A contemporary halyard shanty, this works well as a slower long-haul or a more punchy short-haul, the latter lending itself to a line up of rollicking, frolicking gay abandoned shanty-people joining in the chorus. It is a two-pull shanty the emphasis on the first 'Oh' and 'Haul' in the first chorus line, and 'Haul' and 'Dol-' in the second.

Apart from the title and the second chorus bearing a resemblance to the "A dollar and a half a day" line in some versions of Lowlands Away this is a completely original sea song.

Although recorded for the Shanty Crew's fourth (unreleased) CD, the studio master recording for this was lost.

In the text below, the brackets give the original lyrics, as written, alongside the final performed version.

A Dollar A Day

We're bound away for the better weather,
    Oh-oh-oh! Haul for the dollar!
We're bound away for the better weather,
    Haul away, for a dollar a day!

Oh poor young (little) sailors, what's the matter?
I love a little gal an' I can't get at 'er.

The cap'n's daughter, she look so pretty
She gotta little house in New York City. (an she live in the city)

Oh she like wine, and she like honey
But she like best the sailor's money

With three month's pay, I goes to court 'er
But that ain't enough for the old man's daughter.

You give 'er wine, you give 'er plenty,
She take it all, she leave you em'ty.

That bosses (boss-man's) gal, I longs ter marry,
With sailor man she will not tarry.

Oh a dollar a day is a white man's pay
But the black man sweat his life away.

It's ten long weeks to my next pay day
So haul 'er high for a dollar a day.

For a dollar a day, we'll haul 'er high,
We'll haul 'er high and let 'er dry.

Oh a dollar a day, hear the old man say,
A dollar a day, come and get yer pay.

(c) Tune and Words S P Belsey - circa 1986.