brake windlass shanty

In Cam’eltoon Once More

November 4, 2024November 4, 2024 by Jerzy Brzezinski

Interesting Facts about the In Cam’eltoon Once More

“In Cam’eltoon Once More” is the version of the famous Welsh Capstan song “Old Swansea Town Once More”. Fishermen of Campbeltown, Argyll, Scotland sang this form of this shanty. The version given to us by Stan Hugill comes from Mr. Peter Gilchrist, along with Mr. William Mitchell of Campbeltown.
The song will be reconstructed by myself as the brake windlass shanty.

The source of this sea shanty

The music: “Shanties from the Seven Seas” by Stan Hugill (1st ed p 434).
The lyrics: “Shanties from the Seven Seas” by Stan Hugill (1st ed p 434, 435).

The Record of the In Cam’eltoon Once More

In Cam'eltoon Once More - Brake Windlass Shanty

The musical notation

And the full lyrics

In Cam’eltoon Once More

Fare ye well my Nancy, a thousand times adieu,
Fare ye well my Nancy, but I must part from you,
I must part from you dear one, You’re the lassie I adore,
But we will live in hopes to meet in Cam’-el-toon once more,

– In Cam’-el-toon once more my boys, In Cam’-el-toon once more,
– Yes, we will live in hopes to meet in Cam’-el-toon once more,

* 2 *

Now the storm is raging, we can see it coming on,
The clouds are bent to west’ard, we can scarcely see the moon,
Our goodly ship is tossed about and our rigging’s sadly tore,
But we will live in hope to meet, in Cam’eltoon once more.

* 3 *

Yes, now the storm is raging, the waves are lashing high,
But bravely steams our gallant barque, the salt tear dims my eye,
The salt tear dims my eye, my boys, but we will reach the shore,
And we will live in hope to meet, in Cam’eltoon once more!

* 4 *

Now the storm is ended, and we ware safe at last,
We’ve got the French Point now in view, Davaar Light we have passed,
And soon we’ll get our anchor down, when we get to the shore,
And we are back again, my boys, in Cam’eltoon once more.

* 5 *

Yes, now the storm is over, and we are safe on shore,
We’ll drink success to our sweethearts and wives, and the lassies we adore,
We’ll call for glasses merrily, and we’ll make the tavern roar,
And when our money is all spent, we’ll plough the seas for more.

– We’ll plough the seas for more, my boys, we’ll plough the seas for more,
– And when our money is all spent, we’ll plough the seas for more!

Related to this sea shanty

Jinny

November 5, 2023November 2, 2023 by Jerzy Brzezinski

Interesting Facts about the Jinny

“Jinny” is the capstan shanty and homeward-bound. A much more popular title of this song is “Jamboree”. In the time when Stan Hugill wrote his book, swear words or “bawdy words” was not acceptable for print, so in any case “words” has to be camouflaged. As we know from his book, this song was very difficult to camouflage. According to the “last leaving shantymen” this song also breaks another theory that shanties contain unprintable words only in solos, here the final and noisiest line of the chorus is unprintable! This version of Hugill was obtained partially from Mr. Jones, a Welsh mate who had served in many sailing ships, rest of the words of this song come from Stan Hugill himself.
The song will be reconstructed by myself as the windlass shanty.

The source of this sea shanty

The music: “Shanties from the Seven Seas” by Stan Hugill (1st ed: p 382).
The lyrics: “Shanties from the Seven Seas” by Stan Hugill (1st ed: p 382, 383).

The Record of the Jinny

The musical notation

And the full lyrics

Jinny

Now m’lads be of good vheer,
For the Irish land will soon draw near,
In a fery days more we’ll sight Cape Clear,
Ooooh, Jinny keep yer ringtail warm!

– Oh, Jamboree, Oh Jamboree,
– Ai-i-i! Y’ring tailed black man, sheet it home behind!
– Oh, Jamboree, Oh Jamboree,
– Ooooh, Jinny keep yer ringtail warm!

* 2 *

Now, me boys, we’re off Holyhead
An’ there’s no more casts of the dipsy lead,
‘N’ soon we’ll be in a lovely fevver bed,
Ooooh, Jinny keep yer ringtail warm!

* 3 *

Now the Barship is in sight,
An’ soon we’ll be off the pl’ Rock Light,
An’ I will clean the flue ternight.
Ooooh, Jinnie keep yer ringtail warm!

* 4 *

Now we’re through the dock,
All the pretty young gals on the pierhead do flock,
An’ there’s my Jinnie in a new pink frock,
Ooooh, Jinny keep yer ringtail warm!

* 5 *

Now we’re tied up to the pier,
Oh, it’s ‘way down below, an’ pack yer musty gear,
An’ I’ll soon be a-kissin’ o’ you, me dear,
Ooooh, Jinnie keep yer ringtail warm!

* 6 *

Now I’m safe upon the shore,
An’ I don’t give a damn how the winds do roar,
For I’ll drop me anchor an’ I’ll to sea no more,
Ooooh, Jinnie keep yer ringtail warm!

* 7 *

But now I’ve had two weeks ashore,
I’ll pack me bags an’ I’ll go to sea once more,
An’ I’ll bid goodbye to me Liverpool whore,
Ooooh, Jinnie keep yer ringtail warm!

