109 - Roll The Cotton Down ( C ) - Capstan Shanty


Here capstan version of the shanty "Roll the cotton down", opens a big family of the shanties, which Stan Hugill describes as the shanty with the word 'Roll'. As a matter of fact, it vies with 'blow' and 'hilo' as the most popular word in a sailor work-song.
The versions of this great shanty are:
(a) Negro Version
(b) Cotton-Stowers' version
(c) Deep-sea version.
(d) Blackball version.
(e) Paddy and the railway.
(f) "A Long Time Ago"
This version is a "Deep-sea" version theme version.
"Shanties from the Seven Seas" by Stan Hugill (1st ed p 154, 155 ).



Roll The Cotton Down ( C )


Oh! away down south where I wuz born,
   - Roll the cotton down!
Oh! away down south around Cape Horn
   - We'll roll the cotton down!

   - Roll the cotton,
   - Roll the cotton, Moses!
   - Roll the cotton,
   - Oh! roll the cotton down!

            *2*
Oh! away down south around Cape Horn
Oh, we wisht to Christ we'd niver bin born!

          *3*
Oh! away down south one winter's morn,
Oh! away down south around Cape Horn.

          *4*
We're bound away to Mobile Bay,
We're bound away at the break o' day.

          *5*
Oh, around Cape Horn we're bound to go,
Around Cape Stiff midst the ice an' snow.

          *6*
Oh, 'Frisco town is far behind,
An' the gals down south are free an' kind.

          *7*
Oh, fare-ye-well we're bound to go,
Never let it be said we'll forget you.