Frederick Pease Harlow

O Mary Come Down!

Interesting Facts about the O Mary Come Down!

“O Mary Come Down!” is a very intriguing case. Stan Hugill took this shanty from “The Making of a Sailor” by Frederick Pease Harlow (1928). The title is not given by Harlow so must be just made up by Stan Hugill, also noted the type of this shanty we can derive from the description of the sailors work described by Harlow, wrote:

“Taking a turn under the belaying-pin, O’Rourke and “Handsome Charlie” began swaying off. The halliards led down to the starboard side of the five-rail around the main-mast. Bracing their feet below and grasping the halliards above their heads these two men swayed away from the bitts, throwing their bodies backward for all the weight they had. This brought the halliards down until their bodies stood at right angles from the fife-rail, then bending their knees and holding all they had gained, they rendered the rope under the pin while I pulled in the slack ready for another pull.
The sing-out for this kind of work varies in call from “Yo-ho, he-oh!” or “A-hoy, boys!” with the pull coming on the last word, to a semi-chantey. “Handsome Charlie” broke out in the latter, – one of negro origin”

… and here given to us music notation of this like he described “semi- chantey”, after he added:

“Here, the pull for the sway-off comes on the accented notes, In the same measure a hold or pause is necessary while the rope is being rendered under the belaying-pin, giving time for men to regain their feet and secure a fresh hold on the halliards above.”
The song will be reconstructed by myself as the sweating-up shanty.

The source of this sea shanty

The music: “The Making of a Sailor” by Frederick Pease Harlow (1928).
The lyrics: “The Making of a Sailor” by Frederick Pease Harlow (1928).
Mentioned in: “Shanties from the Seven Seas” by Stan Hugill (1st ed: p 368).

The Record of  the O Mary Come Down!

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.

O Mary Come Down! - Sweating-up Shanty

The musical notation

O Mary Come Down! - music notation

The full lyrics

O Mary Come Down!

Oh Ma – RY!
Come down with you bunch of ro – SES!
Come down when I call, oh Ma – RY!
Oh Mary, come DOWN!

Related to this sea shanty

John Dameray (Silsbee)

Cant Ye Hilo? (short drag)

Rise Me Up From Down Below – Doerflinger

Tommys Gone To Hilo – Harlow

Interesting Facts about the Tommys Gone To Hilo

The “Tommys Gone To Hilo” was a halyard shanty usually sang for raise a topsails yards. This song mentioned by Stan Hugill comes from “The Making Of A Sailor” by Frederick Pease Harlow (1928 1st ed: p 258, 259). Due to the different melody and the theme which “smack of “South Australia,” it is worth reconstructing it.

The source of this sea shanty

The music: “The Making Of A Sailor” by Frederick Pease Harlow (1928 1st ed: p 258).
The lyrics: “The Making Of A Sailor” by Frederick Pease Harlow (1928 1st ed: p 258, 259).
Mentioned in: “Shanties from the Seven Seas” by Stan Hugill (1st ed: p 261).

The Record of the Tommys Gone To Hilo

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.

Tommys Gone To Hilo (Harlow) - Halyard Shanty

The musical notation

Tommys Gone To Hilo - music notation

The full lyrics

Tommys Gone To Hilo

Oh, Tommy’s gone, what shall I do?
– A-way, Hilo!
Tommy’s gone and I’ll go too,
– Tommy’s gone to HI-lo!

* 2 *

To Hilo town, we’ll see her through,
For Tommy’s gone with a rulling crew.

* 3 *

Oh, Tommy’s gone from down below,
And up aloft this yard must go.

* 4 *

Oh, Tommy’s gone, we’ll ne’er say nay
Until the mate sing out, “Belay!”

* 5 *

I think I heard the old man say,
We’ll get our grog three times a day.

* 6 *

Oh, one more pull and that will do,
So let her roll and wet us through.

* 7 *

She’ll ship it green again to-day;
The mate is sore and hell’s to pay.

* 8 *

Oh, Tommy’s gone, what shall I do?
The mate is sore and so are you.

* 9 *

Oh, Tommy’s gone and left us, too;
We like the mate – Like hell we do!

Related to this sea shanty

Toms Gone To Hilo

Reuben Ranzo II – Doerflinger

Poor Old Reuben Ranzo

Frederick Pease Harlow – Chanteying Aboard American Ships (1962)

Big thanks, to my mentor, teacher, and friend from the United States, Simon Spalding.

For recommending and introducing me to Frederick Pease Harlow – Chanteying Aboard American Ships. This book is a real treasure for lovers of sea shanties and the times of ironmen on wooden ships. I also wish to recommend reading another Harlow book: “The Making Of A Sailor”. Both complement each other very well. The first “The Making Of A Sailor” describes works where shanties were used. The second “Chanting on American Ships”, is more like a collection of them.

