Interesting Facts about the Tiddy High O!
“Tiddy High O!” – halyard shanty which comes from one of the Stan Hugill’s known shantymen Tobago Smith, who told him that song was often heard aboard of the old West Indian traders. Stan Hugill tells us that song is West Indian origin and came probably to England aboard the rum and sugar traders of Bristol.
I will reconstruct this song as the halyard shanty.
The source of this sea shanty
The music: “Shanties from the Seven Seas” by Stan Hugill (1st ed p 453).
The lyrics: “Shanties from the Seven Seas” by Stan Hugill (1st ed p 453).
The Record of the Tiddy High O!
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
Tiddy High O!
An’ now we are bound for ol’ Bristol town,
– TIDDY high O! high HAY!
Goodbye to them block gals, the yellars an’ the browns,
– TIDDY high O! high HAY, high hay!
* 2 *
Oh, old Sally Rackett of Kingston Town,
I spent quite a packet on her new silk gown,
* 3 *
We loaded our packet with sugar an’ rum,
Goodbye to Jamaicy, its gals, an’ its sun.
* 4 *
We’re bound to the nor’ard, to the ice an’ the snow,
We’re bound to the nor’ard Lord let ‘er go!
* 5 *
An’ when we gets back to ol’ Bristol Town,
‘Tis there we will drink an’ sorrow soon drown.