Related to this sea shanty

Poor Lucy Anna

October 17, 2023October 17, 2023 by Jerzy Brzezinski

Interesting Facts about the Lucy Anna

“Poor Lucy Anna” shanty, was used to the pumps or capstan of “Negro” origin. This song as Stan Hugill informs us is taken from the “Songs Of Sea Labour” by F.T. Bullen & W.F. Arnold (1914) (1st ed: p 14). This is what Bullen tells us about this song: “is so mournful that one suspects it of being the lament of some just sold slaves sent from one State to another without reference to any human ties they may have possessed”. This shanty was very seldom used except where “Negros” formed a considerable portion of the crew.
The song will be reconstructed by myself as the windlass shanty.

The source of this sea shanty

The source of this sea shanty:

The music: “Shanties from the Seven Seas” by Stan Hugill (1st ed: p 379).
The lyrics: “Shanties from the Seven Seas” by Stan Hugill (1st ed: p 379).

The Record of the Lucy Anna

The musical notation

And the full lyrics

Poor Lucy Anna

Oh, ‘the mounten’s so high, an’ de riber’s so wide,
Poor Lucy Anna!
De mounten’s so high, an’ de riber’s so wide,
Ise just gwine o-ber de mountens!

Related to this sea shanty

The Shaver

May 18, 2023May 18, 2023 by Jerzy Brzezinski

Interesting Facts about The Shaver

“The Shaver” capstan shanty. Terry claims that his uncle often sang it. He thinks that the “Poor Paddy Works On The Railway” tune comes from this song. This song will be reconstructed as the Capstan windlass shanty.

The source of this sea shanty

The source of this sea shanty:
The music: “Shanties from the Seven Seas” by Stan Hugill (1st ed: p 339).
The lyrics: “Shanties from the Seven Seas” by Stan Hugill (1st ed: p 339).

The Record of The Shaver

The musical notation

And the full lyrics

The Shaver

When I was a little hairless boy,
I went to sea in Stormy’s employ.
Oh, I shipped a way as a cabin boy,

– When I was just a shaver, a shaver,
– Oh, I was fed up with the sea,
– When I was just a shaver.

* 2 *

Oh, they whacked me up, an’ they whacked me down,
The Mate he cracked me on the crown,
They whacked me round an’ round an’ round,

* 3 *

When I went aloft through the lubber’s hole,
The mate he cried, ‘Lord darn yer soul,
Ye’ll do, me son, what yer bloomin’ well told!’

* 4 *

An’ when we lollop’d around Cape Horn,
I wisht to hell I’d niver bin born,
I felt like a sheep with its wool all shorn.

* 5 *

When we left behind the ice an’ rain,
An’ once more to the tropics we came,
The Mate came hazin’ me once again.

* 6 *

When we made port, well I skipped ship,
I’d had enough for one bloomin’ trip,
I’d stay ashore an’ never more ship.

Related to this sea shanty

As Off to The South’ard We Go – Brake Windlass Shanty

June 11, 2023January 27, 2023 by Jerzy Brzezinski

Interesting Facts about the As Off to The South’ard We Go

“As Off to The Southard We Go” is the shanty from the “Sailors’ songs or “Chanties” by Frederick J Davis and Ferris Tozer (3rd Edition) – (1906), mentioned by Stan Hugill on the occasion of the description of the “Heave Away Cheerily O!” shanty. I have to mention Stan Hugill’s description that which says the song is the capstan song, but In Ferris & Tozer’s book is in the chapter “Anchor Songs”. So what is the difference? Well, the “capstan songs” is a more general term, due to the capstan can be used in many more sailor works than raise the anchor.

Raising the anchor happens only on the main capstan, and the tempo is quite established. But the term anchor song is ambiguous as well because the anchor can be raised by using the capstan or brake windlass. The song can be sung for both due to the usual timing used for brake-windlass work being 2/4 or 6/8 (same as on the music notation), so I decided to reconstruct this song as the Brake Windlass Shanty.

One more issue is that Stan Hugill suggested that this song was published in the first edition of the Davis & Tozer book, which is not true because I have a copy of this book and in the first set of 24 shanties from the book this shanty not appeared. I cannot confirm that song is on the second edition, but also I have the third edition of the book which contains a set of 50 shanties, and the song appear on page 28 and 29, the third edition has been in print in 1906.

The source of this sea shanty

The music: “Sailors’ songs or “Chanties” by Frederick J Davis and Ferris Tozer (3rd Edition) – (1906).
The lyrics: “Sailors’ songs or “Chanties” by Frederick J Davis and Ferris Tozer (3rd Edition) – (1906).
Mentioned in: “Shanties from the Seven Seas” by Stan Hugill (1st ed: p 309, 310).

The Record of the As Off to The South’ard We Go

As Off to The South'ard We Go - Brake Windlass Shanty

The musical notation

And the full lyrics

As Off to The South’ard We Go

The wind is free, and we’re bound for sea,
– Heave away cheerily, ho, oh!
The lasses are waving to you and to me,
– As off to the South’ard we go-o,
– As off to the South’ard we go.

– Sing, my lads, cheerily,
– Heave, my lads, cheerily,
– Heave away cheerily, oh, oh!
– For gold that we prize, And sunier skies,
– Away to the South’ard we go.

* 2 *

They’re waving good-bye and with tearful eye,
Sing cheer up, my darling, and wipe your tears dry,

* 3 *

They’re crying “Come back, my dear Tom or dear Jack!
There’s water in front, and no door at the back,

* 4 *

We want sailors bold, who can work for their gold,
And stand a good wetting without catching cold,

* 5 *

The sailor is true to his Sal or his Sue,
As long as he’s able to keep ’em in view,

Related to this sea shanty