Origins: 'Hilo'

Subject: RE: Origins: 'Hilo'
From: Gibb Sahib
Date: 25 Jul 11 - 04:48 PM

1921        Terry, Richard Runciman. _The Shanty Book, Part I_. London: J. Curwen & Sons.

Terry's shanties were based on collected or remembered versions, from growing up around sailor relatives and fieldwork in NE England. However, his final versions are composites that mix verses and search for ideal forms. For his "Tom's gone to Hilo, he gives the source that informed the "core" of the version.

…I have chosen the version sung to me by Mr. George Vickers, although in the first chorus it differs somewhat from the version I learnt as a boy:…
I give Mr. Vickers's verses about 'The Victory' and 'Trafalgar,' as I had never heard them sung by any other seaman. I have omitted the endless couplets containing the names of places to which Tommy is supposed to have travelled.

24. Tom's gone to Hilo

1. Tommy's gone and I'll go too,

Away down Hilo.

Oh, Tommy's gone and I'll go too.

Tom's gone to Hilo.

2. Tommy's gone to Liverpool,


3. Tommy's gone to Mobile Bay.



4. Tommy's gone, what shall I do?


5. Tommy fought at Tráfalgár.

6. The old Victory led the way.
The brave old Victory led the way.



7. Tommy's gone for evermore.

Oh, Tommy's gone for evermore.

Subject: RE: Origins: 'Hilo'
From: Gibb Sahib
Date: 25 Jul 11 - 10:08 PM

1951        Doerflinger, William Main. _Shantymen and Shantyboys: Songs of the Sailor and Lumberman_. Macmillan: New York.

Here is Doerflinger's presentation of "Tommy's Gone."

His remark on "Ilo" seems to have no purpose -- unless he is drawing a connection between that and the nitrate trade. However, it is also unclear why he says it is a chanty of the nitrate trade in the first place. Did Richard Maitland, the singer, say something about this? That seems somewhat doubtful, and, as we've seen, the song certainly was not limited to that trade. Could it be that, through circular logic (Ilo = Peru = nitates = Ilo) he convinced himself that the statement about the nitrate trade was reasonable to make without citing a source?

From the nitrate trade around Cape Horn to the West Coast of South America came "Tommy's Gone to Hilo" (pronounced "high-lo"). Ilo, as the inhabitants call it, is the port in southern Peru. The name of any port could be worked into Tommy's travels by a resourceful shantyman.

Tommy's Gone To Hilo

(From the singing of Richard Maitland, Sailors' Snug Harbor, NY)

1. My Tommy's gone, what shall I do?
Away, Hilo!
My Tommy's gone, what shall I do?
Tommy's gone to Hilo!

2. My Tommy's gone to Liverpool,
My Tommy's gone to Liverpool,

3. Now, Tommy's gone and I'll go too,
My Tommy's gone and I'll go too.

4. Now, pull away and show her clew.
We'll h'ist her up and show her clew.

5. One more pull and that will do.

6. Tommy's gone to Baltimore
And where they carry the cotton shore.

7. Now, pull away, my bully boys,
Oh, pull away and make some noise.

8. Now, Tommy's gone to Mobile Bay.
Tommy's gone to Mobile Bay.

9. A-screwing cotton by the day.

10. My Tommy's gone, they sat to Bombay.
Tommy's gone, they say to Bombay.

Subject: RE: Origins: 'Hilo'
From: Keith A of Hertford
Date: 26 Jul 11 - 02:58 PM

Gibb, re Sampson.
He was commissioned by fellow members of the Seven Seas Club to prepare a standardised version of some of the more popular shanties.
"There are a number of Shanty books already on the market but... they were not considered adequate by the sailing ship members of the club."
"....I had actually sung every shanty and song in this book at sea in sailing ships (1886-1898);and I am fortunate in possessing a reliable memory."
He acknowledges that "The words used at sea varied considerably, far more so than the tunes,.." and gives the reasons.

Subject: RE: Origins: 'Hilo'
From: Gibb Sahib
Date: 09 Aug 11 - 06:58 PM

1924        Frothingham, Robert, ed. _Songs of the Sea and Sailors' Chanteys_. Boston: Houghton Mifflin.

I think this source furthers the narrative of "Hilo" as a reference to the Peruvian city.

The text given appears -- so say I -- to be something put together, partially newly-composed. I think it was based in Davis and Tozer's printed version. One of the verses (4th) is identical, whereas others look like Frothingham took the idea of the verse and rewrote it to make it *less* literary sounding. It runs with the idea of Hilo as something Peruvian, so the verses relate to that theme. See what you think!

Tom's Gone to Ilo

Tommy's gone, what shall I do?
Heigh-ya to Ilo!
Tom is gone, and I'll go too.
Tom's gone to Ilo.

He's gone away to Ilo Bay,
To Ilo Bay I heard him say,

Way 'round to Callao,
Those Spanish girls he'll see, I know,

Oh, I love Tom and he loves me,
He thinks of me, when out at sea,

Tommy's gone forever more,
I'll never see my Tom no more,