Shanties from the seven seas

Roll The Cotton Down (E)

December 18, 2023April 3, 2022 by Jerzy Brzezinski

Interesting Facts about Roll The Cotton Down (E)

Here halyard version of the shanty “Roll the cotton down” including Roll The Cotton Down (E) version, opens a big family of the shanties, which Stan Hugill describes as the shanty with the word ‘Roll’. As a matter of fact, it vies with ‘blow’ and ‘Hilo’ as the most popular word in a sailor’s work song.
The versions of this great shanty are:
(a) Negro Version
(b) Cotton-Stowers’ version
(c) Deep-sea version.
(d) Blackball version.
(e) Paddy and the railway.
(f) “A Long Time Ago”
This version is a “Paddy and the Railway” version theme version. The book example suggests using more verses from “Blow the Man Down” shanty, I add an additional five verses which gives us a reasonable length of the song.

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

The source of this sea shanty

The music: “Shanties from the Seven Seas” by Stan Hugill (1st ed p 154 ).

The lyrics: “Shanties from the Seven Seas” by Stan Hugill (1st ed p 155 ).

The Record of the Roll The Cotton Down (E)

“Shanties from the Seven Seas” by Stan Hugill (1st ed p 155 ).

The full lyrics

Roll The Cotton Down (E)

Oh! in eighteen hundred an’ seventy-one,
– Roll the cotton down!
I did what many other have done.
– We’ll roll the cotton down!

* 2 *

I shipped away across the sea,
I shipped away to Amerikee.

* 3 *

In eighteen hundred and seventy-two,
I shipped away with an Irish crew.

* 4 *

In eighteen hundred an’ seventy-three,
I sailed away across the sea

* 5 *

In eighteen hundred an’ seventy-four,
I landed on Columbia’s shore

* 6 *

In eighteen hundred an’ seventy-five,
Still Dan O’Connel he wuz alive

* 7 *

In eighteen hundred an’ seventy-six,
Me drink no longer I could mix

* 8 *

In eighteen hundred an’ seventy-seven,
Me children number jist eleven

* 9 *

In eighteen hundred an’ seventy-eight,
I made a fortune, not to late

* 10 *

In eighteen hundred an’ seventy-nine,
I for a sight of Home did pine

Related to this shanty

Roll The Cotton Down (D)

Interesting Facts about Roll The Cotton Down (D)

Here halyard version of the shanty “Roll the cotton down”, Roll The Cotton Down (D) opens a big family of shanties, which Stan Hugill describes as the shanty with the word ‘Roll’. As a matter of fact, it vies with ‘blow’ and ‘Hilo’ as the most popular word in a sailor’s work song.
The versions of this great shanty are:
(a) Negro Version
(b) Cotton-Stowers’ version
(c) Deep-sea version.
(d) Blackball version.
(e) Paddy and the railway.
(f) “A Long Time Ago”
This version is a “Blackball” version theme version. The book example suggests using more verses from “Blow the Man Down” Shanty, I add an additional five verses which give us a reasonable length of the song.

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

The source of this sea shanty

The music: “Shanties from the Seven Seas” by Stan Hugill (1st ed p 154 ).

The lyrics: “Shanties from the Seven Seas” by Stan Hugill (1st ed p 155 ).

The Record of the Roll The Cotton Down (D)

“Shanties from the Seven Seas” by Stan Hugill (1st ed p 155 ).

The full lyrics

Roll The Cotton Down (D)

Oh! when I was a young man in me prime,
– Roll the cotton down!
I thought I’d ship in the Blackball Line.
– We’ll roll the cotton down!

* 2 *

In the Blackball Line, oh, ye kin shine,
For the ye’ll wake at any old time.

* 3 *

It’s when a Blackballer is bound for sea,
‘Tis then ye’ll see such a hell o’ spree.

* 4 *

There’s tinkers an’ wharf rats, shoemakers an’ all,
All shipped as prime sailorman aboard the Blackball,

* 5 *

Oh, muster ye sojers an’ fakirs an’sich,
An’ hear yer name called by a son-o’-a’bitch.

