Shanties from the seven seas

Halina Stefanowska – Rozspiewane Morze (1975)

Description of Halina Stefanowska – Rozspiewane Morze (1975)

Halina Stefanowska – Rozspiewane Morza (1975), is one of three Polish-language books about sea shanties (another two: Along with the book “Szanty I Szantymeni” – Marek Szurawski and “Songs from under the sails” – Jerzy Wadowski). However, sea shanties are not the main topic of this book. Also, I discovered that only the first 66 pages contain shanties with their descriptions.

As mentioned previously the first chapter “Boys, Ahoj”, contains a set of sea shanties, is very interesting, and has a lot of important information about shanties. It is worth mentioning, that the shanties in this chapter are also translated into Polish.

I also found that this book is big, it contains almost 400 pages. Most of the time, the book keeps a patriotic tone, starting with the description of the maritime school in Tczew, through the often dramatic circumstances of the creation of certain sea songs (written during World War II and the post-war period). I Halina Stefanowska’s songs also have chords for guitar. To finish my review, I can confirm, that this book is a really great source of knowledge about sea shanties and Polish sea songs.

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 Rozspiewane Morze (1975)

Additional Stan Hugill’s books Sailortown (1967), Sea Shanties (1977), Shanties and Sailor’ Songs (1969).

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

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

It is a great joy to present to all of you this amazing book. When I saw it in the online store, I thought it was a sea shanty book. Also, I thought this book contained a collection of shanties and songs of the sea. I knew that Miss Smith was great in the field of shanties books.

You can’t even imagine my surprise when I discovered, that the Sea Songs and Ballads 1917 – 1922 do not contain any notes and are a collection of poetry. However, this poetry surprised me even more, reading this book. At the time when I read this book, I felt like a person who gets to know the marine world. The realism of this poetry related to a certain period when sailing ships were undoubtedly still at sea.
The introduction on the inside cover says:
Miss C.Fox Smith is the ‘C.F.S’ whose initials are so well known to the readers of Punch where many of these delightful salt-water poems first appeared. Miss Fox Smith’s knowledge of ships and of those that go down to the sea in them is so remarkable as to be almost clairvoyant, and with that understanding goes a mastery of rhythm and melody.
I confirm that this book is a great source of authentic seafaring poetry of the golden age of the sails. some poems can boldly be used as lyrics; coded songs about the sea, in an authentic atmosphere at the beginning of the 20th century.

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

Additional Stan Hugill’s books Shanties and Sailor’ Songs (1969), Sea Shanties (1977), Songs Of The Sea (1977).

Bjorn Landstrom – The Ship (1961)

Description of the Bjorn Landstrom – The Ship (1961)

The book that I want to present to you is a very special book by Bjorn Landstrom – The Ship (1961). It can be very useful for all who are passionate about Shanties. This book has been recommended to me by an expert on maritime and shanties, my friend Simon Spalding. This book is for someone who wants to not only listen to songs but also want to understand the shanties. The nautical dictionary, the construction of sailing ships, and the names of individual elements about which shantymen sing. A flagship example may be, for example, an attempt to understand what the word “halyard” means.

The knowledge necessary to answer this question is: what is a “yard”? Knowing that some yards were movable (and why they were movable), and how they were raised and lowered.
This book brings us significantly closer to the answers to these questions. It is not book very detailed, but about the history of our planet’s watercraft, from prehistoric times to the present. It tells about Egyptian ships, Vikings, Galleys, Tall Ships, Warships, etc. This book describes the influence of sails, on the amazing history of the development of the seas and oceans.
About the graphics: the book is beautifully illustrated with over 700 color illustrations, long out of print, but you can buy it in virtual stores for really little money.

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 Bjorn Landstrom – The Ship (1961)

Additional Stan Hugill’s books Shanties and Sailor’ Songs (1969), Sea Shanties (1977), Songs Of The Sea (1977).

Jim Mageean – Heave Away (2020)

Jim Mageean – Heave Away (2020) – A Collection of Hauling Shanties

After spending more than 50 years gathering all the information on maritime songs. Particularly the shanties or work songs used by sailors. He finally decided to share some of what he learned. This book is a great gift to the other lovers of these songs in the Jim Mageean – Haul Away (2020).
Jim Mageen sang with all the greatest shanty singers of our world, through his old friend Stan Hugill and others such as Louis Killen, Johnny Collins, Pat Sheridan, Marek Szurawski; and many more that cannot be listed. Also, he is one of not too many shantymen left who sing and learn, traditional as it is, shanties and forebitters.
Jim Mageean – Heave Away (2020), the collection includes 26 very special favored Jim songs (this time are Heaving Shanties). Some of them were published and recorded for the first time. Every song contains a description with essential information about work that needs to be done when using a particular shanty. You can sing shanty smartly, knowing in your imagination when you have to haul the rope or push the bar. And the last thing that I can tell before I read the book though, is that book contains CD with all songs from the book.

