Mervyn's own words at a gig at the Triton Club, Liverpool, 27th October 1975 (recorded on cassette by Doreen Rickart and given to Doc Rowe's Archive) state:

"It's my song in as much as I found it in a book. And I couldn't read the music, so I got some bugger to tell me the tune. And I was hoping that one day they'd put it on a record ' cause it's 'ansome!"

Knowing my own association with Mervyn and Charlie and the 'Old 'Oss in the 1960's Doc asked me to digitise Doreen's cassettes. Her collection of Mervyn spans several gigs from 1975 - 1978. There are three tracks of the Farewell Shanty. The words are consistent:

FAREWELL SHANTY

It is time to go now
Haul away your anchor
Haul away your anchor,
Tis our sailing time.

Put the sails upon her,
Haul away your halliards
Haul away your halliards,
Tis our sailing time.

Set her on her course now,
Haul away your fore-sheets
Haul away your fore-sheets,
Tis our sailing time.

Till the seas run under,
Haul away down channel,
Haul away down channel,
On the evening tide.

When my day is over,
Haul away to heaven,
Haul away to heaven,
Lord be by my side.

EXCEPT that in two of the later of the three examples he started verse 2 and 3 with the same 'Put the sails...' line. Mervyn did not repeat the first verse in these recordings, nor did he sing "God".

See you on Mayday Tom & Barbara!

Bill