Origins: Paddy West

Subject: Tune Req: Paddy West (Lloyd and Maccoll)
From: Mathew Raymond
Date: 06 Aug 13 - 02:21 AM

The only version I can find is that of Maccoll and Lloyd on Blow Boys Blow, wonderful song and I know I've heard the melody used elsewhere, just wondering if any of you fine gents could help me out

Much appreciation,
Mathew

Subject: RE: Tune Req: Paddy West (Lloyd and Maccoll)
From: Jim Carroll
Date: 06 Aug 13 - 02:32 AM

Used also for 'The Durham Lockout', 'Tramps and Hawkers' and MacColl's 'Come Me Little Son' - not forgetting' The Homes of Donegal' of course'
Jim Carroll

Subject: RE: Tune Req: Paddy West (Lloyd and Maccoll)
From: Joe Offer
Date: 06 Aug 13 - 02:48 AM

The tune sounds to me a lot like that of "Peter Amberley" or "Lakes of Ponchartrain," but those songs don't have a chorus. Here's what the Traditional Ballad Index has to say about this song:

Paddy West

DESCRIPTION: The singer stops at Paddy West's (boarding)-house. Paddy offers him a (bad) meal and induces him to go to sea. Paddy assures the recruit is qualified by sending him three times "around the horn" of a cow and having him furl the royal of the window blind
AUTHOR: unknown
EARLIEST DATE: 1951
KEYWORDS: sailor humorous shanghaiing
FOUND IN: US(MA) Britain(England)
REFERENCES (3 citations):
Doerflinger, pp. 113-114, "Paddy West" (1 text, 1 tune)
Hugill, pp. 335-336, "Paddy West" (1 text, 1 tune) [AbEd, pp. 250-251]
DT, PADWEST*
Roud #3092
CROSS-REFERENCES:
cf. "Davy Faa (Remember the Barley Straw)" (tune)
cf. "Tramps and Hawkers" (tune)
NOTES: Hugill claimed Paddy West was a real person, living probably on Great Howard Street in Liverpool. But he offers no further details. For the not-very-savory history of boarding masters in general, see the notes to "Dixie Brown" [Laws D7].
How much difference Paddy West's attempts to varnish his recruits made is far from clear. Richard Henry Dana Jr., who sailed in this period, wrote in the second paragraph of chapter one of Two Years Before the Mast, "The change from the tight dress coat, silk cap, and kid gloves of an undergraduate at Cambridge, to the loose duck trowsers, checked shirt, and tarpaulin hat of the sailor... was soon made, and I supposed myself to be looking as salt as Neptune himself. But it is impossible to deceive the practiced eye in these matters... I was, no doubt, known for a landsman by every man on board as soon as I hove in sight. A sailor has a peculiar cut to his clothes, and a way of wearing them which a green hand can never get.... Besides the points in my dress which were out of the way, doubtless my complexion and hands were enough to distinguish me from the regular salt, who, with a sunburnt cheek, wide step, and rolling gain, swings his bronzed and toughened hands athwartships, half open, as though just ready to grasp a rope." - RBW
File: Doe113

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For the sake of discussion, here are the Digital Tradition lyrics for "Paddy West." Anybody know the source of this version?

PADDY WEST (from Digital Tradition)

As I was walkin' down London Street, I come to Paddy West's house,
He gave me a dish of American hash; he called it Liverpool scouse,
He said " There's a ship and she's wantin' hands, and on her you must sign,
The mate's a bastard, the captain's worse, but she will suit you fine."

cho: Take off yer dungaree jacket, and give yerself a rest,
And we'll think on them cold nor'westers that we had at Paddy West's.

When we had finished our dinner, boys, the wind began to blow.
Paddy sent me to the attic, the main-royal for to stow,
But when I got to the attic, no main-royal could I find,
So I turned myself 'round to the window, and I furled the window blind.

Now Paddy he pipes all hands on deck, their stations for to man.
His wife she stood in the doorway, a bucket in her hand;
And Paddy he cries, "Now let 'er rip!" and she throws the water our way,
Cryin' "Clew in the fore t'gan'sl, boys, she's takin on the spray!"

Now seein' she's bound for the south'ard, to Frisco she was bound;
Paddy he takes a length of rope, and he lays it on the ground,
We all steps over, and back again, and he says to me "That's fine,
And if ever they ask were you ever at sea you can say you crossed the line."

To every two men that graduates, I'll give one outfit free,
For two good men on watch at once, ye never need to see,
Oilskins, me boys, ye'll never want, carpet slippers made of felt,
I'll dish out to the pair o' you, and a rope yarn for a belt.

Paddy says "Now pay attention, these lessons you will learn.
The starboard is where the ship she points, the right is called
the stern,
So look ye aft, to yer starboard port and you will find northwest."
And that's the way they teach you at the school of Paddy West.

