“Doodle Let Me Go” is the capstan shanty. According to Stan Hugill probably related to “Do Let Me Go Susan”. Terry says that the word “Do” was sometimes sung as “doodle”. This version is version comes from Harding Barbadian, a shipmate of Stan Hugill. 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 380). The lyrics: “Shanties from the Seven Seas” by Stan Hugill (1st ed: p 380, 381).
The Record of this 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
Doodle Let Me Go
Oh, once I met a dou-dou fair, belonged to Mobile Bay, – Hooraw, me yaller gels, doodle let me go! – Doodle let me go, gels, – Doodle let me go. – Hooraw, me yaller gels, – doodle let me go!
* 2 *
She swung her lip, she tripped her feet, she winked her sassy eye, – Hooraw …
* 3 *
Ah took her in an’ gave her gin, an’ danced her on the floor, – Hooraw …
* 4 *
The crew is drunk, the mate is drunk, the Old Man’s got a load, – Hooraw …
“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!
Interesting Facts about the Cant You Dance The Polka (C F Smith version)
“Cant You Dance The Polka (C F Smith version)” was a popular capstan shanty on both American and British ships. This version comes from “A Book Of Shanties” by Cicely Fox Smith (1927), Stan Hugill mention this version because he recognized different melodies in the verse. Her description of this beautiful song given by Cicely Fox Smith: “This is, of course, a song of the Liverpool emigrant days. Mr. Tapscott, whose name occurs in several shanties, was the Liverpool agent for some of the American packet companies. The name of the ship varies according to the singer’s fancy–sometimes the “Henry Clay” is given, sometimes another–and the name of the dock, too, is not always the same.” The song will be reconstructed by myself as the capstan shanty.
The source of the Cant You Dance The Polka (C F Smith version)
The music: “A Book Of Shanties” by Cicely Fox Smith (1927) (1st ed p 68). The lyrics: “A Book Of Shanties” by Cicely Fox Smith (1927) (1st ed p 67 – 69). Mentioned in: “Shanties from the Seven Seas” by Stan Hugill (1st ed p 373).
The Record of this sea 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
The full lyrics
Cant You Dance The Polka (C F Smith version)
One day as I went walking Down by the Clarence Dock, It was there I spied an Irish girl Conversing with Tapscott!
– And away, you santy, – My dear honey, – Oh! you New York girls, – Can’t you dance the polka!
* 2 *
“Good morning, Mr. Tapscott! Good morning, Sir,” said she, “And have you got a packet ship To carry me across the sea?”
* 3 *
“Oh yes,” said Mr. Tapscott, “I have ships of mighty fame, And one now in the Waterloo Dock, And the ‘Dreadnought’ is her name.”
* 4 *
Oh my flash man is a packet rat, He sails in the Black Ball Line, And he’s a saucy son of a gun That will hurt that man of mine.
* 5 *
I went to the Fulton ferry But I couldn’t get acress, So I jumped on the back of a ferryboat man And rode him like a hoss!
Interesting Facts about the Cant Ye Dance The Polka B
“Cant Ye Dance The Polka B” was a popular capstan shanty on both American and British ships. This is as Stan Hugill described the normal Packet Rat version – usually sung in a Yankee drawl. The song will be reconstructed by myself as the capstan shanty (used at the Halyard winch).
The source of the Cant Ye Dance The Polka B
The music: “Shanties from the Seven Seas” by Stan Hugill (1st ed: p 372). The lyrics: “Shanties from the Seven Seas” by Stan Hugill (1st ed: p 372-373).
The Record of this sea 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
The full lyrics
Cant Ye Dance The Polka B
Tis I walked down the Broadway. One evenin’ in July, I met a maid who axed me trade, an’ a Sailor John, sez I …
– Than away you Santee, – My dear Annie! – Ooooh, ye New York gals, – Can’t ye dance the polka?
* 2 *
To tiffany’s I took her, I did not mind expense, I bought her two gold earrings, An’ they cost me fifteen cents.
* 3 *
Sez she, ‘You Limejuice sailor, Now see me home you may.’- But when we reached her cottage door, She this to me did say.
* 4 *
My flash man he’s a Yankee, Wid his hair cut short behind, He wears a pair o’ long sea-boots, An’ he sails in the Blackball Line.
* 5 *
He’s homeward bound this evening, An’ wid me he will stay. So git a move on, sailor-boy, Git crackin’ on year way.
* 6 *
Si I kissed her hard an’ proper, Afore her flash man came, An’ fare-ye-well, me Bowery gel, I know yer little game.
* 7 *
I wrapped me glad rags round me, An’ to the docks did steer. I’ll never court another maid, I’ll stick to rum an’ beer.
* 8 *
I joined a Yankee blood-boat, An’ sailed away next morn. Don’t ever fool around wid gals, Yer safer off Cape Horn!