* 6 *

An’ when the Blackballer hauls out o’ the dock,
To see these poor bastards, how on deck they flock.

* 7 *

‘Lay aft here ye, lubbers! Lay aft one an’ all,
I’ll have none o’ yer dodgers aboard Blackball!”

* 8 *

Now see these poor bastards how aloft they will scoot,
Assisted along by the toe o’ boot.

* 9 *

The second mate stands ’em all up in a row,
A seam in the deck he sure makes ’em all toe.

* 10 *

It’s ‘Fore tawps’l halyards!’ the mate he will roar,
‘Oh, lay along smatly, ye son-o’-a-whore!’

Related to this shanty

Roll The Cotton Down (C) – Halyard Version

Interesting Facts about Roll The Cotton Down (C) – Halyard Version

Here halyard version of the shanty “Roll the cotton down C” – Halyard, opens a big family of shanties, which Stan Hugill describes as the shanty with the word ‘Roll’. As a matter of fact, it vies with ‘blow’ and ‘Hilo’ as the most popular word in a sailor’s work song.
The versions of this great shanty are:
(a) Negro Version
(b) Cotton-Stowers’ version
(c) Deep-sea version.
(d) Blackball version.
(e) Paddy and the railway.
(f) “A Long Time Ago”
This version is a “Deep-sea” version theme version. Because Stan Hugill gives us on page 155 the beautiful set of “Halyard only” stanzas, I also think is necessary to sing them, so here is the halyard variation of “Roll the cotton down C”.

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

The source of this sea shanty

The music: “Shanties from the Seven Seas” by Stan Hugill (1st ed p 154 ).

The lyrics: “Shanties from the Seven Seas” by Stan Hugill (1st ed p 154, 155 ).

The Record of the Roll The Cotton Down (C) – Halyard Version

The full lyrics

Roll The Cotton Down (C)

Oh! away down south where I wuz born,
– Roll the cotton down!
Oh! away down south around Cape Horn
– We’ll roll the cotton down!

* 2 *

Oh! away down south around Cape Horn
Oh, we wisht to Christ we’d niver bin born!

* 3 *

Oh! away down south one winter’s morn,
Oh! away down south around Cape Horn.

* 4 *

We’re bound away to Mobile Bay,
We’re bound away at the break o’ day.

* 5 *

Oh, around Cape Horn we’re bound to go,
Around Cape Stiff midst the ice an’ snow.

* 6 *

Oh, ‘Frisco town is far behind,
An’ the gals down south are free an’ kind.

* 7 *

Oh, fare-ye-well we’re bound to go,
Never let it be said we’ll forget you.

“From here onward the verses are halyard ones only”

* 8 *

So stretch it aft an’ start a song,
A bloody fine song and it won’t take long.

* 9 *

Oh, stretch yer backs an’ haul away,
An’ make yer port an’ take yer pay.

* 10 *

I’ll sing ye a song if ye’ll git me some gin,
That’ll bouse this block right down to the pin.

* 11 *

Oh, rock ‘n’ shake ‘er is the cry,
The bloody topm’st sheave is dry.

* 12 *

Oh, haul away when she takes the next roll,
Why don’t the Mate shake ‘er, oh, Gawd blast his soul.

* 13 *

Oh, I wist Jonny Slite would keep his luff,
The bastard thinks we’ve hauled enough.

* 14 *

Oh, sweat that yard the Mate do say.
Give one more pull, lads, then belay!

Related to this shanty

Roll The Cotton Down (C) – Capstan Version

Go odbye Fare-ye-well (B)

Interesting Facts about Roll The Cotton Down (C) – Capstan Version

Here capstan’s version of the shanty “Roll the cotton down”, Roll The Cotton Down (C) – Capstan, opens a big family of shanties, which Stan Hugill describes as the shanty with the word ‘Roll’. As a matter of fact, it vies with ‘blow’ and ‘Hilo’ as the most popular words in a sailor’s work song.
The versions of this great shanty are:
(a) Negro Version
(b) Cotton-Stowers’ version
(c) Deep-sea version.
(d) Blackball version.
(e) Paddy and the railway.
(f) “A Long Time Ago”
This version is a “Deep-sea” version theme version.