There's just one thing for you to do before you sail away,
Just step around the table, where the bullock's horn do lay
And if ever they ask "Were you ever at sea?" you can say "Ten times 'round the
Horn"
And BeJesus but you're and old sailor man from the day that you were born.

Put on yer dungaree jacket,
And walk out lookin' yer best,
And tell 'em that you're an old sailor man
That's come from Paddy West's.

@sailor
recorded by Lou Killen on 50 South
and on Folk Songs of Britain 6
filename[ PADWEST
TUNE FILE: PADWEST
CLICK TO PLAY
RG

Subject: ADD: Paddy West (Lloyd and Maccoll version)
From: Joe Offer
Date: 06 Aug 13 - 03:28 AM

It looks to me that the DT version may be a rough transcription of the recording by MacColl and Lloyd, but MacColl/Lloyd don't have that great verse about finding Northwest. Here's a closer transcription:

PADDY WEST

Oh, as I was a-walkin' down London road
I came to Paddy West's house
He give me a feed of American hash
And he called it Liverpool scouse
He said "There's a ship that's wantin' hands
And on her you'd quickly sign
Her mate is a bastard, her bo'sun's worse
But she will suit you fine"

Take off yer dungaree jackets
And give yerselves a rest
And we'll think of them cold nor'westers
That we had at Paddy West's

Well, when I'd had a feed me boys
The wind began to blow
He sent me up in the attic
The main royal for to stow
But when I got up in the attic
No main royal could I find
So I turned around to the window
And I furled the window blind

Take off yer dungaree jackets
And give yerselves a rest
And we'll think of them cold nor'westers
That we had at Paddy West's

Now Paddy he piped "All hands on deck!"
Their stations for to man
His wife stood in the doorway
With a bucket in her hand
And Paddy sings out "Now let her rip!"
And she flung the water our way
Sayin' "Clew up your fore tl'gan'sl, boys
She's takin' in the spray"

Take off yer dungaree jackets
And give yerselves a rest
And we'll think of them cold nor'westers
That we had at Paddy West's

Now seein' we're off to the south'ard, boys
To Frisco we was bound
Old Paddy he called for a length of rope
And he layed it on the ground
And we all stepped over and back again
And he says to me that's fine
"Now when they ask if ye've been to sea
You can say you've crossed the line"

Take off yer dungaree jackets
And give yerselves a rest
And we'll think of them cold nor'westers
That we had at Paddy West's

"Now there's only one thing for you to do
Before you sail away
That's to step around the table
Where the bullock's horn there lay
And when they ask was you ever at sea
You can say ten times round the Horn
And bejesus you're a sailor since
The day that you was born"

Put on yer dungaree jacket
And walk up lookin' yer best
And tell 'em you're an old sailor man
That's come from Paddy West's

As sung by Ewan MacColl and A L Lloyd on the album "Blow Boys Blow". The tune is "Tramps And Hawkers".

source: http://www.worldnavalships.com/forums/showthread.php?p=1728465
I checked this with the MacCo../Lloyd recording - it's a good recording.

Subject: ADD Version: Paddy West (Hugill)
From: Joe Offer
Date: 06 Aug 13 - 03:47 AM

Here's Hugill's version:

PADDY WEST

Oh, as I was a-rollin' down Great Howard Street,
I strolled into Paddy West's House.
He gave me a plate of American hash,
An' swore it was English scouse.
Says he, "Look here, young feller,
Yer very jist in time,
To go away in a big clipper ship,
An' very soon ye'll sign.

CHORUS
Then it's put on your dungaree jacket
An' give the boys a rest,
An' think of the cold nor'westers that blow,
In the house of Paddy West.

2. Now he axed me if I had ever been to sea,
I told him not till that morn;
'Well, be Jasus,' sez he, 'a sailor ye'll be,
From the hour that yiz wuz born;
Just go into the parlour, walk round the ol' cow horn,
An' tell the mate that ye have bin, oh, three times round the Horn!'
Chorus: Then it's put on yer dungaree jacket,
An' give the boys a rest [an' we'll find all the rest],
Oh, think of the cold nor'wester that blows
In the house of Paddy West's!

3. When I got into ol' Paddy West's house,
The wind began to blow;
He sent me up to the lumber-room,
The fore-royal for to stow;
When I climbed up to the attic, no fore-royal could I find,
So I jumped upon the window sill [So I took a tumble to meself] and
furled the winder-blind.
Ch. Then it's put, etc.

4. It's Paddy, me bhoy, he pipes all hands on deck,
Their stations for to man.
His wife, Sarah Ann, stood in the backyard,
A bucket in her hand;
His wife let go the bucket, the water flew on its way;
'Clew up yer fore t'gallant, me sons, she's takin' in a say!'

