Tom's Gone to Hilo 2
(tops'l halyard)

Significantly different from the other version on the DT , the late Stan Hugill said that sung by a good shantyman, this song and its words were too slow to please the officers! The sailors liked it though, especially on a heavy lift. The shanty is sung with alternating chorus after every line

Oh Tommy's gone on a whaling ship
Chorus: Away to Hilo
Oh Tommy's gone on a damned long trip
Chorus: Tom's gone to Hilo

He's never kissed his girl goodbye
He's left her and he's told her why

She's robbed him blind and left him broke
He's had enough he gave her the poke

His half it went it went like chaff
She's hung around for the other half

She's drank and boozed his pay away
With her weather eye on the next pay day

He's shipped around away Cape Horn
His clothes and boots was in the pawn

Ah Tommy's gone on a whaling ship
Away to Hilo
Ah Tommy's gone on a damned long trip
Tom's gone to Hilo
^^

As recorded by Lime Bay Mutiny, 1990.