⚓ Hauling Shanties
1. Drunken Sailor
What shall we do with a drunken sailor, What shall we do with a drunken sailor, What shall we do with a drunken sailor, Early in the morning?
(Way hay and up she rises, Way hay and up she rises, Way hay and up she rises, Early in the morning!)
Put him in the long-boat till he’s sober… Pull out the plug and wet him all over… Put him in the scuppers with a hose-pipe on him… Shave his belly with a rusty razor… Heave him by the leg in a running bowline… That’s what we’ll do with the drunken sailor!
(Each verse repeats its first line three times, then “Early in the morning,” followed by the chorus.)
2. Blow the Man Down
As I was a-walking down Paradise Street, (To me way, hey, blow the man down!) A pretty young damsel I chanced for to meet, (Give me some time to blow the man down!)
She was round in the counter and bluff in the bow, So I took in all sail and cried “Way enough now.”
I hailed her in English, she answered me clear, “I’m from the Black Arrow bound to the Shakespeare.”
So I tailed her my flipper and took her in tow, And yard-arm to yard-arm away we did go.
Chorus: Blow the man down, bullies, blow the man down, (To me way, hey, blow the man down!) Blow the man down, bullies, blow him right down, (Give me some time to blow the man down!)
3. Haul Away, Joe
When I was a little lad, or so me mother told me, (Way, haul away, we’ll haul away, Joe!) That if I did not kiss the girls me lips would grow all mouldy, (Way, haul away, we’ll haul away, Joe!)
King Louis was the King of France before the revolution, But then he got his head cut off, it spoiled his constitution.
Once I had a German girl, but she was fat and lazy, And then I had an Irish girl, she damn near drove me crazy.
Chorus: Way, haul away, we’ll haul away together, (Way, haul away, we’ll haul away, Joe!) Way, haul away, we’ll haul for better weather, (Way, haul away, we’ll haul away, Joe!)
4. Hanging Johnny
They call me hanging Johnny, (Away, boys, away!) They says I hangs for money, (So hang, boys, hang!)
First I hung me mother, Me sister and me brother.
I’d hang the mate and skipper, I’d hang ’em by their flippers.
They says I hangs for money, But hanging is so funny.
(The two short refrain lines follow every line, as above. Despite the grim title, it’s gallows humour — a lubber’s joke.)
5. Boney
Boney was a warrior, (Way-ay-yah!) A warrior, a terror, (Jean-François!)
Boney fought the Russians, The Austrians and the Prussians.
Boney went to Moscow, Across the sea of frost-snow.
Boney went to Elba, Boney he came back again.
Boney went to Waterloo, There he got his overthrow.
6. Reuben Ranzo
Oh, poor old Reuben Ranzo, (Ranzo, boys, Ranzo!) Oh, poor old Reuben Ranzo, (Ranzo, boys, Ranzo!)
Oh, Ranzo was no sailor, So they shipped him aboard a whaler.
Ranzo could not steer her, He could not come up nearer.
So they took him to the gangway, And gave him five-and-forty.
But the captain was a good man, He took him to his cabin.
He gave him wine and water, And the loving of his daughter.
7. Paddy Doyle’s Boots
(A very short “bunt” shanty — one mighty heave on the word “boots.”)
To me way-ay-ay yah! (We’ll pay Paddy Doyle for his boots!)
We’ll all drink brandy and gin, We’ll all shave under the chin, We’ll all throw mud at the cook, We’ll all sling dirt together, And we’ll pay Paddy Doyle for his boots!
8. Whiskey Johnny
Oh, whiskey is the life of man, (Whiskey, Johnny!) Oh, whiskey is the life of man, (Whiskey for my Johnny!)
I drink it when I can, I drink it from an old tin can.
Whiskey killed my poor old dad, And whiskey drove my mother mad.
Whiskey here and whiskey there, I’ll drink my whiskey everywhere.
⚓ Heaving (Capstan & Windlass) Shanties
9. Spanish Ladies
Farewell and adieu to you, Spanish ladies, Farewell and adieu to you, ladies of Spain; For we’ve received orders for to sail for old England, But we hope in a short time to see you again.
Chorus: We’ll rant and we’ll roar like true British sailors, We’ll rant and we’ll roar all on the salt seas; Until we strike soundings in the Channel of old England, From Ushant to Scilly is thirty-five leagues.
We hove our ship to, with the wind from sou’west, boys, We hove our ship to, our soundings to take; ‘Twas forty-five fathoms with a white sandy bottom, So we squared our main yard and up Channel did make.
10. Shenandoah
Oh, Shenandoah, I long to hear you, (Away, you rolling river!) Oh, Shenandoah, I long to hear you, (Away, I’m bound away, ‘cross the wide Missouri.)
Oh, Shenandoah, I love your daughter, For her I’d cross your roaming water.
‘Tis seven long years since last I saw you, And hear your rolling river.
Oh, Shenandoah, I’ll not deceive you, ‘Tis seven long years since last I saw you.
11. Rio Grande
Oh, were you ever in Rio Grande? (Away for Rio!) Oh, were you ever on that strand? (For we’re bound for the Rio Grande!)
Chorus: And away for Rio! Away for Rio! Sing fare ye well, my bonnie young girls, For we’re bound for the Rio Grande!