5. To every two men that graduates,
I'll give wan outfit free,
For two good men on watch at once
Ye never need to see;
Oilskins, me bhoys, ye won't want, carpet slippers made o' felt
I will dish out to the pair o' ye, an' a ropeyarn for a belt.

Source: Shanties from the Seven Seas, Collected by Stan Hugill Mystic Seaport Museum, 1994 - first published in 1961) pages 250-251

Subject: ADD Version: Paddy West (Doerflinger)
From: Joe Offer
Date: 06 Aug 13 - 04:03 AM

...and Doerflinger:

PADDY WEST

Oh, as I went a-walkin' down Radcliffe Highway,
I stepped into Paddy West's house.
He gave me a feed of 'Merican hash,
And he called it Eng-a-lish scouse,
Saying, "Cheer up, my hearty,
For you re just in toime,
Now it's put your name down on the list,
And quick-a-ly you will sign."

CHORUS
Put on your dungaree jackets,
And we'll give the boys a rest,
And we'll think of the cold nor'westers
That we had in Paddy West's!

Now, he asked me was I ever at sea,
I told him, "Three times round Cape Horn!"
"And be Jasus you are a sailor
From the hour that you was born."
(lines missing)

When I went down to Paddy West's house,
The wind began to blow.
Oh, he sent me up in the garret
The main royal for to stow.
When I got up in the garret,
No main royal could I find,
So I turned around to the window,
And furled the window blind.

Now, it's Paddy he piped all hands on deck,
Their stations for to man,
His wife stood in the kitchen,
With a buscket of water in her hand.
The wife let go of the bucket,
And the water it flew its way,
Saying, "Clew up your fore topgallants'l, boys,
She's taking in the sea."

Source: Songs of the Sailor and Lumberman, by William Main Doerflinger (Meyerbooks, 1990 - originally published in 1951), pages 113-114

Subject: ADD Version: Paddy West
From: Joe Offer
Date: 06 Aug 13 - 04:12 AM

One more. I doubt that this is authentic, but I like what he did with it.

PADDY WEST

As I was a'walkin' down London Road,
I came to Paddy West's house,
He gave me a plate of American Hash,
He called it Liverpool scouse,
He said, "There's a ship that's a'wantin' hands,
Now on her you'll quickly sign,
Ah, the mate is a tyrant, the bo'sun's worse,
But she will suit you fine."

chorus
Take off yer dungaree jackets, and have yourselves a rest,
We'll talk of those cold nor'westers,
That we had at Paddy West.

Ah, when we had our feet me boys, the wind began to blow,
They sent me up in the attic, the main-royal for to stow,
But when I got up in the attic, no main-royal could I find,
So I turned around to the window,
I furled the window blinds.

Now seein' you're bound for the Southern Seas,
For Cape Horn you are bound;
Paddy he took out a length of rope, he laid it on the ground,
We all stepped over, and back again,
And he says to me, "That's fine,
Now if ever they ask, 'Was you ever to sea?'
You can say you crossed the line."

Now Paddy cries out, "All hands on deck,"
Your stations for to man.
His wife she stood in the doorway, with a bucket in her hand;
And Paddy cries out, "Now let 'er rip!"
And she flung the water our way,
Sayin', "Clew up your ports t'g'nsail boys,
She's takin in the spray!"

Paddy says, "Now pay attention, lads,
One lesson you must learn:
Starboard is where the ship she points,
And the right is called the stern,
So look ye aft, to your starboard bow, and you shall find northwest."
And that's how I learned navigation at the school of Paddy West.

There's just one thing for you to do before you sail away,
Walk around the table, With the bullock's horn displayed,
And if they ask, "Were you ever at sea?"
You can say, "Ten times 'round the Horn."
You can tell 'em that you were a sailor,
Since the day that you were born.

Put on yer dungaree jackets, and walk out lookin' yer best,
And tell 'em you're a poor sailor lad, that came from Paddy West.

key of F (4:45) live
Jim Hancock – mandolin, voice
Eddie Jeff Cahill - guitar, voice

As performed on the recording:
Jim Hancock and Friends - Blood On The Boards


source: http://www.jimhancock.com/htmfiles/music-lyrics-pyrateblood-paddywest.htm

Subject: RE: Origins: Paddy West
From: Susan of DT
Date: 06 Aug 13 - 06:35 AM

Mathew asked about the melody, which is usually known as Tramps and Hawkers. There are 13 songs in the DT with this melody listed:

CANADIAN TRAVELER
TRAMPS AND HAWKERS
THE YOUNG MAN FROM CANADA
THE LOSS OF THE ALBION
TALL MEN RIDING
SANTA CLAUS IN THE BUSH
PADDY WEST
JAUNTING CAR
DURHAM LOCKOUT
DRIVING SAW LOGS ON THE PLOVER
DAVY FAA
CAPTAIN WEDDERBURN'S COURTSHIP
BRITAIN'S MOTORWAYS

Subject: RE: Origins: Paddy West
From: GUEST,Fred McCormick
Date: 06 Aug 13 - 07:24 AM

Susan, If that last song was written by Ewan MacColl its proper title should be England's Motorway.

