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Sea Shantys
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Salty Dog
Sailing Master
Posts: 10060



191991 Gold -

PostPosted: Fri Mar 31, 2017 6:06 am    Post subject: Reply with quote

A Whaler's Tale - Ken Graydon


I signed aboard this whaling ship
I made my mark it's true
And I'll serve out the span of time
I swore that I would do
But I'll not man your boats again
Though you cast me in the sea
For I tell you sir, them fish can think
As well as you or me


Just yesterday the lookout's call
Had bent us to our work
I took me place like all the rest
I'd not be one to shirk
Now thirteen men's been drownded
And no more of them we'll see
I'd take an oath, them fish can think
As well as you or me


We'd pulled our boats abreast the pod
The steersman took his stand
He'd had no time to make his throw
When the oar flew from my hand
Just then a great fluke smashed our boat
The whale I didn't see
Now I believe them fish can think
As well as you or me


For then them whales destroyed our boats
They rammed them one by one
They stove them all with head and fluke
And after they was done
We few poor souls left half-alive
Was clinging to debris
I'd stake me life them fish can think
As good as you and me


The way them whale fish went for us
It seemed as though t'was planned
For each one had his target boat
They played us man for man
Just knowin' now they think so clear
My heart says let them be
I swear to God them fish can think
As good as you or me


Now John is blind, Jim's lost an arm
And Caleb's lost below
My leg will heal but other men
No more aloft can go
So I'll not man your boats again
Though you drown me in the sea
For I tell you sir, them fish can think
As good as you or me
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Salty Dog
Sailing Master
Posts: 10060



191991 Gold -

PostPosted: Fri Mar 31, 2017 6:06 am    Post subject: Reply with quote

Willy Taylor - as sung by Rika Ruebsaat


Willy Taylor brisk young sailor
Full of fun and full of glee
Up to church they went together
Dressed in silk so rich and gay


Oh the vows, oh the breezes
Vows and breezes fade away


Birds were singing, bells were ringing
Up to church they went with glee
In marched four and twenty sailors
Pressed young Willy off to sea


Now she's shipped onboard a vessel
In the name of Richard IV
Her once white and delicate fingers
Now they're covered with pitch and tar


Now she's on the yardarm reefing
Doing her duty like all the rest
When her waistcoat it blew open
And there she shows her lily-white breast


When the Captain came to hear it
Saying "Fair maid what brings you here?"
"I'm in search of my true lover,
Who was pressed from me so dear."


"If you're in search of your true lover
Tell me what his name might be"
"His name it is young Willy Taylor
Seven long years he's been gone from me"


"If you rise early tomorrow morning
Just before the break of day
It's there you'll see your Willy Taylor
Walking with some lady gay"


So she rose early the next morning
Just before the break of day
And there she saw young Willy Taylor
Walking out with his lady gay


Now she's called for a pistol
Which was given at her command
And she shot her Willy Taylor
Standing by his bride's right hand


When the Captain came to hear it
Saying "Young maid what have you done?"
And he's made her his first lieutentant
On his ship of 900 ton


Now she's on the quarterdeck walking
Sword and pistol in her hand
And every time that she gives orders
Sailors tremble at her command
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Salty Dog
Sailing Master
Posts: 10060



191991 Gold -

PostPosted: Fri Mar 31, 2017 6:07 am    Post subject: Reply with quote

The Yankee Sails Tonight - John O'Connor


Down from the Carolina shore
The Yankee sails tonight
Carrying soldiers, guns and more
Down below, the Yankee sails tonight
The order's in and the trading's done
The Yankee sails tonight
To put an end to the revolut-i-on
Down below, the Yankee sails tonight
Oh, she blows with the wind
It's a bloody end
That she has for the rebels' fight
When there's money in the banks
There's hoodlums in the ranks
Down below, down below, the Yankee sails tonight


The Yankee once was a ship so bold
She sailed for freedom not for gold
But tyrants stole away the ship
Now she robs from the poor for the greedy rich