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 Jim Mageean – Heave Away (2020)

Additional Stan Hugill’s books Jim Mageean – Haul Away (2020), Sea Shanties (1977), Songs Of The Sea (1977).

Jim Mageean – Haul Away (2020)

Jim Mageean – Haul Away (2020) – A Collection of Hauling Shanties.

After spending more than 50 years gathering all the information on maritime songs. Particularly the shanties or work songs used by sailors. He finally decided to share some of what he learned. This book is a great gift to the other lovers of these songs in the Jim Mageean – Haul Away (2020).
Jim Mageen sang with all the greatest shanty singers of our world, through his old friend Stan Hugill and others such as Louis Killen, Johnny Collins, Pat Sheridan, Marek Szurawski; and many more that cannot be listed. Also, he is one of not too many shantymen left who sing and learn, traditional as it is, shanties and forebitters.
The collection includes 34 very special favored Jim songs, some of them published and recorded for the first time. Every song contains a description with essential information about work that needs to be done when using a particular shanty. Therefore you can sing shanty smartly. Knowing in your imagination when you have to haul the rope or push the bar. And the last thing that I can tell, is that the book contains a CD with all the songs from the book.

Do you want to be more involved?

You will 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 this book

Additional Stan Hugill’s books Shanties and Sailor’ Songs (1969), Sea Shanties (1977), Songs Of The Sea (1977).

Roll The Cotton Down (F)

Interesting Facts about Roll The Cotton Down (F)

Here halyard version of the shanty “Roll the cotton down”, Roll The Cotton Down (F) 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 an “A Long Time Ago” version theme version. The book example suggests using more verses from “Blow the Man Down” shanty, I add 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 156 ).

The Record of the Roll The Cotton Down (F)

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

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.

Roll The Cotton Down ( F ) - Halyard Shanty

The full lyrics

Roll The Cotton Down (F)

Oh, a long, long time an’ a very long time,
– Roll the cotton down!
Oh, a long, long time an’ a very long time,
– We’ll roll the cotton down!

* 2 *

Oh, there ships they lay in Frisco Bay,
There ships they lay in Frisco Bay,

* 3 *

An’ the smartest o’ these was an ol’ Yankie,
An’ the smartest o’ these was an ol’ Yankie,

* 4 *

These smart Yankee packets lay out in the Bay,
All a-waiting a fair wind to get under way,

* 5 *

With all their poor sailors so weak an’ so sad,
They’d drunk all their limejuice, no more could be had.

* 6 *

With all their poor sailors so sick an’ so sore,
They’d scoffed all their whack an’ they couldn’t get more.

* 7 *

Oh, I sailed out of ‘Frisco in a full rigged ship,
I sailed out o’ ‘Frisco in a full-rigged ship.

* 8 *

Her masts wuz of silver an’ her yards wuz of gold,
Her masts wuz of silver an’ her yards wuz of gold.

* 9 *

We wuz bound for New York with a cargo o’ gold,
Bound south ’round the Horn through the ice an’ the cold.

* 10 *

In eighteen hundred and ninety-four,
We shipped in a drogher bound for Singapore.

Related to this shanty

As-Tu-Connu Le Per’ Lanc’lot

Stormalong Lads Stormy

De Runer Von Hamborg

Roll The Cotton Down (E)

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 ).

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.

Roll The Cotton Down ( E ) - Halyard Shanty

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

As-Tu-Connu Le Per’ Lanc’lot

Stormalong Lads Stormy

De Runer Von Hamborg

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 ).

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.

Roll The Cotton Down ( D ) - Halyard Shanty

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

As-Tu-Connu Le Per’ Lanc’lot

Stormalong Lads Stormy

De Runer Von Hamborg

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

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.

Roll The Cotton Down ( C ) - Halyard Shanty

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

As-Tu-Connu Le Per’ Lanc’lot

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De Runer Von Hamborg

Roll The Cotton Down (C) – Capstan Version

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

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.

Roll The Cotton Down ( C ) - Capstan Shanty

The musical notation

roll-the-cotton-down-c music 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

Goodbye Fare-ye-well (B)

Stormalong Lads Stormy

California