024 - Mister Stormalong (A1)

A fine old shanty was "Stormalong". Same as in "Lowlands Away" it was originally used at the pumps and later as a capstan. There are Those who believe it was built around John Willis- the owner of "Cutty Sark". But true it is negro origin and of much older vintage than then "Cutty Sark" period.
In Stan Hugill's book are described 6 versions of this family. In this particular version are two patterns:
   - Praising the dead seamen,
   - Praising the benevolent son of the dead seamen.
The second pattern was usually added after the dirge-like regulation stanzas run out. It happens for reason is that work at pumps was a constant job especially od wooden ships, when every change course or trim the sails, the hull was liked literally "everywhere". I do separate these 2 patterns because in the second version I plane do a little "presentation" of work at leaver "Jiggity-Jig" (older type) pump.
"Shanties from the Seven Seas" by Stan Hugill (1st ed: p 73, 74).



Mister Stormalong (A1)

Old Stormy   he    is   dead and gone,
   - To    me      way      you    Stormalong!
Old Stormy he is dead and gone,
   - Ay!    Ay!    Ay!    Mister    Stormalong!

               *2*
Of    all    ol'    skippers he was best,
But now he's dead an' gone to rest.

               *3*
He slipped his cable off Cape Horn,
Close by the place where he was born.

               *4*
Oh, off Cape Horn where he was born,
Our sails wuz torn an' our mainmast gorn.

               *5*
We'll dig his grave with a silver spade,
His shroud of finest silk was made.

               *6*
We lowered him down with a golden chain,
Our eyes all dim with more than rain.

               *7*
He lies low in his salt-sea [earthen] bed,
Our hearts are sore, our eyes were red.

               *8*
An able seaman bold an' true,
A good ol' skipper [bosun] to his crew.

               *9*
He's moored at last an' furled his sail,
No danger now from wreck or gale.

               *10*
Old Stormy heard the Angel call,
So sing his dirge now one an' all.

               *11*
Oh, now we'll sing his funeral song,
Oh, roll her over, long an' strong.

               *12*
Old Stormy loved a sailors' song,
Hes voice wuz tough an' rough an' strong.

               *13*
His heart wuz good an' kind an' soft,
But now he's gone 'way up aloft.

               *14*
For fifty years he sailed the seas,
In winter gale and summer breeze.

               *15*
But now Ol' Stormy's day is done;
We marked the spot where he is gone.

               *16*
So we sunk him under with a long, long roll,
Where the sharks'll have his body an' the divil have his soul.

               *17*
An' so Ol' Stormy's day wuz done,
South fifity six, west fifty one.

               *18*
Ol' Stormy wuz a seaman bold,
A Grand Ol' Man o' the days of old.