Shanties, Sea Songs, and all that kind of stuff.
Nelsons Blood
Or Roll the Old Chariot Along
​There are few 'proper' verses to this song, apart from the first, the rest are made up as, where and when necessary.
Solo:
A drop of Nelson's blood wouldn't do us any harm
Chorus:
A drop of Nelson's blood wouldn't do us any harm
A drop of Nelson's blood wouldn't do us any harm
And we'll all hang on behind
Full chorus:
And we'll roll the old chariot along
And we'll roll the old chariot along
And we'll roll the old chariot along
And we'll all hang on behind
A plate of English beef
A pint of English ale
A nice run ashore
A night with the girls
A big feather bed
Some more English beer
A night in the pub
A big fat aching head
And so on..................
Roll the Old Chariot Along (2)
We'd be all right if the wind would fill the sails
​
We'd be all right if we had a glass of beer
​
We'd be all right if you buggers all would sing
We'd be all right if we had a drop of rum
If the devil's in the way, we'll roll right over him
We'll be all right when the skipper's in his grave
Oh a night in Charlie Brown's wouldn't do us any harm.
​
Oh a night in Charlie Brown's might make you stiff and sore.
​
Oh a few nights in the cot wouldn't do us any harm.
New York Girls
As I walked down the Broadway
One evening in July
I met a maid who asked me trade
And a sailor John says I
​
Chorus
And away, you santee
My dear Annie
Oh, you new york girls
Can't you dance the polka?
To Tiffany's I took her
I did not mind expense
I bought her two gold earrings
And they cost me fifteen cents
Says she, 'You Limejuice sailor
Now see me home you may'
But when we reached her cottage door
She this to me did say
My flash man he's a Yankee
With his hair cut short behind
He wears a pair of long sea-boots
And he sails in the Blackball Line
He's homeward bound this evening
And with me he will stay
So get a move on, sailor-boy
Get cracking on your way
So I kissed her hard and proper
Afore her flash man came
And fare ye well, me Bowery gal
I know your little game
I wrapped me glad rags round me
And to the docks did steer
I'll never court another maid
I'll stick to rum and beer
I joined a Yankee blood-boat
And sailed away next morn
Don't ever fool around with gals
You're safer off Cape Horn
North Sea Holes
By Ewan MacColl
Come all you gallant fishermen
that plough the stormy sea,
The whole year round
on the fishing grounds
​
Chorus:
On the Northern Minch
and the Norway Deeps,
On the banks and knolls of the North Sea Holes
Where the herring shoals are found.
It's there you'll find the Norfolk boys
and the lads from Peterhead,
There's Buckie chiels
and men from Shields,
Chorus:
On the Northern Minch
and the Norway Deeps,
On the banks and knolls of the North Sea Holes
Where the herring shoals are found.
From Fraserborough and Aberdeen,
from Whitby, Yarmouth Town,
The fleet's away
at the break of day
Chorus:
To the Northern Minch
and the Norway Deeps,
To the banks and knolls of the North Sea Holes
Where the herring shoals are found.
It's off with a boiler full of steam
and your engine spic and span
To fish the grounds
the North Sea round
​
Chorus:
And fish and knolls
and the North Sea Holes
And try your luck at the North Shields Gut
With a catch of a hundred cran.
No need to wait for the wind and tide,
you're the master of the sea,
Come calm or squall,
just shoot and haul
Chorus:
And fill the hold
with the fish to be sold
And steam ahead for the curing shed
And the buyers on the Yarmouth quay.
Come all you gallant fishermen
that plough the stormy sea,
The whole year round
on the fishing grounds
Chorus:
On the Northern Minch
and the Norway Deeps,
On the banks and knolls of the North Sea Holes
Where the herring shoals are found.
Ocean Queen
Choruses are in brackets
I signed aboard a brigatine,
(For to sail the ocean deep)
A prettier ship you've never seen
(O'er the ocean briney)
(Oh, the anchors rising)
It's time to say goodbye to you
(See our ship is moving)
Fare thee well and adieu.
One thousand tons of wood and steel
(For to sail the ocean deep)
She was called the Ocean Queen
(O'er the ocean briney)
(Oh, the anchors rising)
It's time to say goodbye to you
(See our ship is moving)
Fare thee well and adieu
Her master called for the wreckage slot
(For to sail the ocean deep)
All so high to the high gallant
(O'er the ocean briney)
We'd a good captain, first mate too
(For to sail the ocean deep)
We will make a happy crew
(O'er the ocean briney)
With a load of timber in the hold
(For to sail the ocean deep)
Everything is stuffed down below
(O'er the ocean briney)
Goodbye Sally, my Auckland girl
(For to sail the ocean deep)
When I return I'll bring you pearls
(O'er the ocean briney)
I'll bring you a parrot red and blue
(For to sail the ocean deep)
When I'm away who'll talk to you
(O'er the ocean briney)
I'll teach this bird to sail the Earth
(For to sail the ocean deep)
And sing you songs of loves that true
(O'er the ocean briney)
(Oh, the anchors rising)
It's time to say goodbye to you
(See our ship is moving)
Fare thee well and adieu.
