William Boultbee Whall Archives - Traditional Sea Shanties

Jamboree (Whall)

November 11, 2023November 11, 2023 by Jerzy Brzezinski

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.

Related to this sea shanty

Et Nous Irons a Valparaiso (French)

Heave Away Me Johnnies A

Heave Away Me Johnnies C

Ooker John

March 17, 2023November 24, 2022 by Jerzy Brzezinski

Interesting Facts about the Ooker John

“Ooker John” is the shanty mentioned by Stan Hugill in his biggest book, when he describes the shanty with the title “Hooker John”. A couple of issues that this shanty has are that fact is, that was never directly told for what work was used this shanty for, however, was mentioned is similar to other capstan shanties, so by this and by the construction of verse and chorus with good probability we can say it is capstan shanty.
Another issue is that Captain Whall in his book “Sea Songs Ships & Shanties” (4th enlarged edition 1913 page 101), which Stan Hugill refers to, doesn’t even give to us the title of this song, so actually, the title comes from Stan Hugill. Harding Barbadian tells to Stan Hugill, it was still popular in the West Indies (1931). It probably originated as a cotton Stower’s song.

The source of this sea shanty

The lyrics: “Sea Songs Ships & Shanties” by W. B. Whall (4th enlarged edition 1913 page 101).
The lyrics: “Sea Songs Ships & Shanties” by W. B. Whall (4th enlarged edition 1913 page 101).
Mentioned in: “Shanties from the Seven Seas” by Stan Hugill (1st ed p 290).

The Record of the Ooker John

The musical notation

The full lyrics

Ooker John

O my Mary she’s a blooming lass,
– To my Ooker John, my Oo-John,
O my Mary she’s a blooming lass,
– To my Ooker John, my Oo-John,

– Way, fair lady, O way-ay-ay-ay-ay,
– My Mary’s on the highland,
– O yonder’s Mary–yonder….

Related to this sea shanty

O Johnny Come To Hilo – Cecil Sharp

The Hawks-Eye Man (Bolton)

O Whos Been Here – Cecil Sharp

Blow Ye Winds in the Morning

December 27, 2023May 2, 2022 by Jerzy Brzezinski

Interesting Facts about the Blow Ye Winds in the Morning

Blow Ye Winds in the Morning, This song mentioned by Stan Hugill – “Shanties from the Seven Seas” (1961) on page 220, comes from W. B. Whall – “Ships, Sea Songs and Shanties” (1913, 3rd edition). As W. B. Whall mentioned in his book: “This was a song of the midshipman’s berth rather than the forecastle… “. In Captain Whall’s book, we can find four stanzas for this song, and also commented, that other (that Captain Whall omitted), stanzas we can find in the ballad of Percy’s Reliques, “The Baffled Knight,” which this song is based on.
This song will be reconstructed as the Forebitter, which I think does not have a big difference from the musical point of view of a midshipman’s berth.

The song will be reconstructed by myself as the forebitter

The source of this sea shanty

The music: “Sea Songs Ships & Shanties” by W. B. Whall (4th extended edition 1913).

The lyrics: “Sea Songs Ships & Shanties” by W. B. Whall (4th extended edition 1913).

Mentioned in: “Shanties from the Seven Seas” by Stan Hugill (1st ed p 220).

The Record of the Blow Ye Winds in the Morning

Blow Ye Winds, in the Morning - Forebitter

The musical notation

The full lyrics

Blow Ye Winds, in the Morning

As I walked out one sunny morn to view the meadows round,
I spied a preatty primose lass come tripping o’er the ground,

– Singing blow, ye winds, in the morning,
– Blow, ye winds, Hi! Ho!
– Brush away the morning dew,
– Blow, ye winds, Hi! Ho!

* 2 *

I saddled me an Arab steed and saddled her another,
And off we rode together just like sister and like brother.

* 3 *

We rode along untill we came to a field of new-mown hay,
Says she, “Young man this pis the place for men and maid to play.”

* 4 *

I took her from her Arab steed and gently laid her down,
Says she, “Young man, oh pray take care, you’ll spoil my new silk gown.”

Related to this Forebitter

Oh Susanna

Susannavisan (Stan Hugill Translation)

Roll Alabama Roll! – Forebitter

The Fishes – W. B. Whall

December 23, 2023April 26, 2022 by Jerzy Brzezinski

Interesting Facts about The Fishes – W. B Whall

Here are The Fishes – W B Whall, forebitter version of the great shanty, sang usually at the capstan and at the pumps “The Fishes”. This version mentioned by Stan Hugill belonging to the W. B. Whall, and comes from his book “Sea Songs Ships & Shanties” (4th extended edition 1913). According to Captain Whall:
…”this song, probably owed much of its popularity to the good chorus. This song has a good opportunity for the improviser. Even if he got off the beaten track it did not matter much, as any verse gave an opportunity for the chorus. Out
of many such I remember hearing:
—
” The next came the conger as long as a mile,
He gave a broad grin and continued to smile.”
—
Sometimes the improviser broke down, but the chorus promptly chipped in and saved the situation.
According to Stan Hugill, the version of W. B. Whall appears to have been used as a forebitter rather than as a shanty, and in this way, I will reconstruct it.

