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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.

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.

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

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 due 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 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.

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