halyard shanty Archives - Page 12 of 12 - Traditional Sea Shanties

Yankee John Stormalong

December 4, 2023March 13, 2022 by Jerzy Brzezinski

Interesting Facts about the Yankee John Stormalong

Yankee John Stormalong is the last member of the Stormalong family from the “Shanties From The Seven Seas”, an alternative title for this shanty is “Liza Lee”.

This song will be reconstructed as the halyard shanty.

The source of this sea shanty

The music: “Shanties from the Seven Seas” by Stan Hugill (1st ed p 80).

The lyrics: “Shanties from the Seven Seas” by Stan Hugill (1st ed p 80).

The Record

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.

Yankee John, Stormalong - Halyard Shanty

The musical notation

The full lyrics

Yankee John, Stormalong

Oh, you Liza Lee,
– Yankee John, Storm–along!
Liza Lee she’in the gal for me,
– Yankee John, Storm-along!

* 2 *

Liza Lee she promised me,
She promised to get spliced to me,

* 3 *

So I shipped away acros the sea,
In a hard-case Dawn-Easter to Miramashee.

* 4 *

I promesed her a golden ring,
I promesed her that little thing.

* 5 *

I promised I would make her mine,
Oh, wouldn’t we have a Jamboree fine?

* 6 *

Liza Lee she’s jilted [slihgted] me,
Now she will not marry me.

* 7 *

Oh, up aloft that yard must go,
Up aloft from down below.

* 8 *

Oh, stretch her, boys, and show her clew,
We’re the boys to kick through!

Related to Yankee John, Stormalong

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De Hoffnung

Walk him along Johnny

December 4, 2023March 13, 2022 by Jerzy Brzezinski

Interesting Facts about the Walk him along, Johnny

Stan Hugill took this variation from Richard Runciman Terry’s “The Shanty Book Part II”, and also mentioned that Walk him along Johnny, Terry, and Sharp gained from the same shantyman, (John) Short of Watchet, and both it states is a halyard shanty, but the construction of song (like a grand chorus), it makes possible this shanty would be pump or capstan, Stan Hugill gives this song as the halyard shanty. Text and melody come from Richard Runciman Terry’s “The Shanty Book Part II”, and Cecil J. Sharp’s “English Folk-Chanteys” (unfortunately they both give only two verses).

This song will be reconstructed as the halyard shanty.

The source of this sea shanty

The music: “The Shanty Book part II” (1926) – Richard Runciman Terry (1st ed p 30, 31).

The lyrics: “The Shanty Book part II” (1926) – Richard Runciman Terry (1st ed p 30, 31).

Mentioned in: “Shanties from the Seven Seas” by Stan Hugill (1st ed p 77).

The Record of the Walk him along, Johnny

Even though this Song is very short (only two stanzas), I have the impression that in the shape in which Terry and Sharp give it, i.e. the one in which I will try to sing it, this song has not been sung for at least 60 years, i.e. since Stan Hugill wrote about this version in his work.

Walk him along, Johnny (R. R. Terry's Version) - Halyard Shanty

The musical notation of the Walk him along Johnny

The full lyrics

Walk him along, Johnny

Gen’ral Taylor gained the day.
– Walk him along, Johnny carry him along.
General Taylor gained the day.
– Carry him to the burying ground.

– Then away-ay you Stormy,
– Walk him along, Johnny carry him along.
– Way-ay you Stormy,
– Carry him to the burying ground.

* 2 *

Dan O’ Connell died long ago.
Dan O’ Connell died long ago.

Related to this sea shanty

As-Tu-Connu Le Per’ Lanc’lot

De Hoffnung

Stormalong, Lads, Stormy

Walk Me Along Johnny

December 4, 2023March 13, 2022 by Jerzy Brzezinski

Interesting Facts about the Walk Me Along Johnny

The origin of Walk Me Along Johnny is West Indian and it probably stemmed from a slave song. Chas. Nordhoff in his “The Merchant Vessel” gives us a similar song as a cotton Stowers’ chant, but fits the words the tune must have been slightly different. Stan Hugill gives this song the halyard shanty.

This song will be reconstructed as the halyard shanty.

The source of this sea shanty

The music: “Shanties from the Seven Seas” by Stan Hugill (1st ed p 78, 79).

The lyrics: “Shanties from the Seven Seas” by Stan Hugill (1st ed p 78, 79).

The Record of the Walk Me Along Johnny

The musical notation

The full lyrics

Way Stormalong, John

Stormy he is dead an’gone,
– WALK me along Johnny, CARry me along!
Stormy he is dead an’gone,
– CARry me to the BURyin’ ground,

– Then away ay-ay-ay-ay O Storm an’ Blow,
– WALK me along Johnny, CARry me along!
– Way ay-ay-ay-ay O Storm an’ Blow,
– CARry me to the BURyin’ ground,

* 2 *

We dug his grave with a silver spade
His shroud o’ finest silk wuz made

* 3 *

Oh, ye who dig Ol’ Stormy’s grave,
Dig it deep an’ make it safe

* 4 *

Oh, lower him down with a golden chain,
Make sure that he don’ rise again.

* 5 *

Oh, General Tailor died long ago,
He’s gone, me boys, where the winds don’s blow.

* 6 *

He died on the field of ol’ Monterey,
An’ Santiana he gained the day.