Fare thee well and adieu.
Old Maui
It's a damn tough life, full of toil and strife,
we whaler-men undergo
And we don't give a damn when the gale is done,
how hard the Winds did blow
For we're homeward bound,
it's a damn fine sound
with a good ship, taut and free
And we won't give a damn when we drink our rum
with the girls Of 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
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
​
We'll heave a lead when old diamond head
looms up on old Oahu
While our masts and yards are sheathed in shards
and our decks are hid from view
The horrid tiles of sea cut ice
that deck the Artic Sea
Are miles behind in the frozen wind
since we steered for old Maui
​
How warm the breeze of the tropic seas,
now the ice is far astern
And them Wahine maids,
in them island glades, are awaiting our return
How their big brown eyes even now look out,
hoping some fine day to see
Our baggy sails, running 'fore the gales,
rolling down to old Maui
​
And now we sail with a favourable gale
towards our island home
Our mainyards sprung, our whaling done,
we ain't got far to roam
Our stuns'l boom all carried away,
what care we for that sound
A living gale is after us
and we are homeward bound
​
And now we're anchored in the bay
with the big kanaka's all around
With chants and soft aloha's they greet
us now we're sound
And now we're ashore, we'll have good fun
and we'll paint them beaches red
Awaking in the arms of an island maid
and a big fat aching head
Old Moke
He bang, she bang, daddy shot a bear
Shot it in the arse me boys and never turned a hair
Chorus:
We're all from the railway too rer loo
An the ol' moke pickin' on a banjo
Hooraw,' what the hell's the row?
We're all from the railway too rer loo
We're all from the railway too rer loo
And the old moke pickin' on a banjo
Pat get back, take in yer slack, heave away me boys,
heave away me bully boys why don't you make some noise?
Roll her boys, bowl her boys, give her flaming gyp,
Drag the anchor off the mud and let the bastard rip.
Rock a block, chock a block, heave the capstan round,
Fish the flammin' anchor up, for we are outward bound.
Out chocks, two blocks, heave away or bust,
Bend yer backs me bully boys, kick up so flammin' dust.
Whisky O, Johhny O, the mud hook is in sight,
'Tis a helluva way to the girls that wait and the old Nantucket light
He bang, she bang, daddy shot a bear
Shot it in the arse me boys and never turned a hair
One More Day
Chorus in italics
​
Oh, have you heard the news, me Johnny
One more day
We're homeward bound tomorrow
Only one more day
Only one more day, me Johnny
One more day
Oh, rock and roll me over
Only one more day
Don't you hear the old man growlin'
Don't you hear the mate a howlin'
Don't you hear the caps'n pawlin'
Don't you hear the pilot bawlin'
Only one more day a-howlin'
Can't you hear the gals a-callin'
Only one more day a-rollin'
Can't you hear the gulls a-callin'
Only one more day a-furlin'
Only one more day a-cursin'
Oh, heave and sight the anchor, Johnny
For we're close aboard the port, Johnny
Only one more day for Johnny
And your pay-day's nearly due, Johnny
Then put out your long-tail blue, Johnny
Make your port and take your pay, Johnny
Only one more day a pumpin', Johnny
Only one more day a-bracin'
Oh, we're homeward bound today, Johnny
We'll leave her without sorrow, Johnny
Pack your bags today me Johnny
Oh, an' leave her where she lies, Johnny
Only one more day a-workin', Johnny
Oh, come rock 'n' roll me over
​
Only one more day together
Only one more day, me Johnny
One More Pull Boys
Giant comers, ocean rollers,
Living waves upon the sea.
But for us, boys, there's no future.
It's not like it used to be.
Chorus:
One more pull, boys. That'll do, boys.
Soon we'll draw alongside.
Hoist her upwards. Swing her inboard,
For the journey's nearly o'er.
Iceland's dangers, Greenland's fog banks,
Northern storm's intensity,
It's all gone now. Turn her homeward,
For the market won't reach the fee.
No more codfish off Newfoundland
Dancing silver down the hatch.
Drifters, trawlers and purse seiners
All laid up or sold for scrap.
So heave the line, boys, one last time, now.
Then we'll have the final trawl.
No need to wonder where it's all gone to.
Only time to heave 'n' haul.
Paddy Doyles Boots
Chorus: is the last word, Boots, Chin, Gin etc.
To me way ay, ay-ay, yah!
We'll pay Paddy Doyle for his boots.
To me way ay, ay-ay, yah!
