Pump Shanties

Interesting Facts about the Leave Her Johnny Leave Her – Pumps

“Leave Her Johnny Leave Her – Pumps” was a shanty that was used at pumps or capstan, also sometimes used as halyard shanty. However, it was mostly not used during the voyage due to the risk of being accused of mutiny by the singers, which was quite a serious risk as it was the unwritten rule of the merchant fleet that no serious complaints aloud about the captain or the job were allowed. So, due to the lyrics of this song (many verses are unprintable), it was especially used at the end of the voyage, when the (especially wooden) ship was in port, and all that was left was the final clearing and pumping out the water from the bilge, then the sailors could complain freely and it was accepted by the captain. This reconstruction will be a pump shanty.

The source of this sea shanty

The music: “Shanties from the Seven Seas” by Stan Hugill (1st ed: p 293).
The lyrics: “Shanties from the Seven Seas” by Stan Hugill (1st ed: p 297, 298).

The Record of the Leave Her Johnny Leave Her – Pumps

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

Leave her Johnny Leave Her (Pumps)

Oh, a dollar a day is a Jack Sprite’s pay,
– leave her, Johnny, leave her!
To pump all night an, to work all day,
– An’ it’s time for us to leave her!

– Leave her, Johnny, leave her,
– Ooh! leave her, Johnny, leave her!
– For the winds do roar an’ we wish we wuz ashore,
– An it’s time for us to leave her!

* 2 *

Though times is hard an’ the wages low,
There’s fathom o’ water down in the hold.

* 3 *

The Old Man shouts, the pumps stand by,
Oh, we can never suck her dry.

* 4 *

Heave one more turn an’ around she goes,
Or else we’ll be kickin’ up our toes.

* 5 *

Leave her, Johnny, we can pump no more,
Of pump or down we’ve had full store.

* 6 *

It’s pump or drown, the Old Man said,
Or else damn soon ye’ll all be dead.

* 7 *

Heave around or we shall drown,
Hey! don’t yiz feel her settlin’ down?

* 8 *

Heave around them pump-bowls bright,
There’ll be no sleep for us this night.

* 9 *

The rats have gone an’ we, the crew,
It’s time be damned that we went too.

* 10 *

Oh, pump away in merry, merry strife,
Oh, heave away for to save dear life.

* 11 *

Oh, pump her out from down below,
Oh, pump her out an’ away we’ll go.

* 12 *

The starboard pump is like the crew,
It’s all worn out an’ will not do.

* 13 *

Leave her, Johnny, we can pump no more,
It’s time we wuz upon dry shore.

Related to this sea shanty

John come tell us as we haul away

The Ox-eyed Man (Davis & Tozer)

Across The Rockies

Interesting Facts about the Across The Rockies

Here is probably one of the development stages for the very famous shanty “Leave her, Johnny, Leave here”, the “Across The Rockies”. The places where this shanty can be sung were various depending on time, so in the beginning was serve as the hauling shanty, mainly for halyards, and when the grand chorus was added later used mainly at the pumps and even capstan. Stan Hugill partially learned it from his mother’s father and partially from an Irish sailor, both used the final chorus. His suppositions carry over the theory that the song came to life about the time of the Irish potato famine, in the forties of the nineteenth century. This reconstruction will be sung as a pump shanty.

The source of this sea shanty

The music: “Shanties from the Seven Seas” by Stan Hugill (1st ed: p 292).
The lyrics: “Shanties from the Seven Seas” by Stan Hugill (1st ed: p 292).

The Record of the Across The Rockies

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

Across The Rockies

Oh, a young girl said to me one day,
– A YOUNG gal goes a-WEEPin’,
I’ve got no money an’ I can’t get home,
– ACROSS the Rocky MOUNtains!

* 2 *

Oh, what shall we poor shellbacks do?
We’ve got no money and we can’t get home,

* 3 *

I thought I heard the Ol’ Man say,
If ye git no money, oh, ye’ll niver git home.

* 4 *

Oh, my poor ol’ mother she wrote to me,
She wrote to me to come home from sea.

* 5 *

Oh, I’ve got no money an’ I’ve got no clothes,
I’ve joined a bunch of though hoboes.

