Shanties from the seven seas Archives - Page 31 of 42

Roll The Cotton Down (B)

December 15, 2023April 3, 2022 by Jerzy Brzezinski

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)

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 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)

Stormalong Lads Stormy

De Runer Von Hamborg

Roll The Cotton Down (A)

December 15, 2023April 3, 2022 by Jerzy Brzezinski

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)

Stormalong Lads Stormy

De Runer Von Hamborg

Roll The Old Chariot (Stamp-n-go)

December 15, 2023April 3, 2022 by Jerzy Brzezinski

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

December 15, 2023April 3, 2022 by Jerzy Brzezinski

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

Roll The Woodpile Down – Shore Song

The Powder Monkey – Shore Sea-Song

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

My Bonnie Highland Lassie-O

December 15, 2023April 3, 2022 by Jerzy Brzezinski

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

Go odbye Fare-ye-well (B)

Stormalong Lads Stormy

California

The Powder Monkey – Shore Sea-Song

December 15, 2023April 3, 2022 by Jerzy Brzezinski

Interesting Facts about The Powder Monkey

Stan Hugill in his book gives us only a chorus of The Powder Monkey, it seems to be based on “Donkey Ridding” shanty, he didn’t remember the source or composer, of this ditty, the song according to the description from Stan Hugill point this song in time around the 50s of nineteen century.

Unfortunately in “Shanties from the Seven Seas” we can find the only chorus, so I took the first stanza from this beautiful shore song from Michael Watson, The Powder-Monkey (An Old Salt’s Story) – 50th edition (London: Patey & Willis, [n.d.]), and I add to this first verse-chorus from Stan Hugill. It was also done a bit of musical work because in the book the song was in G note, so I had to transpose it down to F note, to match the chorus from Stan Hugill. Also worth noting is that stanzas 2 and 3 are not confirmed. This is the first song from “Shanties from the Seven Seas” which is not shanty or forebitter, as Stan Hugill mentions it is a “shore sea-song”.

The song will be reconstructed by myself as the “shore sea-song”.

The source of this sea shanty

The music: “The Powder-Monkey (An Old Salt’s Story) – 50th edition” by Michael Watson (1885).

The lyrics: “The Powder-Monkey (An Old Salt’s Story) – 50th edition” by Michael Watson (1885).

Mentioned in: “Shanties from the Seven Seas” by Stan Hugill (1st ed p 148).

The Record of The Powder Monkey

The musical notation

the-powder-monkey-shore-sea-song music notation 1

The full lyrics

The Powder Monkey

A yarn I’ve got to spin as how Ive heard my old dad tell,
Of a gallant little hero who aboard the vict’ ry fell,
He was brimming full o’ courage, an’ was just the sort of lad,
To make the sort o’ sailor that our Navy’s always had.
As powder monkey, little Jim was pet o’ all the crew,
with his flaxen hair so curly, an’ his pretty eyes o’ blue;
An’ the bo’s’un always said as how that what got over him,
Was the chorus of a sailor’s song as sung by little Jim.

– Soon we’ll be in London Town, sing, my lad, yo ho o!
– and see the king in a golden crown, sing, my lads, yo, ho!
– Heave ho! on we go, sing, my lads, yo, ho!
– And Who’s a-feared to meet the foe? sing, my lads, yo, ho!

* 2 *

In ninety-eight we chased the foe right into ” Bourky Bay,”
And we fought away like (nigger) slavers’s, all the night till break of day,
The foeman’s flag ship “Orient,” was blowed away sky-high,
With the Admiral an’ all his crew an sare em right says I.
Now little Jim was in the thick of fall the fire and smoke
And he seemed to think that fighting hard was nothing but a joke,
For he handed up the powder from the maghzines below,
And all the while a singing, as if his pluck to show.

* 3 *

But little Jim was booked as the fight was just on won,
A musket bullet pick’d him off, afore his song was done,
They took him to the cock-pit, where a smiling he did lie,
And the sailors—Well, there warn’t a man but somehow piped his eye,
Says Jim, “my lad, don’t fret for me, but if the shore ye see,
Give a kiss to dear old mother, and say it comes from me,
And there never was a braver heart, that served our gracious Queen.
When the little powder monkey, who so gallantly used to sing.

Related to this song

Roll The Woodpile Down – Shore Song

Timber Drogher’s Shanty

Hieland Laddie (B) – stevedores chant

Donkey Riding (Stamp-n-go)

December 15, 2023April 3, 2022 by Jerzy Brzezinski

Interesting Facts about the Donkey Riding

Donkey Riding song is similar to “Hieland Laddie” and the almost identical tune is that known as “Donkey Riding”. This song was also very popular among the timber droghers both in Liverpool and Canadian ports, and by sailors was used as a capstan or “stamp-n-go” shanty when working with cargo. This version Stan Hugill took from his old shipmate called Spike Sennit, who said it was just as popular at sea as in port.