“Away, Susanna” or ” Can’t Ye Dance the Polka” was a popular capstan shanty on both American and British ships. This is the first Stan Hugill’s version that was invariably sung to the “shanghaied in San Francisco” theme. Charlie Evans, Arthur Spence, Bosun Chenoworth, “Artie”, an A. B. of the New Zeland brigantine “Aratapu”, and many other Stan Hugill shipmates all sang these words. The song will be reconstructed by myself as the capstan shanty.
The source of the Away Susanna!
The music: “Shanties from the Seven Seas” by Stan Hugill (1st ed: p 369). The lyrics: “Shanties from the Seven Seas” by Stan Hugill (1st ed: p 369-371).
The Record of this sea 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
The full lyrics
Away Susanna!
Shanghaied in San Francisco, We fetched up in Bombay, They set us afloat in an old lease boat, that steered like a bale of hay
– Than away, Susanna, – My fair maid! – Oho! ye New York gals, – Can’t ye dance the polka?
* 2 *
We panted in the tropics, Whilst the pitch boiled’up on deck, We’ve saved our hides little else besides, From an ice-cold North Sea wreck.
* 3 *
We drank our rum in Portland, We’ve thrashed through the Behring Straits, An’ we toed the mark on a Yankee barque, With a hard-case Down-east mate.
* 4 *
We know the quays of Glasgow, An’ the boom of the lone Azores, We’ve had our grub from a salt-horse tube, Condemned by the Navy stores.
* 5 *
We know the track to auckland, An’ the light of Kinsale Head, An’ we crept close-hauled while the landsman called, The depth of the Channel bed.
* 6 *
We know the streets of Santos, The river at Saigon, We’ve had our glass with a Chinee lass, In Ship Street in Hong Kong.
* 7 *
They,ll pay us off in London, Then it’s oh for a spell ashore, Then again we’ll ship for a southern trip, In a week or hardly more.
* 8 *
‘Tis goodbye, Sal an’ Lucy, ‘Tis time we were afloat, With a straw-stuffed bed, an achin’ head, A knife an’ an oilskin coat.
* 9 *
Sing ‘Time for us to leave ‘er’, Sing ‘Bound for the Rio Grande,’ An’ when the tug turns back, we’ll follow her track, For a last long look at the land.
* 10 *
An’ when the purple disappears, An’ only the blue is seen, That’ll take our bones to Davy Jones, An’ our souls to Fiddler’s Green.
“Seafarers” is the capstan shanty that comes from “Sang Under Segel” by Sigurd Sternvall (1935) (1st ed p 367 – 368). Stan Hugill mentioned this song on the occasion of the description of shanties family incorporating girls’ names. The first section of this family, represented by “Away, Susanna” or ” Can’t Ye Dance the Polka” is a popular shanty on both American and British ships. Sternvall comments on this song as: “The most popular sailor song of the turn of the century. A capstan shanty”. Stan Hugill gives us only one stanza of this song so I will use the full nine stanzas song from Sternvall’s book. The song will be reconstructed by myself as the capstan shanty.
The source of the Haul The Seafarers
The music: “Sang Under Segel” by Sigurd Sternvall (1935) (1st ed p 367 – 368). The lyrics: “Sang Under Segel” by Sigurd Sternvall (1935 (1st ed p 367 – 368). Mentioned in: “Shanties from the Seven Seas” by Stan Hugill (1st ed p 369).
The Record of this sea 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
The full lyrics
Seafarers
Shanghaied in San Francisco, we fetched up in Bombay. They set us afloat in an old Leith-boat, that steered like a stack of hay.
* 2 *
We have sweltered in the tropics, when the pitch boiled up on deck, and we saved our hides, with little besides, form so ice-cold Northsea wreck.
* 3 *
We know the tracks to Auckland, and the lights on Sidney Head. We kept close-hauled, while the leadsman called, the depths of the channels bed.
* 4 *
We know the quais of Glasgow, and the loom of the lone azores, we have found our grub in a salt horse tub, condemned from Navy stores.
* 5 *
We know the streets of Santos, and the river at Saigon. we work have drunk our glass with a Chinese lass in a houseboat at Canton.
* 6 *
They pay us off in london, and it’s off for a spell ashore. And again we ship on a southern trip in a week or hardly more.
* 7 *
It’s good-bye, sally and sue, for it’s time to go afloat. With an aching head and a straw-stuffed bed, a knife and a oilskin coat.
* 8 *
Sing “Time to leave her, Johnny”, Sing “Bound for Rio Grand!” When the tug turns back, we follow her track for a last long look at land.
* 9 *
Then at last that disappears, and only the blue is seen, That will send our bones to “Davy Jones” and our souls to “Fiddlers Green”.
“Haul The Bowline” is the shanty that opens the fourth part of the “Shanties From The Seven Seas” by Stan Hugill. Song also opens the family of the shanties with the word “haul”. Stan Hugill tells us that it is quite possible that this is the most ancient of the shanties, seeing that the bowline was a rope of prime importance in medieval times. This version, Stan Hugill learned from a Welsh deep-water man, and he says that this song (including this particular version), has been sometimes used at the capstan. The song will be reconstructed by myself as the capstan shanty.