There's at least one more song which comes to mind and which isn't on the list, namely The Winding banks of Erne. I don't have any details about my person but it's in one of Colm O Lochlainn's two books of Irish Street Ballads.

Hang on, I've just thought of another. Farewell to the 'Cotia, which appeared on Jack Elliott of Birtley; The Songs and Stories of a Durham Miner. Leader. LEA 4001. It was, if recall aright, a Jock Purdom composition.

Subject: RE: Origins: Paddy West
From: bubblyrat
Date: 06 Aug 13 - 07:31 AM

A version I heard ( Ian Campbell I think ) had the chorus


" Put on your overall jacket ,
   And we'll find all the rest ;
   
   And when the cold Nor'wester blows,
   
    You'll think of Paddy West "

Subject: RE: Origins: Paddy West
From: GUEST,Fred McCormick
Date: 06 Aug 13 - 07:33 AM

I knew I shouldn't have started this. There's also The Hills of Glenswilly. Paddy Tunney. The Man of Songs. Folk Legacy. FSE 1

Subject: RE: Origins: Paddy West
From: Gibb Sahib
Date: 06 Aug 13 - 07:34 AM

It's sung by (presumably traditional singer) Timothy Walsh on the Folk Songs of England album, vol 6, "Sailormen and Servingmaids" (~1961).


I'm not too thrilled with this rendition I did, but I think it may serve one of its purposes: to demonstrate *Hugill's* tune. (I believe most would be learning the song from Lloyd's recording, yet likely few have tried to put the printed version of Hugill their ears, so yeah...for comparison purpose.)

Subject: RE: Origins: Paddy West
From: GUEST,Fred McCormick
Date: 06 Aug 13 - 07:46 AM

Correct. And he sings it to the Tramps and Hawkers tune.

Subject: RE: Origins: Paddy West
From: Jim Carroll
Date: 06 Aug 13 - 08:07 AM

"BRITAIN'S MOTORWAYS"
Listed in 'The Essential Ewan MacColl Songbook' as 'Come Me Little Son.
Jim Carroll

Subject: RE: Origins: Paddy West
From: Jeri
Date: 06 Aug 13 - 08:56 AM

If you click the link to the song in the DigiTrad at the top of the page, you'll get the dots along with the words.

Subject: RE: Origins: Paddy West
From: Joe Offer
Date: 06 Aug 13 - 12:27 PM

So, Doerflinger and Hugill both included the song in books they published in 1951. Do we have any earlier sources?

And whence cometh the clever "you shall find northwest" verse, which isn't in Hugill, Doerflinger, or MacColl/Lloyd?

-Joe-

Subject: RE: Origins: Paddy West
From: Jim Carroll
Date: 06 Aug 13 - 12:46 PM

"Do we have any earlier sources?"
Manavilins by Rex Clements - published 1928, collected between 1890 and 1920
Collected around the same time as the book was published by James Madison Carpenter
Jim Carroll

Subject: RE: Origins: Paddy West
From: Reinhard
Date: 06 Aug 13 - 01:35 PM

This is Timothy Walsh's version on the Folk Songs of England album, vol 6, "Sailormen and Servingmaids". It was recorded by Cyril Tawney for the BBC Sound archive on April 5, 1960 in Devonport, Devon.

PADDY WEST

Now, as I took a walk down Grand Street, I stepped into Paddy West's house,
He gave me a feed of American hash and he called it English scouse.
He said, "Cheer up, my hearty, you just came in in time
To put your name upon the book as quickly as you can sign."

Chorus (after each verse):
    Put on your dungaree jacket and give the boys a rest,
    Think of the cold nor-wester that we had in Paddy West's!

As I went in to Paddy West's house, the gale began to blow.
He sent me up in the garret, the main-royal for to stow.
As I went up in the garret, no main-royal could I find,
So I slewed around to the window and I furled the window blind.

Paddy's wife stood in the kitchen, a bucket of water in her hand.
Paddy pipes all hands upon deck, all the stays'ls for to man.
Paddy's wife left hold that bucket and the water flew each way,
Saying, "Clew up your fore to-gant-s'ls, boys, we're taking in the say."

If there's any other young man that wishes to go to sea,
Let him step in to Paddy West's house, he'll sign you right away.
He'll swear you you are a sailor from the hour that you were born.
If he'll ask you, "Were you ever at sea?", tell him, "Three times around Cape Horn!"