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 147).

The lyrics: “Shanties from the Seven Seas” by Stan Hugill (1st ed p 147, 148).

The Record of the Donkey Riding

My reconstruction will imitate “stamp-n-go” shanty.

The musical notation

The full lyrics

Donkey Riding

Wuz ye ever in Quebec,
Launchin’ timber on the deck,
Where ye’d break yer bleed-in neck,
– Riding on a donkey?

– Way, hay an’ away we go!
– Donkey riding, donkey riding!
– Way, hay an’ away we go!
– Oh riding on a donkey?

* 2 *

Wuz ye ever in Timbucktoo,
Where the gals are black an’ blue,
An’ they waggle their bustles too,
– Riding…

* 3 *

Wuz ye ever in Vallipo,
Where the gals put on a show,
Waggle an’ dance with a roll ‘n’ go?
Riding…

* 4 *

Wuz ye ever down Mobile Bay,
Screwin’ cotton all the day,
A dollar a day is a white man’s pay?
Riding…

* 5 *

Wuz ye ever in Canton,
Where the men wear pigtails long,
And the gals play hong-ki-kong?
Riding…

* 6 *

Wuz you ever in London town,
Where the gals they do come down,
See the king in a golden crown?
Riding…

* 7 *

Wuz ye ever in Miramashee,
Where ye tie up to a tree,
An’ the skeeters do bite we?
Riding…

* 8 *

Wuz ye ever on the Broomielaw,
Where the Yanks are all the go,
An’ the boys dance hell an’ toe?
Riding…

* 9 *

Wuz ye ever down ‘Frisco Bay,
Where the gals all shoun, hooray,
Here comes Johnny with his three years’ pay!
Riding…

* 10 *

Wuz ye ever off Cape Horn,
Where the weather’s niver warm,
When ye wish to hell ye’d niver bin born?
Riding…

Related to this sea shanty

Drunken Sailor (B)

Roll The Old Chariot

Hieland Laddie (B) – stevedores chant

December 15, 2023April 3, 2022 by Jerzy Brzezinski

Interesting Facts about the Hieland Laddie (B) – stevedores chant

One of the most famous “stamp-‘n’-go shanty. The “Hieland Laddie” comes from the old Scottish march and dance tune.
This song Hieland Laddie (B), with these particular lyrics, was sung in two versions, first, is the version sung with the full chorus that was used by timber drogher’s crews at the capstan when loading cargo, heaving in and out, in the timber ports of Canada, and nor’- east America. The second version without a grand chorus was used in halyards or, at the ‘screws’ used to roam tight bales of cotton down the holds of the Cotton Traders. the ‘screwing’ the cotton job was extensively described by Nordhoff, and He was actually the oldest source who gave this text, to us.

The song will be reconstructed by myself as the stevedores’ chant.

The source of this chant

The music: “Shanties from the Seven Seas” by Stan Hugill (1st ed p 143).

The lyrics: “Shanties from the Seven Seas” by Stan Hugill (1st ed p 145).

The Record of the Hieland Laddie (B)

The Version of my reconstruction will be ‘screw’ the cotton song, which is actually not ‘Shanty’ only ‘chant’ – this is how Nordhoff described songs of cotton stevedores. This is one of the great examples, of why not every ‘work song’ is called ‘shanty’.

The full lyrics

Hieland Laddie (B)

Wuz ye ever in Quebec,
– Hieland laddie! Bonnie laddie!
Launching timber on the deck?,
– Me Bonnie Hieland laddie O!

– Way, hay an’ away we go!
– Hieland laddie, bonnie ladie!
– Way, hay, heels an’ toes, me bonnie Hieland laddie O!

* 2 *

Wuz ye ever in Mobile Bay,
Screwin’ cotton on a summer’s day?

* 3 *

Wuz ye ever off Cape Horn,
Where the weather’s niver warm?

* 4 *

Wuz ye ever in Mirramashee,
Where ye tie up to a tree?

* 5 *

Wuz ye ever in London town,
Where them gals they do come down?

* 6 *

Wuz ye ever in Bombay,
Drinkin’ coffe an’ bohay?

* 7 *

Wuz ye ever in Vallipo,
Where the gals put up a show?

* 8 *

Wuz ye ever in ‘Frisco Bay,
Where the gals all shout ‘Hooray’?

Related to this song

Roll The Woodpile Down – Shore Song

The Powder Monkey – Shore Sea-Song

Timber Drogher’s Shanty

Hieland Laddie (A)

December 15, 2023March 31, 2022 by Jerzy Brzezinski

Interesting Facts about the Hieland Laddie (A)

Here the one of the most famous “stamp-‘n’-go shanty Hieland Laddie (A). The “Hieland Laddie” comes from the old Scottish march and a dance tune, very popular as walkaway and capstan shanty in old Dundee whalers. In the Ferris & Tozer collection appears as a halyard shanty (in this case of course without a grand chorus). Stan Hugill learned this version from Bosun Chenoworth who had sailed for years in the hard-bitten whaling ships of Dundee. Song with this amount of verses is obvious capstan shanty, to use as walk away it sings in unison, and is used in about half of the stanzas.