We'll all drink whisky and gin.
To me way ay, ay-ay, yah!
We'll all shave under the chin.
To me way ay, ay-ay,
And we will throw shit at the cook.
To me way ay, ay-ay,
For the dirty old man on the poop.
To me way ay, ay-ay,
We'll pay Paddy Doyle for his boots.
Paddy Lay Back
Chorus repeats the end of each verse,(in brackets) and the full chorus after each verse.
'Twas on a cold an' windy mornin' in December, (December)
When all of me money, it was spent (spent, spent),
And where the hell it went I can't remember (remember),
So down to the shippin' office I went, (went, went),
Oh, Paddy, lay back
(Paddy, lay back)
Take in the slack (take in the slack)
(Take a turn around the capstan)
Heave a pawl
(About ship, stations, boys, be handy) (be handy)
(We're bound for Valaparaiser 'round the Horn).
That day there wuz a great demand for sailors
For the Colonies and for 'Frisco and for France
So I shipped aboard a Limey barque the Hotspur
An' got paralytic drunk on my advance
I joined her on a cold December morning
A flappin' of me flippers to keep me warm
With the south cone a-hoisted as a warning
To stand out the coming storm
Now some of us had been a-drinking
And me meself was heavy on the booze
So I sat on me old sea chest a thinkin'
I'd turn into me bunk and have a snooze
I woke up in the mornin' sick an' sore,
An' knew I wuz outward bound agen;
When I heard a voice a-bawlin' at the door,
'Lay aft, Paddy an' answer to yer names!'
'Twas on the quarterdeck where I first saw 'em
Such an ugly bunch I'd never seen before
There's a bum a stiff from every quarter
It may my old heart both sick and sore
I knew that in me box I had a bottle,
Cos the boardin'-master ‘e ‘ad put it there;
An' I wanted something for to wet me throttle,
Somethin' for to drive away dull care.
So down upon me knees I went like thunder,
Reached me hand into the bottom o' the box,
An' what wuz me great surprise an' wonder,
Found naught but the medicine for the pox.
I wisht I wuz in the 'Jolly Sailor'
Along with Irish Kate a-drinkin' gin
An' then I thought what jolly chaps were sailors,
And knew that I was outward bound again
Paddy on the Railway
In eighteen hundred and forty-one
The corduroy breeches I put on
Me corduroy breeches I put on
To work upon the railway, the railway
Chorus:
Falla ma lura luri ay,
Falla ma lura luri ay,
Falla ma lura luri ay,
Poor Paddy works on the railway
In eighteen hundred and forty-two
From Hartlepool I moved to Crewe
Found myself a job to do
A working on the railway
In eighteen hundred and forty-three
I broke the shovel across me knee
I went to work for the company
On the Leeds to Selby railway
In eighteen hundred and forty-four
I landed on the Liverpool shore
My belly was empty me hands were raw
With working on the railway, the railway
In eighteen hundred and forty-five
When Daniel O'Connell he was alive
When Daniel O'Connell he was alive
And working on the railway
In eighteen hundred and forty-six
I changed my trade to carrying bricks
I changed my trade to carrying bricks
To work upon the railway
In eighteen hundred and forty-seven
Poor Paddy was thinking of going to heaven
The old bugger was thinking of going to heaven
To work upon the railway, the railway
Pique la Baleine
Original French with an English translation below
Pique la baleine
Pour retrouver ma douce amie !
Oh, mes bouées ouh là ouh lala
Pour retrouver ma douce amie !
Oh, mes bouées ouh là ouh lala
Chorus:
Pique la baleine, joli baleinier
Pique la baleine, je veux naviguer
Pique la baleine joli baleinier
Pique la baleine, je veux naviguer
Aux milles mers j'ai navigué !
Oh, mes bouées ouh là ouh lala
Aux milles mers j'ai navigué !
Oh, mes bouées ouh là ouh lala
Des mers du Nord aux mers du Sud !
Oh, mes bouées ouh là ouh lala
Des mers du Nord aux mers du Sud !
Oh, mes bouées ouh là ouh lala
Dans les grands fonds, elle m’espérait !
Oh, mes bouées ouh là ouh lala
Dans les grands fonds, elle m'espérait !
Oh, mes bouées ouh là ouh lala
Tous deux ensemble on a pleuré !
Oh, mes bouées ouh là ouh lala
Tous deux ensemble on a pleuré !
Oh, mes bouées ouh là ouh lala
En couple à elle je m'suis couché !
Oh, mes bouées ouh là ouh lala
En couple à elle je m'suis couché !
Oh, mes bouées ouh là ouh lala
English translation, although Pique translates as spade or spike, anyone know any different?
Bite the whale
To find my sweet friend!
Oh, my buoys ouh ouh lala
To find my sweet friend!