* 7 *

Dan O’Connell he died long ago,
Dan he was an Irish boy-O

* 8 *

We’ll haul, me boys an’ wake the dead
Let,s stow him in his little bed.

Related to this sea shanty

A Long Time Ago (A)

As-Tu-Connu Le Per’ Lanc’lot

De Hoffnung

Stormalong Lads Stormy

December 4, 2023March 12, 2022 by Jerzy Brzezinski

Interesting Facts about Stormalong Lads Stormy

Stormalong Lads Stormy is much the same as those in “Across the Western Ocean”, this song Stan Hugill learned from seamen who had the most famous name I ever heard, He was called “Harding, the Barbadian Barbarian” from Barbados, and having sailed in British, American, and Bluenose (Nova Scotian) ships, as well as West Indian traders, and he was Shantyman himself. It was originally used at the halyards.

This song will be reconstructed as the halyard shanty.

The source of this sea shanty

The music: “Shanties from the Seven Seas” by Stan Hugill (1st ed p 76). I try to recreate this song from hearted Stan Hugill’s version from the album “Shanties From The Seven Seas” (1962), with The York & Albany Crew.

The lyrics: “Shanties from the Seven Seas” by Stan Hugill (1st ed p 76).

The Record of the Stormalong Lads Stormy

Stormalong, Lads, Stormy - Halyard Shanty

The musical notation

The full lyrics

Stormalong, Lads, Stormy

Stormalong an’ around we’ll go,
– Ol’ Stormalong!
Oh, Stormalong an’ around we’ll go,
– Storm-along, lads, stormy.

* 2 *

If ever you go to Liverpool,
If ever you go to Liverpool,

* 3 *

To Liverpool that packet school,
To Liverpool that packet school,

* 4 *

Yankee sailors ye’ll see there,
Yankee sailors ye’ll see there,

* 5 *

With red-topped boots an’ short cut hair,
With red-topped boots an’ short cut hair,

* 6 *

There ‘s Liverpool Pat with his tarpaulin hat,
An’ ‘Frisco Jim, the packet rat.

* 7 *

Wake up, yer bitch, ‘n’ let us in,
Get up, yer bitch, ‘n’ service us gin.

* 8 *

Oh, I wisht I wuz in Liverpool Town,
Them Liverpool judies I’d dance around.

* 9 *

O long Stormy-stormalong,
O long Stormy-stormalong.

Related to this sea shanty

As-Tu-Connu Le Per’ Lanc’lot

De Hoffnung

Stormalong, Lads, Stormy

Lowlands Low (Halyards)

December 3, 2023March 10, 2022 by Jerzy Brzezinski

Interesting Facts about Lowlands Low (Halyards)

Another shanty from the Lowlands family, but this time is a halyard one. Stan Hugill had Lowlands Low (Halyards), from Old Smith of Tobago, a fine old colored shantyman who gave to Stan a lot of little-known shanties, it was happening in the 30s of the XX century. It is a West-Indian song, according to Sharp, it comes from West Indian Trade (Sugar and Rum).

At this time I did a little presentation with yard pull, as this is a halyard chantey. According to Stan Hugill, it was two hard pulls, and after every pull, the yard goes up a couple of inches. Three sails have been hoisted (those with raising up yards) to be raised in a single mast: Upper Topsail, Upper Topgallant, and Royal, in those sails, were hoisted to the singing of “Halyard Shanties”. It was one of the hardest work on the ship.

This song will be reconstructed as the halyard shanty.

The source of this sea shanty

The music: “Shanties from the Seven Seas” by Stan Hugill (1st ed p 70).

The lyrics: “Shanties from the Seven Seas” by Stan Hugill (1st ed p 71, 72).

The Record of the Lowlands Low (Halyards)

“Shanties from the Seven Seas” by Stan Hugill (1st ed: p 70,71).

Lowlands Low (Halyards) - Halyard Shanty

The musical notation

The full lyrics

Lowlands Low (Halyards)

Our packet is the Island Lass,
– LOWlands, Lowlands, LOWlands Low!
There’s a nigger howlin’ at the main top-mast,
– LOWlands, Lowlands, LOWlands Low!

* 1 *

The Ol’ Man hails from Barbadoes,
– LOWlands, Lowlands, LOWlands Low!
He’s got the name Ol’ Hammertoes,
– LOWlands, Lowlands, LOWlands Low!

* 2 *

He gives us bread as hard as brass,
– LOWlands, Lowlands, LOWlands Low!
Our junk’s as salt as Balaam’s ass.
– LOWlands, Lowlands, LOWlands Low!

* 3 *

The monkey’s rigged in the sijer’s clo’es,
– LOWlands, Lowlands, LOWlands Low!
Where he gottem from God ‘lone knows.
– LOWlands, Lowlands, LOWlands Low!

* 4 *

We’ll haul ’em high an’ let ’em dry,
– LOWlands, Lowlands, LOWlands Low!
We’ll rtice ’em up into de sky.
– LOWlands, Lowlands, LOWlands Low!

* 5 *

Lowland, me boys, an’ up she goes,
– LOWlands, Lowlands, LOWlands Low!
Git changed, me boys, to her shore-goin’ clo’es.
– LOWlands, Lowlands, LOWlands Low!

Related to this sea shanty

As-Tu-Connu Le Per’ Lanc’lot

De Hoffnung

Stormalong, Lads, Stormy