Related to this sea shanty

John come tell us as we haul away

The Ox-eyed Man (Davis & Tozer)

Shallow Brown C

Interesting Facts about John come tell us as we haul away

“John come tell us as we haul away” is another shanty with “Johnny” in text, often sung at pumps. Stan Hugill tells us a bit more about what kind of pump he talks about it:
“when the word ‘pump’ would be substituted for the word ‘haul’, although in the more modern flywheel type of pump where a bell-rope was used both words were equally appropriate.”

Also, Stan Hugill tells us that this is one of not too many shanties that had two singers for the solo lines.

The source of this sea shanty

The music: “Shanties from the Seven Seas” by Stan Hugill (1st ed: p 287).
The lyrics: “Shanties from the Seven Seas” by Stan Hugill (1st ed: p 287, 288).

The Record of the John come tell us as we haul away

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

John come tell us as we haul away

From Liverpool Town we sailed away,
– John, come tell us as we haul away!
Outward bound at the break of day,
– John, come tell us as we haul away!
Aye, aye, haul, aye,
– John, come tell us as we haul away!

* 2 * – First Shantyman:

Wuz ye never down in Mobile Bay?
– John, come_tell us as we haul away!
A-screwin’ cotton all the day,
– John, come_tell us as we haul away!
Aye, aye, haul, aye,
– John, come_tell us as we haul away!

* 3 * – Second Shantyman:

Oh, yes, I’ve bin down Mobile Bay,
– So he tells us as we haul away!
A-screwin’ cotton all the day,
– So he tells us as we haul away!
Aye, aye, haul, aye,
– So he tells us as we haul away!

* 4 * – First Shantyman:

What did yer see down in Mobile Bay?
– John, come_tell us as we haul away!
Were the gals all free an’ gay?
– John, come_tell us as we haul away!
Aye, aye, haul, aye,
– John, come_tell us as we haul away!

* 5 * – Second Shantyman:

Oh this I saw in Mobile Bay,
– So he tells us as we haul away!
A spankin’ gal in a hammock lay,
– So he tells us as we haul away!
Aye, aye, haul, aye,
– So he tells us as we haul away!

* 6 * – First Shantyman:

An’ this flash gal wuz Saucy May,
– John, come_tell us as we haul away!
She wuz tall an’ fine an’ had lots to say.
– John, come_tell us as we haul away!
Aye, aye, haul, aye,
– John, come_tell us as we haul away!

* 7 * – Second Shantyman:

An’ what did yer do in Mobile Bay?
– John, come_tell us as we haul away!
Did yiz give that flash tart all yer pay?
– John, come_tell us as we haul away!
Aye, aye, haul, aye,
– John, come_tell us as we haul away!

* 8 * – First Shantyman:

Oh, this I did in Mobile Bay,
– So he tells us as we haul away!
I courted this gal whose name was May,
– So he tells us as we haul away!
Aye, aye, haul, aye,
– So he tells us as we haul away!

* 9 * – Second Shantyman:

I married her in Mobile Bay,
– So he tells us as we haul away!
An’ lived there happy many a day,
– So he tells us as we haul away!
Aye, aye, haul, aye,
– So he tells us as we haul away!

Related to this sea shanty

The Ox-eyed Man (Davis & Tozer)

The Girl With The Blue Dress (Davis & Tozer)

Shallow Brown C

July 27, 2022 by Jerzy Brzezinski

Interesting Facts about the Shallow Brown A (Sentimental)

Shallow Brown A (Sentimental) is a usual version of the general family of the shanties called “Shallow Brown”. At the beginning life of this song, it was used as a pump shanty. As the age of sails progressed, in the late days this song was usually sung at halyards, William Doerflinger give it as being used to bowse down tack and sheets. I will reconstruct this song as a pump shanty.

The source of this sea shanty

The music: “Shanties from the Seven Seas” by Stan Hugill (1st ed p 258).
The lyrics: “Shanties from the Seven Seas” by Stan Hugill (1st ed p 258, 259).

The Record of the Shallow Brown A (Sentimental)

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

Shallow Brown A (Sentimental)

– Och! Shallow, Och! Shallow Brown!

Oh! Shallow in the mornin’,
– Och! Shallow, Och! Shallow Brown!
Just as the day was dawnin’,
– Och! Shallow, Och! Shallow Brown!

* 2 *

She is a bright mulatter,
She hails from Cincinatter

* 3 *

Come put me clothes in order,
The packet sails termorrer.

* 4 *

I’m bound away to leve yer,
I never will deceive yer.

* 5 *

I long ter look upon yer,
I spend me money on yer,

* 6 *

Ye are me only treasure,
I love ye to full measure.