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 154 ).

The lyrics: “Shanties from the Seven Seas” by Stan Hugill (1st ed p 154, 155 ).

The Record of the Roll The Cotton Down (C) – Capstan Version

Roll The Cotton Down ( C ) - Capstan Shanty

The musical notation

The full lyrics

Roll The Cotton Down (C)

Oh! away down south where I wuz born,
– Roll the cotton down!
Oh! away down south around Cape Horn
– We’ll roll the cotton down!

– R0ll the cotton,
– R0ll the cotton, Moses!
– R0ll the cotton,
– Oh! roll the cotton down!

* 2 *

Oh! away down south around Cape Horn
Oh, we wisht to Christ we’d niver bin born!

* 3 *

Oh! away down south one winter’s morn,
Oh! away down south around Cape Horn.

* 4 *

We’re bound away to Mobile Bay,
We’re bound away at the break o’ day.

* 5 *

Oh, around Cape Horn we’re bound to go,
Around Cape Stiff midst the ice an’ snow.

* 6 *

Oh, ‘Frisco town is far behind,
An’ the gals down south are free an’ kind.

* 7 *

Oh, fare-ye-well we’re bound to go,
Never let it be said we’ll forget you.

Related to this shanty

California

Roll The Cotton Down (B)

Interesting Facts about Roll The Cotton Down (B)

A very popular halyard shanty “Roll the cotton down” including Roll The Cotton Down (B) opens a big family of the shanties, which Stan Hugill describes as the shanty with the word ‘Roll’. As a matter of fact, it vies with ‘blow’ and ‘Hilo’ as the most popular word in a sailor’s work song.
The versions of this great shanty are:
(a) Negro Version
(b) Cotton-Stowers’ version
(c) Deep-sea version.
(d) Blackball version.
(e) Paddy and the railway.
(f) “A Long Time Ago”
This version is a “Cotton-Stowers’ version” theme version.

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

The source of this sea shanty

The music: “Shanties from the Seven Seas” by Stan Hugill (1st ed p 154 ).

The lyrics: “Shanties from the Seven Seas” by Stan Hugill (1st ed p 153).

The Record of the Roll The Cotton Down (B)

The full lyrics

Roll The Cotton Down (B)

Come rock an’ roll me over,
– Oh, ROLL the cotton DOWN!
Let,s get this damned job over,
– Oh, ROLL the cotton DOWN!

* 2 *

Was ye ever down in Mobile Bay,
Screwin’ cotton by the day?

* 3 *

Oh, a black man’s pay is rather low,
To stow the cotton we must go.

* 4 *

Oh, a white man’s pay is rather high,
Rock an’ shake ‘er is the cry.

* 5 *

Oh, so early in the mornin’, boys,
Oh, afore the day is dawnin’, boys.

* 6 *

Five dollars a day is a white man’s pay,
So bring yer screws an’ hooks this way.

* 7 *

And bring yer sampson posts likewise,
Oh, bear a hand, get a curve on, boys.

* 8 *

We’ll floor her off from fore to aft,
There five thousand bales for this ‘ere ceraft.

* 9 *

Lift her up an’ carry her along,
Screw her down where she belongs.

* 10 *

Oh, tier by tier we’ll stow ’em neat,
Until the job is made complete.

* 11 *

Oh, Mobile Bay’s no place for me,
I’ll pack me bags an’ go to sea

* 12 *

We’ll screw him up so handsomely,
And roll him over cheerily.

* 13 *

A white man’s pay is rather high,
An’ a black man’s pay is rather low.

* 14 *

Oh, come hither, all you slaver boys,
An’ come hither, all you bigger boys.

Related to this shanty

A Long Time Ago (A)

Roll The Cotton Down (A)

Interesting Facts about Roll The Cotton Down (A)

A very popular halyard shanty “Roll the cotton down” including Roll The Cotton Down (A) opens a big family of the shanties, which Stan Hugill describes as the shanty with the word ‘Roll’. As a matter of fact, it vies with ‘blow’ and ‘Hilo’ as the most popular word in a sailor’s work song. At Tops’l halyard, it was a hardy perennial, although it suited t’gallant halyards it was a hardy perennial, although it suited t’gallant halyards even more so, being of a fairly lively march time.
This version is a “Negro” theme version.

