Tug Of War Shanty Needed

Subject: Tug Of War Shanty Needed
From: Naemanson
Date: 06 Oct 03 - 12:56 AM

This Friday we are having a big office party down at Gab Gab Beach here on Guam. One of the games we plan is a tug of war match. I got to thinking it was of little use being a shnty singer if I don't put it to practical use.

The secret to tug of war is to use a series of pulls instead of one long pull. That puts the other team at a disadvantage and they cannot keep their feet. The pulls have to be fairly rapid so a slow shanty will not work. I was thinking of South Australia or Away Rio sung fast.

Any suggestions?

Subject: RE: Tug Of War Shanty Needed
From: Celtaddict
Date: 06 Oct 03 - 01:00 AM

I suspect a runaway or capstan would work better than a short haul; the short hauls signal their punches too much. South Australia sounds good; what about General Taylor? I love both tug-of-wars and fitting shanties to all sorts of tasks.

Subject: RE: Tug Of War Shanty Needed
From: Gurney
Date: 06 Oct 03 - 03:13 AM

Paddy Doyle's Boots? You could always re-write it to take the mickey out of the opposing team.
"To me way-hey-hey (uh) Tom Jones is an ugly old man. (uh)
To me way-hey-hey (uh) we hope he falls flat on his can. (uh)

Subject: RE: Tug Of War Shanty Needed
From: John MacKenzie
Date: 06 Oct 03 - 06:22 AM

New York Girls?
Giok

Subject: RE: Tug Of War Shanty Needed
From: Charley Noble
Date: 06 Oct 03 - 08:23 AM

Brett-

Why don't you rework "Alabama John Cherokee." That should keep someone off-balance. Just don't get racked up yourself!

Cheerily,
Charley Noble

Subject: RE: Tug Of War Shanty Needed
From: Barbara
Date: 06 Oct 03 - 08:25 AM

How about John Kenaka?
Or Roll the old Chariot Along, personalized either for your team
or against the other,
Blessings,
Barbara

Subject: RE: Tug Of War Shanty Needed
From: GUEST,ClaireBear
Date: 06 Oct 03 - 10:34 AM

How about Heave away me Johnnies? Both the rhythm and the chanty line part of the content seem appropriate, though you might want to rewrite the verses:

Heave away, me Johnnies. Heave away -- away! ( ... ) And away, me bully boys, we're all bound to go.

Claire

(By the way, I never miss a single episode of News from Guam! Please keep on sharing your adventures.)

Subject: RE: Tug Of War Shanty Needed
From: curmudgeon
Date: 06 Oct 03 - 10:37 AM

Old Billy Reilly -- fairly fast and furious; or Little Sally Racket.

Subject: RE: Tug Of War Shanty Needed
From: NH Dave
Date: 06 Oct 03 - 12:19 PM

One summer in Thailand we held a Fourth of July Luau ( we had some Hawaiian troops with us) for all hands, including a small detachment of the New Zealand Special Air Service men. They beat all comers with something like this, untill one of our lads cheated and tied the anchor end of his side to a large truck. Even they they started the truck moving before the fraud was discovered.

   They arrayed themselves along the rope, alternting sides of the rops, and counted off from one to about ten if memory serves. When the signal to begin was given one of their number started off, "Evens pull, Odds hold, Unnnnhhh!, Odds pull, Evens hold, Unnnhhh!" In less than a minute they pulled each team opposing them through the mud pit, in one to two foot increments.

Spirits being rather high, and noticing that they hadn't gotten a bit muddy, they all dived into the mud pit, beers and all. After everyone was full of beere and roast pig they decided that this was a good way to celebrate thins regardless of the occasion.

   "If you need a real song, though, try "The Song of the Volga Boatmen", which goes something like this:

   Yo Heave Ho, Unh!

   Yo Heave Ho, Unh!

   Uhhhhhhhaaaaaunh!

   Yo Heave Ho, Unh!

Yonder birches on the shore

We must reach them, pull men more

I dah dah, I dah, I dah dah, I dah,

All together now, Pull men more!   

    Dave

Subject: RE: Tug Of War Shanty Needed
From: Dead Horse
Date: 06 Oct 03 - 01:19 PM

It all depends on when you want the concerted effort.
Haul On The Bowlin' would seem to fit, or Dan-Dan:-
Me name it is Dan-Dan (grunt)
I am a sailor man (grunt)
Somebody stole me wife (grunt)
Somebody stole me knife (grunt)
I sure do miss that knife (grunt) etc.

Subject: RE: Tug Of War Shanty Needed
From: Naemanson
Date: 06 Oct 03 - 06:59 PM

I like the ideas of Haul on the Bowline and Old Billy Reilly. They are just about the right tempo. Thanks. I'll post the results.

I also like the idea of tying off the line to a truck. My cohorts in this endeavor are not very big. For those who haven't met me I have some size myself. Fortunately the other teams won't be very big except for the officers. Not sure if they've formed a team yet or not.

Subject: RE: Tug Of War Shanty Needed
From: Naemanson
Date: 07 Oct 03 - 07:06 AM

Believe it or not, Old Billy Reilly doesn't seem to be in the DT!

Subject: RE: Tug Of War Shanty Needed
From: curmudgeon
Date: 07 Oct 03 - 07:11 AM

Old Billy Reilly was a dancing master,
Oh Billy Reilly Oh!

Old Billy Reilly's master of a drogher
Master of a drogher bound for Antigua
Old Billy Reilly's got a nice young daughter
Got a pretty daughter, but we can't get at her
Oh Miss Reilly, pretty Miss Reilly
Screw her up and away we go boys
One more pull and then belay boys

Subject: RE: Tug Of War Shanty Needed
From: Snuffy
Date: 07 Oct 03 - 08:33 AM

Try this thread Lyr Add: BILLY RILEY

Subject: RE: Tug Of War Shanty Needed
From: GUEST,JohnB
Date: 07 Oct 03 - 09:26 AM

Heave her up and away we go, Heave away Santianna.
JohnB

Subject: RE: Tug Of War Shanty Needed
From: The Fooles Troupe
Date: 07 Oct 03 - 10:54 PM

The shanty Dan-Dan may have the advantage that if you get the opposition to listen to the words, they may fall over laughing...

Robin

Subject: RE: Tug Of War Shanty Needed
From: The O'Meara
Date: 08 Oct 03 - 11:00 AM

Haul Away Joe would be perfect it's a long haul chanty with great rhythmn for a tug-o-war.

WAY haul aWAY, we'll HAUL away JOE

O'Meara

Subject: RE: Tug Of War Shanty Needed
From: Naemanson
Date: 08 Oct 03 - 08:54 PM

All good suggestions. Tomorrow is the event. I can't wait to put things into motion. No mud pit though. We'll be on the beach, possibly in the water so those who fall over will get wet at least.

Subject: RE: Tug Of War Shanty Needed
From: Naemanson
Date: 10 Oct 03 - 07:01 AM

Well, it wasn't worth trying to shanty. When we started out planning this party we were going to have a series of games, volleyball, horseshoes, and tug of war. I put together a team and prepared them for shanty work. Then when it came down to it there was no organization at all. Everyone from the upstairs offices piled on to one end of the rope and the downstairs workers piled on to the other end. Everyone was laughing and shouting and falling down and getting up and staggering back to the rope and falling down again.

We won though.

Subject: RE: Tug Of War Shanty Needed
From: Dead Horse
Date: 11 Oct 03 - 04:40 AM

More of a yachting regatta than a full rigged ship, eh?
Looking forward to the "Victory Songs Needed" thread ;-)