Finally, it is worth adding that many of the greatest shanties singers point to both Harlow’s books. They are one of the main sources of their repertoire and knowledge about sea shanties. Simon Spalding talks about his book “My Secret Weapon”. A few sea shanties from this book Simon Spalding sang on the album “Round The Capstan”, recorded with the Polish shanty band Cztery Refy. Cztery Refy and Stare Dzwony are the leading bands singing traditional shanties in Poland.

Do you want to be more involved?

You can find excellent records of sea shanties here. If you want to discuss this book or share your opinion you can do it in my Facebook forum here, or below post in the comment section.

Related to Chanteying Aboard American Ships

Frederick Pease Harlow – The making of a sailor (1928)

Bjorn Landstrom – The Ship (1961)

Cicely Fox Smith – Sea Songs and Ballads 1917 – 1922 (1930)

Frederick Pease Harlow – The making of a sailor (1928)

Frederick Pease Harlow – The making of a sailor

First, I would like to thank my mentor, teacher, and (I dare to say it publicly for the first time) my friend, from the United States, Simon Spalding for recommending and introducing me to Frederick Harlow who wrote this great work. This book is a real treasure for shanty enthusiasts and the times of ironmen on wooden ships. You can put this book in the same row with such works as “The Merchant Vessel” by Nordhoff. or Richard Dana’s “Two Years Before Mast”.

This is simply a sailor’s diary, detailing the life of a sailor, with shanties intertwined in the plot. Real descriptions of the deep sea sailor profession, his life on the sea and onshore. This book is best read together with Frederick Harlow’s second book “Chanteying Aboard American Ships”. Both complement each other perfectly. The first describes works where shanties were used, and the second is a huge collection of them. Finally, it is worth adding that many of the greatest shanty singers point to both Harlow’s books as one of the main sources of their repertoire and knowledge about shanties.

Do you want to be more involved?

You can find excellent records of sea shanties here. If you want to discuss this book or share your opinion you can do it in my Facebook forum here, or below post in the comment section.

Related to The making of a sailor

Harpers Monthly Magazine (1882)

Jerzy Wadowski – Piesni Spod żagli (1989)

Jim Mageean – Heave Away (2020)

South Australia (Harlow version)

Interesting Facts about South Australia (Harlow version)

“South Australia (Harlow version)”, is usually sung at capstan (anchor) and pumps. This shanty had a rather poor regulation pattern and all shantymen had to improvise to make it see the job through. This version mentioned by Stan Hugill comes from Frederick Pease Harlow’s “The Making of a Sailor” (1928). According to Harlows shipmate, this version was sung as anchor shanty on the very famous clipper ship Thermopylae. A couple of words about Harlow’s shantyman, I know usually shantymen were anonymous artists, they turned sailors’ life for better, and also made jobs easier by using shanties, this time we don’t know a surname but at least we know the name of the Harlow’s, so we can call him a Shantyman Dave.
Stan Hugill gives us only the original lyrics from “The Making of a Sailor”, but he forgot about the melody, so I took it myself from Harlow’s book.

The song will be reconstructed by myself as the capstan shanty.

The source of this sea shanty

The music: “The Making of a Sailor” by Frederick Pease Harlow (1928).

The lyrics:  “Shanties from the Seven Seas” by Stan Hugill (1st ed p 194, 195).

The Record of South Australia (Harlow version)

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.

South Australia (Harlow's Version) - Capstan Shanty

The musical notation

South Australia (Harlow version) - music notation

The full lyrics

South Australia (Harlow version)

South Australia is my native land,
– Heave away! Heave away!
Mountains rich in quartz and sand,
– I am bound for south Australia!

– He-ave away! Heave away!
– He–ave away, you Ruler King
– I am bound for South Australia!

* 2 *

Gold and wool, brings ships to our shore,
And our coal will load many more.

* 3 *

Here’s a packet anchored off the pier,
There’s a bar ashore with foaming beer.

* 4 *

Heave! Oh heave! and we’ll all go ashore,
Where we will drink with girls galore.

* 5 *

Glasses filled, we’ll touch with a clink,
Heave! bullies, heave! the girls want a drink.

* 6 *

I see Julia, standing on the quay,
With a dame for you and me.

* 7 *

At the head of Sandridge Raiload pier,
Straight to Mother Shilling’s we’ll steer.

* 8 *

Julia slings the sheoak at the bar
And welcomes sailors from afar.

* 9 *

In the dance hall there you’ll pick your girl
With golden hair and teeth of pearl.

* 10 *

She will drink you while at the bar,
And call you, “Dear, my own Jack Tar.”

* 11 *

She’ll waltz you round in a dizzy dance,
While you’re half drunk and in a trance.

* 12 *

Then we’ll drink to Mother Shilling’s name,
And drink again to the lovely dame.

* 13 *

In the arms of girls we’ll dance and sing,
For sheoak will be Ruler King.

* 14 *

Drunk! For sheoak’s gone to our head,
The girls can put us all to bed.

Related to this sea shanty

Magelhan (Orginal)

Mother Carey’s

Rolling King