Oh, my buoys ouh ouh lala
Chorus:
Whale bite, pretty whaler
Bite the whale, I want to sail
Bite the whale pretty whaler
Bite the whale, I want to sail
In the thousand seas I sailed!
Oh, my buoys ouh ouh lala
In the thousand seas I sailed!
Oh, my buoys ouh ouh lala
From the North Seas to the South Seas!
Oh, my buoys ouh ouh lala
From the North Seas to the South Seas!
Oh, my buoys ouh ouh lala
In the deep sea, she was hoping for me!
Oh, my buoys ouh ouh lala
In the deep sea, she hoped for me!
Oh, my buoys ouh ouh lala
We both cried together!
Oh, my buoys ouh ouh lala
We both cried together!
Oh, my buoys ouh ouh lala
As a couple, I went to bed!
Oh, my buoys ouh ouh lala
As a couple, I went to bed!
Oh, my buoys ouh ouh lala
Pull Down Below
This is the version introduced by Jon Tigwell. I've recently discovered a recording, made in 1928, of a slightly different version, with a different chorus; which you'll find below this one. The second version is certainly of North American origin, and may possibly be the original. It's sung the second way by Jim McGeehan and Johnny Collins;
Oh, I went to church and I went to chapel
Chorus: Pull down below
I went to church and I went to chapel
Chorus: Pull down below
Chorus:
Oh, Hielan’ laddie, Pull down below
Hielan’ laddie, bonnie laddie, pull down below
On the road I found a saddle
I found a saddle and an empty poke
I found a saddle and an empty poke
But where the hell was the bleedin’ moke
The moke is gone and I’ll go to
I’ll sail away to Backaloo
Oh, hoist ‘er up and away we’ll go
Hoist ‘er up from down below
Just give ‘er sheet and let ‘er go
We’re outward bound to Backalow
I thought I heard the old man say,
Just one more pull and then belay
Cos I went to church and I went to chapel
Oh I went to church and I went to chapel.
Second version
I went to church I went to chapel
Chorus: Pull down below
I went to church I went to chapel
Chorus: Pull down below
​
Chorus:
Way Eagle alley
Pull down below
Eagle alley in the valley
Pull down below.
And on the road I found an apple
And on the road I found an apple.
Who’s been here since I’ve been gone
Who’s been here since I’ve been gone?
A Yankee mate with his big boots on
A Yankee mate with his big boots on.
Who’s been here since I’ve been gone
Who’s been here since I’ve been gone.
A limejuice mate with his cheese cutter on
A limejuice mate with his cheese cutter on.
I went to church I went to chapel
I went to church I went to chapel.
Pull for the Shore
Chorus:
Pull for the shore sailor, pull for the shore;
Heed not the rolling waves, but bend to the oar;
Safe in the lifeboat, sailor, cling to self no more.
Leave that poor old stranded wreck, and pull for the shore.
Light in the darkness, sailor, help is at hand
See o'er the foaming billows fair heaven's land,
Drear was the voyage, sailor, now almost o'er,
Safe within the lifeboat, sailor, pull for the shore.
Trust in the Lifeboat, sailor, all else will fail,
Stronger the surges dash and fiercer the gale,
Heed not the stormy winds, though loudly they roar,
Watch the bright and morning star, and pull for the shore.
Bright gleams the morning sailor, uplift the eye,
Clouds and darkness disappearing, glory is nigh;
Safe in the Lifeboat, sailor, sing evermore;
Glory, glory, hallelujah, pull for the shore.
Pump Shanty
By Terry Goodenough
They say life has its ups and downs
That really now is quite profound
I'd like to push the capstan round
But it's pump me boys before we drown.
Chorus:
Pump me boys, pump 'er dry
Down to hell and up to the sky
Bend your back and break your bones
We're just a thousand miles from home.
The ocean we all do adore
So come on lads let's pump some more
Don't worry if you're stiff and sore
I'm sure we've pumped this bit before.
The captain's daughter, I suppose
Could be called an English Rose
What would you think when I propose
The pox she gave to me a dose.
This Rose well she did prick me sore,
I've never felt so bad before
Thanks to the girl I do adore
I thought I'd never pump no more.
I called the doctor right away
To find out what he had to say
"That's two pounds ten - get on your way"
I'm sure the girl is in his pay.
Sometimes when I am in me bed
And thinking of me day ahead
I wish that I could wake up dead
But pumping's all I get instead.
Yes, how I wish that I could die
The swine who built this tub to find
I'd drag him back from where he fries
To pump until the beggar's dry.
​
If Noah used him for his ark
Oh wouldn't that have been a lark?
From rising sun 'til getting dark
The animals all hard at work (singin')
There's so much water down below
Just how it got there I don't know
The old man says, "Let's roll and go"
But I think we're bound for Davy Jones.