Subject: RE: Origins: Paddy West
From: Joe Offer
Date: 06 Aug 13 - 01:51 PM

Thanks, Jim and Reinhard. I found Manavilins at Google Books. Unfortunately, since it was published in 1928, it is not available for review.

Can anybody post the version of "Paddy West" from this book?

Thanks.

-Joe-

Subject: ADD Version: Paddy West (Killen)
From: Reinhard
Date: 06 Aug 13 - 01:58 PM

This is Louis Killen on his CD Sailors, Ships & Chanteys. It's very similar to A.L. Lloyd's version:


PADDY WEST

As I went walkin' down London Road, I come to Paddy West's house,
He gave me a meal of American hash and he said it was Liverpool scouse,
He said, "There's a ship, she's wantin' hands, and on her you must sign,
Oh, the mate's a bastard, the bosun's worse, but she will suit you fine."

Chorus (after each verse):
    So take off your dungaree jacket, and give yourselves a rest,
    And we'll think on them cold nor'westers that we had at Paddy West's.

And it's when the meal was over, boys, the wind began to blow.
Paddy sends me to the attic, the main-royal for to stow,
But when I got to the attic, why, no main-royal could I find,
So I turned myself 'round to the window, boys, and I furled the window blind.

Now Paddy he calls all hands on deck, their stations for to man.
And his wife she stood in the doorway with a bucket in her hand;
Paddy sings out, "Now let 'er rip!" and she flings the water our way,
Sayin', "Clew in the fore t'gan'sl, boys, she's takin' in the spray!"

Now that seein' we're bound for the south'ard, boys, to Frisco we was bound;
Paddy he calls for a length of rope, and he lays it on the ground,
We all stepped over, and back again, and he says to me, "That's fine,
Now if ever they ask were you ever at sea you can say you crossed the line."

And there's one more thing that you must do before you sail away,
Just step around the table, boys, where the bullock's horn do lay.
And if ever they ask, "Was you ever at sea?" you can say, "Ten times 'round the Horn."
And Bejesus but I'm an old sailor man since the day that I were born.

Last chorus:
    So put on yer dungaree jacket and walk up lookin' yer best,
    And just tell 'em that you're an old sailor man that's come from Paddy West's.

Subject: RE: Origins: Paddy West
From: Lighter
Date: 06 Aug 13 - 04:24 PM

Mick Jagger used a variant of the "Tramps and Hawkers" tune when he sang "The Wild Colonial Boy" in the film "Ned Kelly."

The movie has a second tune for "WCB" as well - and not the usual one.

Subject: RE: Origins: Paddy West
From: Joe Offer
Date: 07 Aug 13 - 01:26 AM

OK, so let's take a look at all this. Here are the common verses:

• American hash/scouse
  
• Garret/furled the window blind
  
• wife/water
  
• length of rope/crossed the line
  
• bullock's horn/round the horn

Those are the five verses that all the versions seem to have in common. The two others that stand out are the one about finding northwest, and then there's one verse in the DT that doesn't seem to fit anywhere or appear in other versions:

To every two men that graduates, I'll give one outfit free,
For two good men on watch at once, ye never need to see,
Oilskins, me boys, ye'll never want, carpet slippers made of felt,
I'll dish out to the pair o' you, and a rope yarn for a belt.

Anybody know the source of these two verses?

-Joe-

Subject: RE: Origins: Paddy West
From: Gibb Sahib
Date: 07 Aug 13 - 01:39 AM

Joe,
The "graduates" themed verse is in Hugill.

Subject: RE: Origins: Paddy West
From: Jim Carroll
Date: 07 Aug 13 - 01:58 AM

Manevilins
"since it was published in 1928, it is not available for review"
I hadn't heard of it before now, but found the reference in Roud.
When I Googled it I found there were several reprint copies on line for a reasonable price - Amazon had display copies, but had it marked as 'no longer available' - we have a moratorium on book buying at present (***** septic tank estimate) so I didn't take it further), but if anybody is interested I'm sure it wouldn't be too hard to find.
I would be very surprised if some of the shanty buffs (Gibb Sahib) didn't have some information.
As far as the Carpenter Collection version goes - I know there is a team working on this massive collection in the UK, (Julia Bishop) and I think there is a website.
I have print copies of some of the collection which included some shanties, will check later when the rest of the world wakes up.
Jim Carroll

Subject: RE: Origins: Paddy West
From: Gibb Sahib
Date: 07 Aug 13 - 02:51 AM

I haven't looked at Clement's _Manevilins_ (though I'd like to - it's just not top priority) because it specifically says it does not contain chanties! :0

However, it would probably be best to look there before speculating too far.