The source of the Haul The Bowline B
The music: “Shanties from the Seven Seas” by Stan Hugill (1st ed: p 356). The lyrics: “Shanties from the Seven Seas” by Stan Hugill (1st ed: p 356).
The Record of this sea 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
The full lyrics
Haul The Bowline B
Because she had a fore-top, fore ‘n main t’ bowline, – Haul on the bowline, the bowline haul, Because she had a main-top, main ‘n’ mizen t’bowline -, – Ha-ul on the bowline, the bowline haul,
– Haul on the bowline, Oh Kitty you’re me darlin’ -, – Haul on the bowline, the bowline haul,
Interesting Facts about the Good Mornin Ladies All A
“Good Mornin Ladies All A” capstan shanty, is the song with the line “Good Mornin Ladies All” which gives us the notion that the song is the negro origin. Cecil Sharp believes it to have some affinity with “Heave Away, Me Johnnies”. This version Stan Hugill took from Tobago Smith, a West Indian shantyman. This song will be reconstructed as the capstan shanty.
The source of the Good Mornin Ladies All A
The music: “Shanties from the Seven Seas” by Stan Hugill (1st ed: p 350). The lyrics: “Shanties from the Seven Seas” by Stan Hugill (1st ed: p 350).
The Record of this sea 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
The full lyrics
Good Mornin Ladies All A
Our ol’ man said to me one day, – High-ee-yo – ho-ho, High-ee-yo – ho-ho – ho-ho! Let’s git aboard of our packet ship, an’ we’ll roll’er ‘crosst the Bay – , – Ah – ha – ! me yellar gals, – Good mornin’ ladies all!
* 2 *
Oh, fare-ye-well, I wish ye well, We’re outward bound on the mornin’ tide, this packet wuz bound ter hell.
* 3 *
We sailed away to the White Man’s Grave, The Yaller Jack it wiped us out, the divil a man wuz saved.
* 4 *
We shipped some monkeys for the crew, Our bosun wuz a great big ape, the ‘sails’ a kinkajou.
Interesting Facts about the Roller Bowler – Liverpool Version
“Roller Bowler – Liverpool Version”, the capstan shanty, that Stan Hugill counts as the family of the shanties uses the expression “high-rig-a-jig”. According to an author of the “Shanties From The Seven Seas”, is definitely Negro-Irish type of sailor work-song. Shanty that was sung aboard the West Indian Sugar and Rum Traders, Stan Hugill tells us this version is sung to him by an ancient mariner from Bootle. This song will be reconstructed as the capstan shanty.
The source of the Roller Bowler – Liverpool Version
The music: “Shanties from the Seven Seas” by Stan Hugill (1st ed: p 348). The lyrics: “Shanties from the Seven Seas” by Stan Hugill (1st ed: p 348, 349).
The Record of this sea 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
The full lyrics
Roller Bowler – Liverpool Version
Oh, I met her once in Liverpool, – Hooraw, you roller bowler! Oh, I met her once in Liverpool, This saucy gal of mine, – Timme high-rig-a-jig an’ a ha-ha! – Good mornin’, ladies all.
– Hooraw, you roller bowler, – Timme high-rig-a-jig an’ a ha-ha! – Good mornin’, ladies all.
* 2 *
Oh, the first time that I saw her, Oh, the first time that I saw her, ‘Twas down in Parkee Lane.
* 3 *
She winked and tipped her flipper, She-winked and tipped her flipper, She tought I wuz a Mate.
* 4 *
But when she found that I wuz skint, But when she found that I wuz skint, She left me standing there.
* 5 *
She left me there in Parkee Lane, She left me there in Parkee Lane, An’ I went back on board.
Interesting Facts about the Roller Bowler – Trinidad Version
“Roller Bowler – Trinidad Version”, the capstan shanty, that Stan Hugill counts as the family of the shanties uses the expression “high-rig-a-jig”. According to an author of the “Shanties From The Seven Seas”, is definitely Negro-Irish type of sailor work-song. Shanty that was sung aboard the West Indian Sugar and Rum Traders, Stan Hugill picket this version out of the Trinidad. This song will be reconstructed as the capstan shanty.
The source of the Roller Bowler – Trinidad Version
The music: “Shanties from the Seven Seas” by Stan Hugill (1st ed: p 348). The lyrics: “Shanties from the Seven Seas” by Stan Hugill (1st ed: p 348).
The Record of this sea 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
The full lyrics
Roller Bowler – Trinidad Version
As I rolled out one mornin, – Hooraw, you roller bowler! As I rolled out one mornin, I met a dou-dou fair, – Timme high-rig-a-jig an’ a ha-ha! – Good mornin’, ladies all.
– Hooraw, you roller bowler, – Timme high-rig-a-jig an’ a ha-ha! – Good mornin’, ladies all.
* 2 *
I axed her for to come wid me, I axed her for to come wid me, A-down the Bristol Docks,
* 3 *
She le-eft me and she ran away, Shee left me and she ran away, She didn’t like me jib.
* 4 *
I squared me yards an’ sailed away, I squared me yards an’ sailed away, An’ to the pub I went.
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