Where do your hard-earned taxes go?
Down below the borders of Mexico
And where are the tyrants' orders from?
From Wall Street and from Washington


Do you think it's for democracy
When they practice common butchery
So sing a song for the FSLN
And bring the Yankee home again


Back in the land of liberty
That's where you'd like your home to be
But where did you get your freedom from?
You fought your own revolut-i-on
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Salty Dog
Sailing Master
Posts: 10060



191991 Gold -

PostPosted: Fri Mar 31, 2017 6:07 am    Post subject: Reply with quote

Ye Mariners All - traditional


Ye mariners all, as ye pass by
Come in and drink if you are dry
Come spend, me lads, your money brisk
And pop your nose in a jug of this


Oh mariners all, if you've half a crown
You're welcome all for to sit down
Come spend, me lads, your money brisk
And pop your nose in a jug of this


Oh tipplers all, as you pass by
Come in and drink if you are dry
Come in and drink, think not amis
And pop your nose in a jug of this


Oh now I'm old and can scarcely crawl
I've a long grey beard and a head that's bald
Crown my desire, fulfill my bliss
A pretty girl and a jug of this


And when I'm in my grave and dead
And all my sorrows are past and fled
Transform me then into a fish
And let me swim in a jug of this
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Salty Dog
Sailing Master
Posts: 10060



191991 Gold -

PostPosted: Fri Mar 31, 2017 6:08 am    Post subject: Reply with quote

Pilot Verses

Pilot verses were sailing directions sung to popular tunes. This was a handy way to memorise crucial navigation information. There's a bunch of Newfoundland ones recorded in the Admiralty Court, in London. Hugill quotes one from this collection, dated 1756, which was apparently considered the best guide to Newfoundland waters at the time. It's to the tune of "I'll Tell me Ma", which is still well known. The following version was recorded in Old Time Songs and Poetry of Newfoundland 4th ed., by Gerald S. Doyle, (St. John's, 1966), p70.

Wadham's Song


From Bonavista to the Cabot Isles
the course is north full forty miles
When you must steer away nor'-east
till Cape Freals, Gull Isle, bears west-nor'-west

Then nor'-nor'-west thirty-three miles
three leagues off shore lies Wadham's Isles,
Where of a rock you must beware
two miles sou'-sou'-east from off Isle bears.

Then nor'west by west twelve miles or more,
there lies Round Head on Fogo's shore,
But nor'-nor'west seven or eight miles
lies a sunken rock near Barrack's Isles.

Therefore, my friend, I would you advise,
since all these rocks in danger lies,
That you may never amongst them fall,
but keep your luff and weather them all.

As you draw near to the Fogo land,
you'll have fifteen fathoms in the sounding sand, --
From fifteen to eighteen, never more,
and that you'll have close to the shore.

When you abreast of Round Head be,
then Joe Batt's Point you'll plainly see;
To starboard then three or four miles,
you'll see a parcel of damned rugged isles.

When Joe Batt's Arm you are abreast,
Fogo Harbour bears due west,
But unkind fortune unluck laid
a sunken rock right in the trade.

So, nor-nor'west you are to steer,
till Brimstone Head doth appear,
Which over Pilley's Point you'll see,
that of that danger you are free.

And as you draw within a mile,
you'll see a house on Symes's Isle;
The mouth of the channel is not very wide,
but the deepest water is on the larboard side.

When within Symes's Point you have shot,
then three fathoms of water you have got;
Port hard your hellum and take care,
in the mid-channel for to steer.

When Pilley's Point you are abreast,
starboard haul, and steer sou'-sou'west
Till Pilley's Point covers Syme's Stage;
then you are clear, I will engage.

When Joe Batt's Arm you are abreast,
then Fogo Harbour bears due West.
But unkind fortune unluck laid,
a sunken rock right in the trade.

So nor'-nor'west you are to steer,
'till Brimstone Head do plain appear.
Which over Pilley's Point you'll see,
then of that danger you are free.
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