I've heard The Johnson Girls and Jeri (Mudcat) do fine versions of this old shanty collected by James M. Carpenter in the 1920's from a Welsh seaman William Fender of Barry Docks who served at sea from 1878 to 1900. The verses and tune are quite different from other sea shanties with "Fire Down Below" choruses. I'd love to know how close the words that folks are now singing are to those on file at the Library of Congress, and if the tune and arrangement are new?

The words for the first two verses run as follows:

FIRE DOWN BELOW

I thought I heard the old man say,
Fire down below-oh-oh-oh-ohh, boys,
Fire down below!
"You can go ashore and get your pay."
Fire down below-oh-oh-oh-ohh, boys,
Fire down below!

But I don't care what the Captain say,
Fire down below-oh-oh-oh-ohh, boys,
Fire down below!
'Cause two pounds ten won't pay me way,
Fire down below-oh-oh-oh-ohh, boys,
Fire down below!

Cheerily,
Charley Noble