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

The source of this sea shanty

The music: “Shanties from the Seven Seas” by Stan Hugill (1st ed p 154 ).

The lyrics: “Shanties from the Seven Seas” by Stan Hugill (1st ed p 152, 153 ).

The Record of the Roll The Cotton Down (A)

Roll The Cotton Down ( A ) - Halyard Shanty

The musical notation

The full lyrics

Roll The Cotton Down (A)

Oooh, roll the cotton down, me boys,
– R0LL the cotton DOWN!
Oh, roll the cotton down, me boys,
– Oh, R0LL the cotton DOWN!

* 2 *

I,m goin’ down to Alabam,
To roll the cotton down, me boys,

* 3 *

When I lived down south in Tennessee,
My old Massa, oh, he said to me.

* 4 *

Oh, the slaver works for the white man boss,
He’s the one who rides on the big white hoss.

* 5 *

If the sun don’ shine, then the hens don’lay,
If the slaver won’t work, then the boss won’t pay.

* 6 *

Away down south where I was born,
I worked in the cotton and the corn.

* 7 *

Oh the slaver works the whole day long,
The Camptown ladies sing this song.

* 8 *

When I was young before the war,
Times were gay on the Mississippi shore.

* 9 *

When work was over at the close of day,
‘Tis then you’d hear the banjo play.

* 10 *

While the darkies would sit around the door,
And the piccanninies played upon the floor.

* 11 *

But since the war there’s been a change,
To the darkey everything seems strange.

* 12 *

No more you’ll hear the banjo play,
For the good ol’ times have passed away.

* 13 *

And now we’re off to New Orleans,
To that land of Slaver Queens

* 14 *

Oh, in Alabama where I was born
A-screwin cotton of a summer’s morn.

Related to this shanty

A Long Time Ago (A)

Roll The Old Chariot (Stamp-n-go)

Interesting Facts about Roll The Old Chariot

Roll The Old Chariot is one of the most popular “stamp-n-go” shanties. William Main Doerflinger in his “Shantymen and Shantyboys” (1951), says that it is based on the words of a Salvation Army revivalist hymn and that the tune is a Scottish reel. It seems without any doubt that the shanty is of Negro origin.

The song will be reconstructed by myself as the stamp-n-go shanty.

The source of this sea shanty

The music: “Shanties from the Seven Seas” by Stan Hugill (1st ed p 151 ).

The lyrics: “Shanties from the Seven Seas” by Stan Hugill (1st ed p 151 ).

The Record of the Roll The Old Chariot

Roll The Old Chariot - Stamp And Go Shanty

The musical notation

The full lyrics

Roll The Old Chariot

0h, a drop of Nelson’s blood wouldn’t do us any harm,
Oh, a drop of Nelson’s blood wouldn’t do us any harm,
0h, a drop of Nelson’s blood wouldn’t do us any harm,
And we’ll all hang on behind!

– So we’ll … ro-o-oll the old chariot along!
– And we’ll roll the golden chariot along!
– Oh, we’ll ro-o-oll the old chariot along!
– An’ we’ll all hang on behind!

* 2 *

0h, a plate of Irish stew wouldn’t do us any harm,
Oh, a plate of Irish stew wouldn’t do us any harm,
0h, a plate of Irish stew wouldn’t do us any harm,
And we’ll all…

* 3 *

Oh, a nice fat cook wouldn’t do us any harm.

* 4 *

Oh, roll in the clover wouldn’t do us any harm.

* 5 *

Oh, a long spell in goal wouldn’t do us any harm.

* 6 *

Oh, a nice watch below wouldn’t do us any harm.

* 7 *

Oh, a night with the gals wouldn’t do us any harm.

