The Mudcat Café TM
Thread #4826   Message #26633
Posted By: Barry Finn
27-Apr-98 - 03:39 PM
Thread Name: Req. more verses; Riley (shanty) ?
Subject: Req. more verses; Riley (shanty) ?
I'm looking to find more verses to this work song from the Georgia Sea Islands. Some of it goes as follows;

Riley, Riley where was you
Oh Riley, oh man
Riley gone to London Bay
Bye, bye my Riley, oh man

Riley's gone to Liverpool
Oh Riley, oh man
Riley's gone & I'll go too
Bye, bye my Riley, oh man

The Democrat Riley
Oh Riley, oh man
The Democrat Riley
Bye, bye my Riley, oh man

Wish I was Captain Riley's son
I'd stay at home & drink good rum

I thought i heard the Captain sat
Tomorrow is our sailing day

I realize there could be any amount of verses that would fit, I'm looking for anything that would be considered as part of this song. It's a great song & I don't feel like throwing extra verses in just to make it a little longer. BTW, I have no idea about the Democrat Riley reference, can anyone shead some light on that? Lomax says "that this was sung to assist longshore gangs in loading timber onto schooners when Brunswick, Georgia was a great lumber port. It's an example of the kind of song Afro-American sailors took to sea, & of the well documented contributions of Afro-American chanteys to the British sea song tradition". Thanks for any help. Barry