Since we don't know (usually) what we are getting from Lloyd, I'd not assume his rendition was necessarily anything directly given over to him by a traditional singer. When he recorded Blow Boys Blow in the mid/late 50s, he definitely had access to Doerflinger's volume and he used it—not necessarily for this song, though he surely looked at it!

Doerflinger's presentation is mostly from William Laurie, born 1862 in Greenock, Scotland. First went to sea circa 1876. Doerflinger recorded him in 1940 at Sailors' Snug Harbor (Staten Island, New York). A couple lines from the singing of John O'Brien (also of Sailors' Snug Harbor) are mixed in. In the Appendix, Doerflinger gives variant versions of the chorus as sung by O'Brien and by Capt. James P. Barker.

Doerflinger also notes that bits of the song's text can be found in these sources:

1926         Boughton, Captain George P. _Seafaring_. London: Faber & Gwyer Ltd.
1906         Bernard, D.H. "Sea Songs and Chanties." _The Nautical Magazine_ 75. 431-435.

Hugill says there are bits in:
1953         Shaw, Captain Frank. _The Splendour of the Seas._ London: Edward Stanford Ltd.

Subject: RE: Origins: Paddy West
From: Lighter
Date: 07 Aug 13 - 07:18 PM

I will post the Manavilins text as soon as I can dig it out.

As I recall, it's closer to Hugill than to Lloyd.

Subject: RE: Origins: Paddy West
From: Lighter
Date: 07 Aug 13 - 07:25 PM

Meanwhile, from Basil Lubbock's "The Western Ocean Packets" (1921), pp. 98-99:

"Thus the Liverpool crimps found themselves compelled to palm off landsmen on the Yankee skippers. The methods of one of the best known, Paddy West, are told in a famous chanty:

                As I was walking down Great Howard Street,
                I walked into Paddy West's house.
                He gave me a plate of American hash
                And sore it was English scouse.
                Says he, 'Come here, young fellow,
                For now you're just in time
                To go away in a clipper ship
                And very soon you'll sign.'

Having given him a taste of sea-hash, he next put him into a sailor's jumper. The tyro 'twas then ready for the bucket of salt water, which was upset over him by Paddy's cook, a certain notorious Mrs. Waters. This was the 'cold nor'wester' in the old chorus.

                Put on your dungaree jacket,
                And give the boys a rest,
                And think of the cold nor'wester
                You had down at Paddy West's.

A huge bullock's horn was next placed on the table, and round this the budding sailor had to walk three times. Then, indeed, his deep-water experience was complete; he was in a position to say that he had eaten sea-fare, had had the spray of a cold nor'wester down his back, and had been three times round the horn. It was a simple little comedy, and one can hardly imagine a gimlet-eyed Yankee ever being taken in by it."

Subject: RE: Origins: Paddy West
From: Lighter
Date: 07 Aug 13 - 07:40 PM

Bernard, 1906 (Nautical Magazine) (as cited by Gibb, and clearly Lubbock's source):

    "In speaking of the old days, what ancient mariner has not heard of that conscientious old Salt, Paddy West, who made a long-shore living by keeping a boarding house at Liverpool. Tales told of him by men in the old days would fill volumes. One in particular comes to my memory, and for the benefit of our younger mariners it will not be out of place here :—

    "Hard up for men, as a large clipper ship was about to sign on her crew, Paddy invited a country yokel with salt-water ambitions to come to his house and taste sea-hash. Then he dressed him in dungarees and engaged a certain Mrs. Waters (evidently the house cook and bottle washer) to dash a bucket of salt water over him. Having gone through these operations, the prospective mariner was gravely ordered by the ancient Paddy to walk three times round a large table upon which stood a huge bullock's horn. 'Now!' says Paddy, 'should the captain or shipping master ask you any questions when signing on, you can truthfully state that you have been round the horn (Cape Horn) three times, and that you have tasted the icy sea-spray of the nor'-west.'

    "The old Salts used to sing this yarn in verse, of which the following is a sample:-


    " As I was a-walking down Great Howard Street
       I walked into Paddy West's house,
       He gave me a plate of American hash
       And swore it was English scouse.
       Says he,'come here, young fellow,
       For now you're just in time
       To go away in a clipper ship,
       And very soon you'll sign.'
            
                Chorus.

       Put on your dungaree jacket,
          And give the boys a rest,
       And think of the cold nor'-waster
          You had down in Paddy West's."

Subject: RE: Origins: Paddy West
From: Gibb Sahib
Date: 07 Aug 13 - 08:50 PM

Thanks for those details, Lighter.

My personal "top" curiosity about Lloyd's rendition would be where he got the "*Take off* your jackets" thing. This could be the earmark of where he learned it from or, conversely, a sign that he composed a bit himself—including tweaking the chorus to make a different sort of sense. That is to say, all of the "authentic" sources so far have "put on your jacket."

