Interesting Facts about the Jamboree (Whall)
“Jamboree (Whall)” is the capstan shanty. In the time when Stan Hugill wrote his book, swear words or “bawdy words” was not acceptable for print, so in any case “words” has to be camouflaged. As we know from his book, this song was very difficult to camouflage. According to the “last leaving shantymen” this song also breaks another theory that shanties contain unprintable words only in solos, here the final and noisiest line of the chorus is unprintable! This version Stan Hugill called: this “The London Version”, and gave the comment that is much the same as Whall’s, in fact, Whallalso in his book calls it the “London Version”. So probably to unify this case I will use Whall’s version and music, due to the Hugill giving us only text which is almost identical. The music is original from Whall.
The song will be reconstructed by myself as the capstan shanty.
The source of this sea shanty
The music: “Sea Songs Ships & Shanties” by William Boultbee Whall (6th extended edition 1927).
The lyrics: “Sea Songs Ships & Shanties” by William Boultbee Whall (6th extended edition 1927).
Mentioned in: “Shanties from the Seven Seas” by Stan Hugill (1st ed p 383).
The Record of the Jamboree (Whall)
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
Jamboree (Whall)
The pilot he looks out ahead,
O a hand in the chains, O a heaving of the lead!
The union Jack at our masthead,
– O I wonder if my clothes are out of pawn!
– Oh, Jamboree, Oh Jamboree,
– O its get away, you black man, don’t you come a-night me!
– Oh, Jamboree, Oh Jamboree,
– O I wonder if my clothes are out of pawn!
* 2 *
O it’s now we’re past o’ the Lizard lights,
The Start, boys, next will have in sight;
We’ll soon be abreast of the Isle of Wight;
O I wonder if my clothes are o’ pawn.
* 3 *
O when we get to the Blackwall docks,
The pretty young girls come down in flocks,
Some in their petticoats and some in frocks;
O I wonder if my clothes are o’ pawn.