So heave up the anchor, let’s get her away, It’s a long, long time and a very long way.
Goodbye to Sally and goodbye to Sue, And you who are listening, goodbye to you.
12. A-Roving
In Amsterdam there lived a maid, (Mark well what I do say!) In Amsterdam there lived a maid, And she was mistress of her trade. (I’ll go no more a-roving with you, fair maid!)
Chorus: A-roving, a-roving, since roving’s been my ru-i-in, I’ll go no more a-roving with you, fair maid!
I took this fair maid for a walk, And we had such a loving talk.
I put my arm around her waist, Says she, “Young man, you’re in some haste.”
13. South Australia
In South Australia I was born, (Heave away! Haul away!) South Australia round Cape Horn, (We’re bound for South Australia!)
Chorus: Haul away, you rolling king, (Heave away! Haul away!) All the way you’ll hear me sing, (We’re bound for South Australia!)
As I walked out one morning fair, ‘Twas there I met Miss Nancy Blair.
I shook her up, I shook her down, I shook her round and round the town.
There ain’t but one thing grieves my mind, To leave Miss Nancy Blair behind.
14. Santiana
Oh, Santiana fought for fame, (Away, Santiana!) And Santiana gained a name, (All on the plains of Mexico!)
Oh, Santiana won the day, And General Taylor ran away.
He gained the day at Molino del Rey, And Santiana marched away.
Oh, Mexico, oh Mexico, Oh, Mexico, where the land lies low.
⚓ Pumping Shanties
15. Leave Her, Johnny
Oh, the times were hard and the wages low, (Leave her, Johnny, leave her!) And it’s now ashore we’re glad to go, (And it’s time for us to leave her!)
I thought I heard the old man say, “You may go ashore and take your pay.”
The work was hard and the voyage was long, The seas were high and the gales were strong.
The wind was foul and the sea ran high, She shipped it green and none went by.
Oh, leave her, Johnny, leave her with a grin, For there’s many a worse ship than the one we’re in.
16. Strike the Bell
Up on the poop deck and walking about, There is the second mate, so steady and so stout; What he is a-thinking of, he doesn’t know himself, And we wish that he would hurry up and strike, strike the bell.
Chorus: Strike the bell, second mate, let us go below; Look well to windward, you can see it’s gonna blow; Look at the glass, you can see that it has fell, And we wish that you would hurry up and strike, strike the bell.
Down on the main deck and working at the pumps, There is the larboard watch just longing for their bunks; Look out to windward, you can see a great swell, And we wish that you would hurry up and strike, strike the bell.
Aft at the wheelhouse old Anderson stands, Grasping at the helm with his frostbitten hands; Looking at the compass though the course is clear as hell, And he’s wishing that the second mate would strike, strike the bell.
Aft on the quarter deck our gallant captain stands, Looking out to windward with a spyglass in his hand; What he is a-thinking of, we know very well — He’s thinking more of shortening sail than striking the bell.
17. Lowlands
Lowlands, lowlands, away, my John, Lowlands away, I heard them say, My dollar and a half a day.
I dreamed a dream the other night, Lowlands, lowlands, away, my John; I dreamed I saw my own true love, My dollar and a half a day.
She came to me at my bedside, All dressed in white like some fair bride.
And bravely in her bosom fair, A red, red rose did my love wear.
18. Roll the Old Chariot Along
Oh, we’d be all right if the wind was in our sails, We’d be all right if the wind was in our sails, We’d be all right if the wind was in our sails, And we’ll all hang on behind!
Chorus: And we’ll ro-o-oll the old chariot along! We’ll roll the old chariot along! We’ll roll the old chariot along, And we’ll all hang on behind!
A drop of Nelson’s blood wouldn’t do us any harm… A nice watch below wouldn’t do us any harm… A plate of Irish stew wouldn’t do us any harm… A roll in the clover wouldn’t do us any harm…
(Each verse repeats its line three times, then “And we’ll all hang on behind!”, then the chorus.)
⚓ Whaling Songs & Forebitters (sung off-duty, for fun)
19. Rolling Down to Old Maui
Once more we sail with a northerly gale Through the ice and wind and rain; Them coconut fronds, them tropical lands, We soon shall see again. Six hellish months we’ve passed away On the cold Kamchatka Sea, But now we’re bound from the Arctic ground, Rolling down to old Maui.
Chorus: Rolling down to old Maui, me boys, Rolling down to old Maui; We’re homeward bound from the Arctic ground, Rolling down to old Maui.
Once more we sail with the northerly gale Towards our island home; Our mainmast sprung, our whaling done, And we ain’t got far to roam.
20. Soon May the Wellerman Come (“The Wellerman”)
There once was a ship that put to sea, The name of the ship was the Billy o’ Tea; The winds blew up, her bow dipped down, Oh blow, my bully boys, blow.
Chorus: Soon may the Wellerman come To bring us sugar and tea and rum; One day, when the tonguing is done, We’ll take our leave and go.
She’d not been two weeks from shore When down on her a right whale bore; The captain called all hands and swore He’d take that whale in tow.
Before the boat had hit the water The whale’s tail came up and caught her; All hands to the side, harpooned and fought her, When she dived down below.
No line was cut, no whale was freed, The captain’s mind was not on greed, But he belonged to the Whaleman’s creed — She took that ship in tow.
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