Subject: RE: Origins: Paddy West
From: Lighter
Date: 09 Aug 13 - 05:26 PM

From Rex Clements, "Manavilins," 1928. Clemens says he heard his songs between 1890 and 1910. He gives no tunes.

                            PADDY WEST

Now if there's anyone standing here who wants to go to sea,
He can steer a course to Paddy West's and be served as he served me,
He gave me a feed of cracker hash, and sure it tasted fine,
He gave me a glass that made me cough and called it Spanish wine.

[CHORUS]

So just you take it easy and give yourself a rest.
And tell 'em you're a sailor that's come from Paddy West.

Says he: "You've come to the very place if you want a foreign clime,
Drink up and leave it to me, my boy, you've come in the nick of time.
There's a ship in port that's wanting hands,
                                     and on her you'll quickly sign,
Her mate's a beast, and her bosun's worse,
                                     but she'll fit you good and fine.

And when I'd had a feed, my boys, the winds began to blow,
And he sent me up to the attic the topsail for to stow;
And when I got to the attic, no topsail could I find,
So I walked across to the window and I furled the window blind.

Then Paddy piped all hands on deck, the stations to be manned,
His wife stood in the doorway, with a bucket in her hand;
Paddy sings out: "Now let her rip," and the water's flung away,
And it's "Smartly with that foresail, boys,
                                     she's taking on the spray."

And now we're off to the south'ard, boys, to 'Frisco we are bound,
And Paddy called for a piece of rope and passed it quickly round,
And I stepped across and back again, and he says to me "That's fine,"
When they ask if you've been to sea you can say
                                     you've crossed the Line.

And now the only thing to do before you sign away -
You've crossed the Line and stowed the jib and been soaked with spray,
Is to step around that table there on which there is a horn,
And you can say you've rounded it ten times since you were born.

Subject: RE: Origins: Paddy West
From: Mathew Raymond
Date: 06 Feb 14 - 02:34 PM

Does anyone know of an artist that performs this the way A.L. Lloyd does on Blow Boys Blow?

Subject: RE: Origins: Paddy West
From: Keith A of Hertford
Date: 07 Feb 14 - 09:49 AM

Samson gives a Shanty "Paddy Doyle" which he says relates to a Liverpool boarding house keeper.
He ascribes to said Doyle the same story of him having a cow's horn in the yard which he chased sailors around to give them the authentic qualification.

He gives the shanty "Blow Boys Blow" but it is unrelated to the Paddy West shanty given here.

Subject: RE: Origins: Paddy West
From: Steve Gardham
Date: 07 Feb 14 - 11:07 AM

Paddy Doyle is a well-known chantey. I think Samson has confused the two.

Subject: RE: Origins: Paddy West
From: GUEST,Shanty Lover Soph
Date: 30 Jan 21 - 06:11 PM

Regarding the lyrics referenced in "Manavilins" I used to listen to a version of Paddy West that included "So just you take it easy and give yourself a rest".

Is anyone familiar with a version that uses that lyric? I'm having a hell of a time trying to track it down, but it has a lot of emotional significance for me.

Thanks in advance!

Subject: RE: Origins: Paddy West
From: Lighter
Date: 30 Jan 21 - 07:53 PM

E. G. Constantine, "Marine Engineers' Life at Sea," The Practical Engineer (Manchester) (July 17, 1896), p. 73:

"Paddy West, of Liverpool. It is said that Paddy extended a welcome to all able-bodied men who were out of work and willing to go to sea, without being too inquisitive regarding their antecedents. Some of Paddy's clients might happen to be sailors or firemen down on their luck, but the detail of utter unacquaintance with the sea was no disqualification, as he undertook to supply the education necessary for an A.B. or a fireman, which is said to have been accomplished as follows: Paddy's backyard was furnished with a mast and ratlins, and when the would-be sailors could run up the ratlins without falling off, they were considered competent to ship as seamen. Those qualifying for firemen were required to throw coal from the coal heap through a barrel with the ends knocked out, and then back again until they could do this without spilling any off the shovel or missing the barrel, when they were regarded as full-blown firemen. The men were housed and fed until a ship was found for them, when they were furnished with a so called kit, their host taking their advance note in payment for his services. When steamers were leaving dock with men short, substitutes could generally be obtained from 'Paddy,' and although some of those he supplied were really good firemen who had been glad to avail themselves of the asylum afforded by him, some, and in the writer's experience a great many, were utter novices to the stokehole, and had to be initiated into the art of firing from the very beginning by the engineer who was unlucky enough to get them on his watch, and who frequently had to supply their defection through sea-sickness and ignorance and stupidity by taking a shovel himself more or less often in a watch. It must be stated that Paddy West occupied a position of extreme usefulness to both owners and men, for the former were saved detention of their ships, and men were found work which they might otherwise have failed to obtain."