* 7 *

The packet sails termorrer,
I’ll leave ye with much sorrer.

* 8 *

In the cradle is my baby,
I want no other lady.

* 9 *

My wife an’ baby grieves me,
‘Tis pain for me ter leave ye.

* 10 *

Be on the pier ter meet me,
With kisses I will greet thee.

* 11 *

Goin’ away termorrer,
Bound away termorrer.

Related to this sea shanty

Shallow Brown – Cecil Sharp

Mister Stormalong (A1)

Stormy Along, John

Interesting Facts about the Shallow Brown A

Shallow Brown A is a usual version of the general family of the shanties called “Shallow Brown”. At the beginning life of this song, it was used as a pump shanty. According to Stan Hugill, this song has a West Indian origin, some of the shantymen pronounced the refrain as “Challo Brown” – “Challo” was a west Indian word Carib extraction meaning a “half-castle”, and it was heard this song, as far as the ports of Chile. I will reconstruct this song as a pump shanty.

The source of this sea shanty

The music: “Shanties from the Seven Seas” by Stan Hugill (1st ed: p 258).
The music: “Shanties from the Seven Seas” by Stan Hugill (1st ed: p 258).

The Record of the Shallow Brown 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

Shallow Brown A

– Och! Shallow, Och! Shal-low Brown!

Oh! Shallow in the mornin’,
– Och! Shallow, Och! Shal-low Brown!
Just as the day was dawnin’,
– Och! Shallow, Och! Shal-low Brown!

* 2 *

She is a bright mulatter,
She hails from Cincinatter

* 3 *

Come put me clothes in order,
The packet sails termorrer.

* 4 *

Once ye wuz sweet and cherry,
But now ye are contrary.

* 5 *

For ye are fat an’ lazy,
Ye nearly drive me crazy.

* 6 *

My half-pay ye’ve spent like chaff,
Ye’d like the other half.

* 7 *

Ye boozed me pay away,
But ye’ve had yer last pay-day.

* 8 *

The packet sails termorrer,
I’ll leave yer without sorrer.

* 9 *

Me clothes are all in pawn,
I’m bound around the Horn.

* 10 *

She won’t miss me when I’ve gone,
She’ll hook some other bum.

Related to this sea shanty

Shallow Brown – Cecil Sharp

Mister Stormalong (A1)

Stormy Along, John

Interesting Facts about the Well Ranzo Way

“Well Ranzo Way” is another shanty that mentions legendary sailor hero Ranzo. This shanty was also known as “The Wild Goose Shanty”, “Sing Hilo” or ” Huckleberry Hunting”. It was a kinda universal shanty, so it was sung at windlass or capstan, but Doerflinger it gives as a Halyards and pumps. Stan Hugill doesn’t state what his version is. I will reconstruct this song as a pump shanty.

The source of this sea shanty

The music: “Shanties from the Seven Seas” by Stan Hugill (1st ed p 249, 250).

The lyrics:  “Shanties from the Seven Seas” by Stan Hugill (1st ed p 249, 250).

The Record of the Well Ranzo Way

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

Well Ranzo Way

Ooh, I’m shantyman of the warkin!. party,
– Timme WAY, timme hay, timme HEE, ho, hay!
So sing lads, pull lads so strong an .. hearty,
– An’ SING, Hilo me RANZO way!

* 2 *

I’m shantyman of the Wild Goose nation,
Got maid that I left on the big plantation,

* 3 *

Oh, the sassiest gal o’ that Wild Goose nation,
Is her that I left on the big plantation.

* 4 *

Oh, the boys an’ the gals went a chuckleberry huntin’,
The gals began to cry an’ the boys the dowsed their buntin’

* 5 *

Then a little gal ran off an’ a little boy ran arter,
The little gal fell down an’ he saw her little garter.

* 6 *

Said he, ‘I’ll be yer beau, if ye’ll have me for yer feller,’
But the little gal said, ‘No, ‘cos me sweetheart’s Jackie Miller.’

* 7 *

But he took her on his knee, an’ he kissed her right an’ proper,
She kissed him back agen, an’ he didn’t try to sto-o-p’ er.

* 8 *

An’ then he put his arm all around her tight an’ waspy waist,
Sez she, ‘Young man, you’re shown’ much too great a haste!’

Related to this sea shanty

Die Gute Alte Brigg (German)

So Early In The Morning (A)

So Early In The Morning (B)