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 143).

The lyrics: “Shanties from the Seven Seas” by Stan Hugill (1st ed p 143,144).

The Record of the Hieland Laddie (A)

The musical notation

The full lyrics

Hieland Laddie (A)

There wuz a laddie came from Scotland,
– Hie-land laddie! Bonnie laddie!
Bonnie ladie from far Scotland,
– Me Bonnie Hie-land laddie O!

– Way, hay an’ away we go!
– Hie-land laddie, bonnie ladie!
– Way, hay, an’ away we go!
– Me bonnie Hie-land laddie O!

* 2 *

Where have ye been all the day?
Where have ye been all the day?

* 3 *

I did not see ye doon the glen,
I did not see ye near the burn,

* 4 *

‘Nay, I wuz no doon the glen,
Nay I wuz no near the burn.

* 5 *

But I went to seek a road to fortune,
Thought I’d find a road to fortune.

* 6 *

I joined a ship an’ went a-sailin’,
Sailed far north an’ went a-whalin’.

* 7 *

Shipped far north on a Dundee whaler,
Shipped far north as a whalin’ sailor.

* 8 *

Bound away to Iceland cold,
Found much ice but not much gold.

* 9 *

Greenland is a cold country,
Not the place for you and me.

* 10 *

Thought it was a way to fortune,
But whalin’s not the road to fortune.

* 11 *

Wist meself in Bonnie Scotland,
Back agen in Bonnie Scotland.

* 12 *

We caught some whales an’ boiled their blubber,
Oil an’ fat chocked every scupper,

* 13 *

We’ll soon be homeward bound to Scotland,
Homeward bound to Bonnie Scotland.

* 14 *

I’ll be glad when I get hame,
I’ll give up this whalin’ game.

* 15 *

Oh, Hieland Laddie went a-sailin’,
Oh, Hieland Laddie went a-whalin’,

Related to this sea shanty

Bound for the Rio Grande (Cecil Sharp Version)

Rio Grande (B)

A Long Time Ago (C)

The Gals O’ Dublin Town (B)

December 15, 2023March 31, 2022 by Jerzy Brzezinski

Interesting Facts about The Gals O’ Dublin Town (B)

The Gals O’ Dublin Town (B) is an old Capstan song with other titles: “Harp without the Crown” or “The Shenandoah”. Miss Joanna Colcord gives it shanty to us as a forebitter. She also said it; was sung by sailors to a tune almost the same; as that of “The Banks of Newf’n’land”.
The “Harp without the Crown” is a phrase hearkening back to rebellious times in Ould Ireland. According to Miss Colcord, Captain Jim Murphy of the “Shenandoah”, in actual fact, flew the Irish flag beneath the American one aboard his ship.
Stan Hugill gives us as a capstan shanty, but because they are two versions, one I will recreate as forebitter and another as capstan shanty. Both versions come from Stan Hugill’s shipmate Paddy Delaney (ex-blackball line sailor).

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 141). I try to recreate this song from hearted Stan Hugill’s version from the album “Chants des Marins Anglais” (1992).

The lyrics: “Shanties from the Seven Seas” by Stan Hugill (1st ed p 141,142).

The Record of The Gals O’ Dublin Town (B)

The full lyrics

The Gals O’ Dublin Town (B)

Sometimes we’re bound for Liverpool; sometimes we’re bound for France,
But now we’re bound to Dublin Town to give the gals a chance.
– Hurrah! Hurrah! for the gals o’ Dub-a-lin Town,
– Hurrah for the bonnie green flag an’ the Harp without the Crown!

* 2 *

Sometimes we’re bound for furrin’ parts, sometimes we’re bound for home,
A Johnny’s always at his best whenever he may roam.

* 3 *

Sometimes the weather’s fine an’ fair, sometimes it’s darn well foul,
Sometimes it blows a Cape ‘Orn gale that freezes up yer soul.

* 4 *

Sometimes we work as hard as hell, sometimes our grub it stinks,
Enough to make a sojer curse, or make a bishop blink.

* 5 *

Sometimes we wisht we’d niver jined, sometimes we’d like to be
A-drinkin’ in a pub, me bhoys, a gal sat on each knee.

* 6 *

Sometimes we are a happy crowd, sometimes we’ll sing a song,
Sometimes we wish we’d niver bin born, but we do not grouse for long.

* 7 *

An’ when the voyage is all done, an’ we go away on shore,
We’ll spend our money on the gals, ‘n’ go to sea for more!

Related to this sea shanty

Bound for the Rio Grande (Cecil Sharp Version)

Rio Grande (B)

A Long Time Ago (C)