No mention of the song though.

Subject: RE: Origins: Paddy West
From: Lighter
Date: 30 Jan 21 - 08:33 PM

Frederick William Wallace, "Wooden Ships and Iron Men" (1924), p. 176:

"A 'Paddy Wester' was an impostor, a fake seaman 'traveling in a dead man's discharge.' The name originated with one Paddy West, who kept a sailors' boarding-house and 'seaman's college' at Liverpool back in the old days. West had a ship's wheel rigged up in his back yard, and he would take aspiring recruits for seamen's berths and show them how to steer at this wheel. Practice in going aloft and furlong sail was given by having the pupils nip up to the attic and make the window-blind fast. Then the candidates for Able Seamen's berths were made to march three times around a table on which was a bullock's horn, a ritual which Paddy explained was necessary if a man would speak the truth when the mate asked questions. 'And if he asks ye where ye've been, boys, ye kin tell him, widout the word of a lie, that ye've been around the Horn three times, but ye don't need to tell him it was a bullock's horn. After a few days of such teaching, the passed candidate was rigged out in a well-worn dungaree suit, his hands were stained with tar, and with a sheath-knife around his waist on a plaited rope-yarn, and a dead man's discharge in his pocket, he was shipped in all his colossal ignorance aboard some ship as an Able-bodied Seaman, Paddy West taking the whole of the man's advance pay as his fee."

Subject: RE: Origins: Paddy West
From: Lighter
Date: 30 Jan 21 - 08:42 PM

Cedric W. Windas, "Traditions of the Navy," Brooklyn, N.Y. (1942), p. 132:

                        "PADDY WESTER

"Here is an old-time term of opprobrium for a seaman whose lubberly behavior belied the rating recorded on his discharge.

"It came into use in the '80's, and had reference to a scoundrelly boarding house keeper in Liverpool named Paddy West.

"Sail was on the decline; seamen for deepwater square-riggers hard to get. Masters waiting to clear would pay big money to any crimp who could provide a crew. Paddy had a bright idea. He traversed the slums of Liverpool and gathered up the outcasts of that city on the Mersey. Drunks, barflies, the importunate, and the needy . . . took 'em all to his boarding house and fed 'em. But he was careful to lock them up at night, so that none might escape back to their natural habitat, the gutters.

"In his dining room was a table above which was suspended a pair of varnished cow-horns.

"Each outcast was made to walk around the table so that when the time came he could truthfully say he had 'been around the Horn.'

"In an enclosure back of the house, Paddy set up an old ship's wheel. Here the outcasts stood and swung the wheel until they had digested the rudiments of 'port your helm,' 'up helm,' etc., etc.

"Paddy's wife now enters the picture. This old harridan would perch
on the fence near the embryo helmsman, and throw buckets of salt
water over him, to give his pitiful clothes the appearance of being caked with brine.

"The training period was now finished. The dead-beats were now fully qualified A.B.'s, and received a cleverly faked discharge which testified to same.

"Remained then only for Paddy to contact the masters and mates of the waiting ships.

"Sure! He had plenty of men. All A.B.'s and crackerjack helmsmen. Plenty of 'em been 'round the Horn' half a dozen times.

“'How much? Well, now, “Honest Paddy" they calls me, and I wouldn't want ter take advantage of the good captain's needs. Shall we say three month's advance on each man's wages? . . .'”

Subject: RE: Origins: Paddy West
From: Steve Gardham
Date: 31 Jan 21 - 06:46 AM

A brilliant summary of a great traditional song!????

Subject: RE: Origins: Paddy West
From: Lighter
Date: 31 Jan 21 - 11:01 AM

I don't think there's much doubt that Lloyd tweaked and edited and rewrote, perhaps on the basis of all of the cited sources.

My attitude toward Lloyd's versions has mellowed over the past few years.

Lloyd's ersatz versions are nearly always in the spirit and idiom of his original sources. If his songs were teleported back in time, it's hard to imagine anyone in the past objecting. They would be just as acceptable as any "authentic" version of the song.

There's the case, of course, of Reynardine's "teeth," which is not a detail anybody before the Hollywood era would have been likely to invent, but that's an unusual exception, I think.

Scholarship, of course, needs to separate the sheep from the goats, but otherwise - except for their polish - Lloyd's versions may be as typical as any.

Subject: RE: Origins: Paddy West
From: GUEST,#
Date: 10 Jul 21 - 02:17 PM

https://intheboatshed.net/2010/11/10/11805/

Some discussion about the song at that link; also, it has some stanzas that may not have been posted as yet. ??

Subject: RE: Origins: Paddy West
From: GUEST,#
Date: 10 Jul 21 - 04:08 PM

The melody is Roddy McCorley-ish in the opening piece of the stanzas.