.

* 7 *

Det bløder, bløder op igjen
i Paradiis-Brasilien.

* 8 *

Did er det Preciosa skal,
langt udenfor den blaa Kanal.

* 9 *

Da er det først hun fører Seil,
naar England seer vort Agterspeil.

* 10 *

Farvel, Europa! Cap Lizard
er Næsen paa din gamle Nar.

* 11 *

Men herlig som en Aftensky
i Vest gaaer op en Verden ny.

* 12 *

Did stunder Preciosas Lyst
med Seil saa fuldt som Svanens Bryst.

* 13 *

Da er det først ved Finisterr`
hun lufter sine hvide Fjer.

* 14 *

Da er det som en Svane roer
fra Cap Vincent til Mogador.

* 15 *

Og bagud gaaer den hvide Foss.
Følg os, du vilde Albatross!

* 16 *

Følg os, du vaade Flyvefisk!
Vi paa Madera faa en Pidsk.

* 17 *

Det blæser varmt fra Afrika.
Men Pico gi’e vi et Hurra.

* 18 *

Thi Sneen skinner fra dets Top.
Den frisker norske Hjerter op.

* 19 *

Tørhænde kommer en Korsar.
Da Gutter, op! Kanonen klar!

* 20 *

Op flyver da vort norske Flag.
Nu kan det bli’e saa varm en Dag.

* 21 *

Vi tænke paa Jorsalafar.
Hans Klinge Blaamandshovder skar.

* 22 *

Vi tænke, at vi hævde maa
Normannanavnet paa det Blaa.

* 23 *

Den sorte Skonnert braser væk.
Han saae det blinked paa vort Dæk.

* 24 *

Han saae et Glimt af en Musket
og Spidsen af en Bajonet.

* 25 *

Han tænkte da: der er vel fleer?
At dreje af det bedste er.

* 26 *

Han gik i Læ, den slu Pirat.
Da kom en fygende Dravat.

* 27 *

Men lad staa til! Passat vi faaer.
Mod Vest, mod Vest, mod Vest det gaaer.

* 28 *

Vi bære af, og Hajen med.
Af Os skal han ei blive feed.

* 29 *

Jo bi! Der har du din Portion!
Du pryde skal vor Gallion.

* 30 *

Vi hale ham med Lænker ind,
og spænde ud den Morders Skind.

* 31 *

Vi bære af mod Vest, mod Vest!
Vi Linjen skar. Det var en Fest.

* 32 *

Da drak vi Norges Skaal med Skjemt.
Kaptainens blev ei heller glemt.

* 33 *

Og Rhederen paa sit Kontor,
han fik en Bommert, som var stor.

* 34 *

Vor vakkre Preciosa med
vi gjorde i en Skaal Besked.

* 35 *

Hun, før vi vidste Ord deraf,
har gjennemkløvt det store Hav.

* 36 *

Der blaaner alt i Havets Rand
Brasiliens Slaraffenland.

* 37 *

Og Rio aabner alt sin Bugt.
Der, Preciosa, hvil din Flugt!

* 38 *

Som ungen Brud sin Rosenkrands,
sit Flag hun bær’ — vort Fædrelands.

* 39 *

Forundret knapt Kreolen troer,
at det er Nordens Trikolor.

* 40 *

Men Negren kommer med sin Sæk.
Saa stuve vi fra Bund til Dæk.

* 41 *

Og naar vi synes, vi har nok,
saa op med Bramseil! ud med Fok!

* 42 *

Saa maa vi hjem til gamle Moer.
Hun veed vi efter Kaffe foer.

* 43 *

Hun sidder bag det gamle Fjeld,
og ønsker os paa Reisen Held.

* 44 *

Hun ønsker vi maa komme snart.
Tilbage derfor i en Fart!

* 45 *

Følg os, Atlanterhavets Hai!
Tilbage over Porto Pray!

* 46 *

Ja fra den takkede Azor
tilbage til det elskte Nord!

* 47 *

Kanalen aabner sig, Hurra!
Nu er vi ikke langt derfra.

* 48 *

Da raabe vi til Vinden: blæs!
Vi længes efter Lindesnæs.

* 49 *

Vi længes svarlig hjem igjen.
Det gjør vi i Brasilien.

* 50 *

Og Apelsinen gyldenmalt
vi spise tidt til Taarers Salt.

* 51 *

Men naar vi Norge faa at see,
da er forbi al Sorg og Vee.

* 52 *

Hvis Visen synes dig for lang,
saa syng en Stub deraf hvergang!

* 53 *

Matrosen hugger af sin Bus.
Med Visen gjør det samme Puds!

* 54 *

Og blev den lang, saa glem dog ei,
Preciosa har saa lang en Vei.

Hurra! Hurra! for Singsallijo!

Related to this sea shanty

Rio. Grande (A)

A Long Time Ago (C)

Rio Grande – Norwegian sailor version