Related to this sea shanty

Drunken Sailor (A)

Donkey Riding

Timber Drogher’s Shanty

Roll The Woodpile Down – Shore Song

Interesting Facts about Timber Drogher’s Shanty

Timber Drogher’s Shanty was one of the most unclear cases for me to investigate, this piece of musical notation and text Stan Hugill gives us this description: “Whall gives a short variant of this shanty with a different tune. He calls his version a “timber drogher’s shanty” (by “this shanty” Stan Hugill means “Highland Laddie” or “Donkey Riding”).
So I did go to my shelf where I have a copy of W. B. Whall’s “Ships. Sea Songs and Shanties, unfortunately, searched page by page and did not find this song, my copy is a 3rd edition from 1913. What’s going on then? Maybe Stan Hugill gives the wrong reference? Doing research I found in the description only one existing record of this song by Gibb Shreffler, who wrote in the description of his performance, that he saw this song in the 4th edition of Walls book, so my track directs me to buy a higher edition than mine. Fortunately, I have been lucky to buy the 6th edition of Walls book from 1927, and eventually, I Found It! On page 115 I found this:

"Timber droghers would sing-

Was you ever in Quebec,
a launchin' timber on the deck?
Because she  was a young thing,
lately left her mammy O!

…end of the story.
To be honest, I didn’t find what I hope, means in the whole song two or three full stanzas, I found the same piece that prints Stan Hugill. Of course, now I know for sure there is not more than we can find in “Shanties from the Seven Seas”, in fact, W. B. Whall’s 6th edition really contains more content than the 3rd edition, so is a win-win anyway.

The source of this sea shanty

The music: “Shanties from the Seven Seas” by Stan Hugill (1st ed p 150).

The lyrics: “Shanties from the Seven Seas” by Stan Hugill (1st ed p 150).

The Record of the Timber Drogher’s Shanty

The musical notation

The full lyrics

Timber Drogher’s Shanty

Was you ever in Quebec,
a launchin’ timber on the deck?
Because she was a young thing,
lately left her mammy O!

Related to this song

The Powder Monkey – Shore Sea-Song

The Wild Miz-Zou-Rye (Alan Lomax) -River Song

My Bonnie Highland Lassie-O

Go odbye Fare-ye-well (B)

Interesting Facts about the My Bonnie Highland Lassie-O

My Bonnie Highland Lassie-O is the capstan shanty related to “The Powder Monkey” shore sea song, and “Donkey Riding”. “My Bonnie Highland Lassie-O” is a song used both for anchor work and for hauling logs through the timber ports of the droghers. This version Stan Hugill learned from his friend Seamus Ennis of the B.B.C. Folk-Song team. Seamus Ennis collected it in Ireland, from the McDonagh family, Feanish Island, Carna, Country Galway.

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 149).

The lyrics: “Shanties from the Seven Seas” by Stan Hugill (1st ed p 149, 150).

The Record of the My Bonnie Highland Lassie-O

My Bonnie Highland Lassie - O - Capstan Shanty

The musical notation

The full lyrics

My Bonnie Highland Lassie-O

Were you ever in Roundstone Town?
– Bonnie lassie, highland lassie!
Were you ever in Roundstone Town?
– My bonnie highland lassie-0?
I was often in Roundstone Town,
Drinking milk and eating flour,
– Altough I am a young maid,
– That lately left my mammy-O!

* 2 *

Were you ever in Galway Bay?
– Bonnie lassie, highland lassie!
Were you ever in Galway Bay,
– My bonnie highland lassie-0?
I was often in Galway Bay,
Drinking coffe and bohay,
– Altough I am a young maid,
– That lately left my mammy-O!

* 3 *

Were you ever in Quebec?
– Bonnie lassie, highland lassie!
Were you ever in Quebec?
– My bonnie highland lassie-0?
I was often in Quebec,
Throwing timber up on deck,
– Altough I am a young maid,
– That lately left my mammy-O!

* 4 *

Are you fit to sweep the floor?
– Bonnie lassie, highland lassie!
Are you fit to sweep the floor?
– My bonnie highland lassie-0?
I am fit to sweep the floor,
As the lock is for the door,
– Altough I am a young maid,
– That lately left my mammy-O!

Related to this sea shanty