148 - Rolling Home B - Capstan Shanty

This is the most famous homeward-bound ever "Rolling Home", a capstan shanty, but worth noting is that some of the collectors give this song as a forebitter. This song was popular in English and American ships. This version has been given to Stan Hugill by an Australian sailmaker. This version is very similar to Doerflinger one, but it is forebitter fashion.
This reconstruction will be sung using alternative bars 4 and 12 described by Stan Hugill on page 187.
"Shanties from the Seven Seas" by Stan Hugill (1st ed p 184, 185).


Rolling Home B


Call all hands to man the capstan,
See yer cable flaked down clear,
Now we're saili'n homeward bound, boys,
For the Channel we will steer,

   - Rollin' home--rollin' home--
   - Rollin' home across the sea,
   - Rollin' home to dear Old England,
   - Rollin' home, fair land, to thee.

                  *2*
See yer tack an' sheets all clear, boys,
Lead down now yer buntlines all,
Clear all gear upon the sheerpoles,
Stand by to haul on the catfall.

                  *3*
Now Australia we are leavin',
For Old England give a cheer,
Fare-ye-well, ye dark-eyed damsels,
Give three cheers for English beer.

                  *4*
Goodbye, Heads, we're bound to leave you,
Haul the towrope all in-board.
We will leave Old Aussie sternwards,
Clap all sail we can afford.

                  *5*
A west wind now does blow behind us,
Fills our sails so full and free,
Not for the Cape we're steering this time,
But the Horn far easterly.

                  *6*
Mister, set yer stuns'ls quickly,
Set all flyin' kites yer can,
Mollyhawks and chickens meet us,
Souls of long-drowned sailormen.

                  *7*
Round Cape Horn on a winter's mornin'
Now among the ice an' snow,
Ye will hear our shellbacks singin',
Sheet her home, boys, let 'er go!`

                  *8*
Bullies, sweat yer weather braces,
For the wind is strength'ning now,
Now we're roundin' Digger Ramrees,
To the North our ship will plough.

                  *9*
Eighteen months away from England,
Only fifty days, no more,
On salt horse an' cracker-hash, boys,
Boston beans that make us sore.

                  *10*
Now we're in the ol' Atlantic,
With the royals no longer stowed,
With our lee cathead a-divin',
To the land--Lord let 'er go!

                  *11*
Now we're close to the Western Islands,
The lee riggin's hangin' slack,
She's a-rollin' off her knots, boys,
Hear the main t'gallant crack.

                  *12*
Now the Lizard Light's a-shinin',
And we're bound up to the Nore,
With the canvas full an' drawin',
Soon we'll be on England's shore.

                  *13*
We'll pass the Start in dandy fashion,
Eddystone and grim Portland,
By the Bill we'll roll along, boys,
Sing the song, oh, every hand.

                  *14*
Now we're passin' Dover Point, boys,
Bullies, get yer cable clear,
Give her thirty on the windlass,
For the tugboat next we'll steer.