054 - A Long Time Ago (D)

This song was very popular in English and American Ships. It was probably, in the nineties of XIX century of the most-used halyard shanty of them all. Even the German and Scandinavians popularized versions in their own tongues. This song was sung as halyard shanty. The stanzas from stanza 7, as suggested in the book (see Roll The Cotton Down), come from "Roll The Cotton Down (C)" from page 154-155 (same book 1st edition).
"Shanties from the Seven Seas" by Stan Hugill (1st ed: p 100, 101).



A Long Time Ago (D)

Oh, away down south where I wuz born,
   - Timme WAY, hay, HO,high ho!
Among them fields o' golden corn.
   - Oh a LONG time aGO!

*2*
Oh, away down south where I wuz born,
An' away down south where I wuz born                           

*3*
Around Cape Horn where the salty winds blow,
Around Cape Horn through the ice an' the snow.

*4*
Around Cape Horn we've got to go,
Around Cape Horn to ol' Callyo.

*5*
I wisht to rhe Lord that I'd niver bin born
To be all a-ramblin' round Cape Horn.

*6*
Oh, a dollar a day is a white man's pay,
To pump all night and to work all day,

*7*
Oh, away down south around Cape Horn,
Oh, we wisht to Christ we'd niver bin born!

*8*
Oh, away down south one winter's morn,
Oh, away down south around Cape Horn.

*9*
We're bound to Mobile Bay.
We're bound away at the break o' day.

*10*
Oh, around Cape Horn we're boundcto go,
Around Cape Stiff midst the ice an' snow.

*11*
Oh, 'Frisco town is far behind,
An' the gals down south are free an' kind.

*12*
Oh, fare-ye-well we're bound to go,
Never let it be said we,ll forget you.

*13*
So stretch it aft an' start a song,
A bloody fine song and it won't take long

*14*
Oh, stretch yer backs an' haul away,
An' make yer port an' take yer pay.

*15*
I'll sing ye a song if ye'll git me some gin,
That'll bouse this block right down to the pin.

*16*
Oh, rock 'n' shake 'er is the cry,
The bloody topm'st sheave is dry.

*17*
Oh, haul away when she takes the next roll,
Why don't the Mate shake 'er, oh, Gawd blast his soul.

*18*
Oh, I wisht Johnny Slite would keep his luff,
The bastard thinks we've hauled enough.

*19*
Oh, sweat that yard the Mate do say.
Give one more pull, lads, then belay!