The song will be reconstructed by myself as the forebitter.

The source of this sea shanty

The music: “Shanties from the Seven Seas” by Stan Hugill (1st ed p 198).

The lyrics: “Sea Songs Ships & Shanties” by William Boultbee Whall (4th extended edition 1913).

Mentioned in: “Shanties from the Seven Seas” by Stan Hugill (1st ed p 197,198).

The Record of The Fishes – W. B Whall

The musical notation

The full lyrics

The Fishes (Whall)

Oh, a ship she was rigg’d, and ready for sea,
And all of her sailors were fishes to be

– Windy weather! Stormy weather!
– When the wind blows we’re all together.

* 2 *

O, the first came the herring, the king of the sea,
He jumped on the poop, “I’ll be captain,” said he.

* 3 *

The next was a flat-fish, they call him the skate,
“If you be the captain, why sure, I’m the mate.”

* 4 *

The next came the hake, as black as a rook,
Says he, “I’m no sailor, I’ll ship as the cook.”

* 5 *

The next came the shark, with his two rows of teeth,
“Cook, mind the cabbage and I’ll mind the beef.”

* 6 *

And then came the codfish, with his chuckle-head,
He jumped in the chains: began heaving the lead.

* 7 *

The next came the flounder, as flat as the ground,
“Chuckle-head, damn your eyes, mind how you sound.”

* 8 *

The next comes the mack’rel, with his stri-ped back,
He jumped to the waist for to board the main tack.

* 9 *

And then came the sprat, the smallest of all,
He jumped on the poop, and cried, “main topsail haul.”

Related to this Forebitter

Roll Alabama Roll! – Forebitter

Rolling Home – W. B. Whall

The Limejuice Ship (Long Chorus)

Rolling Home – W. B. Whall

December 21, 2023April 24, 2022 by Jerzy Brzezinski

Interesting Facts about The Rolling Home – W. B. Whall

Rolling Home – W. B. Whall, this time the forebitter version of the “Rolling Home”, this manner this forebitter has been sung. The version mentioned by Stan Hugill comes from Sea “Songs and Shanties” – Collected by W. B. Whall (1927), which is the sixth edition of this book. For more curious shanty lovers is worth noting that I have owned the second edition of the mentioned book, and by comparing I can say both descriptions and text are identical. Here is what Capitan Whall wrote about Rolling Home – W. B. Whall:
“There are numerous versions both on words and music: I have one such in an American book of sea songs dated 1876; Mr. Mansfield gives another version in his “Garland”; two other versions appeared some time back in the “Shipping Gazette”, and I have still another. I have legitimately, I think — chosen from all these the lines common to all, and for the rest have taken those that seemed to be the best. The tune I give–out of several variants–is the one familiar to me, though, as I have said, there are others”.

The song will be reconstructed by myself as the forebitter.

The source of this sea shanty

The music: “Songs and Shanties” Collected by William Boultbee Whall (1927) 6th edition.

The lyrics: “Songs and Shanties” Collected by William Boultbee Whall (1927) 6th edition.

Mentioned in: “Shanties from the Seven Seas” by Stan Hugill (1st ed p 187).

The Record of the Rolling Home – W. B. Whall

The musical notation

The full lyrics

Rolling Home (W. B. Whall)

Call all hands to man the capstan,
See the cable run down clear,
Heave away, and with the will, boys,
For old England, we will steer,

And We’ll sing in joyful chorus,
In the watches of the night,
And we,ll sight the shores of England,
When the grey dawn breaks the light.

– Rol-ling home, rolling home
– Rol–ling home across the sea,
– Rolling home to dear Old England,
– Rolling home, dear land, to thee.

* 2 *

Up aloft amid the rigging,
Blows the loud exulting gale;
Like a bird’s wide out-stretched pinions
Spreads on high each swelling sail;

And the wild waves cleft behind us,
Seem to murmur as they flow
There are loving hearts that wait you
In the land to which you go.

* 3 *

Many thousand miles behind us,
Many thousand miles before,
Ancient ocean heave to waft us
To the well-remembered shore.

Cheer up, Jack, bright smiles await you
From the fairest of the fair,
And her loving eyes will greet you
With kind welcomes everywhere.

Related to this Forebitter

The Limejuice Ship (Short Chorus)

Oh Susanna

Susannavisan (Stan Hugill Translation)