I would best characterize this as the Ipcar Family version of a fine old traditional song which we originally learned from Richard Dyer-Bennet during one of the many song parties we had at our farm in the 1940's and 1950's. There is a similar song in the DT and several others that refer to crayfish, lobsters, or or other nautical edibles


OLD SHE-CRAB-II
(Ipcar Family version)

Now the old she-crab was sittin' on a post,
Shallow-who, shallow-who,
Now the old she-crab was sittin' on a post,
Along come the fisherman,
Took her home to roast,
Singing ring-a-long, ring-a-long, roo!

Now when he got home his old woman was asleep,
Shallow-who, shallow-who,
Now when he got home his old woman was asleep;
He put the crab in the chamber pot
The better for to keep…

His old woman got up for to do her dew,
Shallow-who, shallow-who,
His old woman got up for to do her dew,
The crab reached up
And grabbed her by the flue…

The old woman hollered as she lept in the air,
Shallow-who, shallow-who,
The old woman hollered as she lept in the air,
The Devil's in the pisspot,
Grabbed me by the hair…

The old man knocked the crab off with the handle of the broom,
Shallow-who, shallow-who,
The old man knocked the crab off with the handle of the broom,
And he and the wife chased the crab around the room…

That old-she crab scuttled out the door,
Shallow-who, shallow-who,
The old-she crab scuttled out the door,
Dropped into the cove and swum from the shore…

Now the old-she crab's at the bottom of the sea,
Shallow-who, shallow-who,
Now the old-she crab's at the bottom of the sea,
Sayin' I might get caught
But they'll never eat me…

Here's a link to my website where you can listen to a MP3 sample of how I sing it: Click here!

As children we always delighted in the escape of the old she-crab! Of course, we were supposed to be fast asleep upstairs while the adults were singing.

Cheerily,
Charley Noble