111 - Roll The Cotton Down ( D ) - Halyard Shanty


Here halyard 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 vesion is a "Blackball" version theme version. The book example suggests use more verses from "Blow the Man Down" shanty, I add additional five verses which gives us a reasonable length of the song.
"Shanties from the Seven Seas" by Stan Hugill (1st ed p 155 ).



Roll The Cotton Down ( D )


Oh! when I was a young man in me prime,
   - Roll the cotton down!
I thought I'd ship in the Blackball Line.
   - We'll roll the cotton down!

                      *2*
In the Blackball Line, oh, ye kin shine,
For the ye'll wake at any old time.

                      *3*
It's when a Blackballer is bound for sea,
'Tis then ye'll see such a hell o' spree.

                      *4*
There's tinkers an' wharf rats, shoemakers an' all,
All shipped as prime sailorman aboard the Blackball,

                      *5*
Oh, muster ye sojers an' fakirs an'sich,
An' hear yer name called by a son-o'-a'bitch.

                      *6*
An' when the Blackballer hauls out o' the dock,
To see these poor bastards, how on deck they flock.

                      *7*
'Lay aft here ye, lubbers! Lay aft one an' all,
I'll have none o' yer dodgers aboard Blackball!"

                      *8*
Now see these poor bastards how aloft they will scoot,
Assisted along by the toe o' boot.

                      *9*
THe seceond mate stands 'em all up in a row,
A seam in the deck he sure makes 'em all toe.

                      *10*
It's 'Fore tawps'l halyards!' the mate he will roar,
'Oh, lay along smatly, ye son-o'-a-whore!'