The Mudcat Café TM
Thread #128220   Message #3073237
Posted By: Gibb Sahib
12-Jan-11 - 03:40 PM
Thread Name: The Advent and Development of Chanties
Subject: RE: The Advent and Development of Chanties
The next two are L.A. Smith's original contributions.

First, SALLY BROWN.

//

[score]

Solo.—Sally Brown was a bright mulatto,
Chorus. —Way! heigh! Roll and go.
Solo—Oh! Sally Brown was a bright mulatto,
I'll spend my money on Sally Brown.
Sally Brown was a bright mulatto.
Cho—Way! heigh! &c.
Solo—Sally Brown she had a daughter,
Cho—Way! heigh! &c.
Solo—Oh! Sally Brown she had a daughter,
Her name it was Matilda Jane.
Sally Brown she had a daughter.
Cho—Way! heigh! &c.
Solo—Seven long years I courted Sally,
Cho--Way! heigh! &c.
Solo.—Oh! seven long years I courted Sally,
I mean to marry Sally Brown.
Oh ! seven long years I courted Sally.
Chorus.—Way! heigh! &c.

The last verse resembles the other version somewhat....
//

By "the other version"she must mean Alden's Shenandoah, which has Sally Brown lyrics.

Then comes our "first" SOUTH AUSTRALIA:

//
...The verses are not at all times consistent with the next song, also a capstan one, and they are too numerous to quote in full.

I give the melody as I got it from a coloured seaman at the " Home,"together with a verbatim copy of his verses :—

[score - starts with grand chorus]

*Solo.—South Australia is my native home,
Chorus.—Heave away! Heave away!
Solo.—South Australia, &c.
Chorus.—I am bound to South Australia,
Heave away! Heave away!
Heave away, you ruler king,
I am bound to South Australia.
Solo.—There ain't but the one thing grieves my mind,
Chorus.—Heave, &c.
Solo.—To leave my dear wife and child behind.
Chorus.—I am bound, &c.
Solo.—I see my wife standing on the quay,
The tears do start as she waves to me.
When I am on a foreign shore,
I'll think of the wife that I adore.
Those crosses you see at the bottom of the lines,
Are only to put me in mind.
As I was standing on the pier,
A fair young maid to me appeared.
As I am standing on a foreign shore,
I'll drink to the girl that I adore.
For I'll tell you the truth, and I'll tell you no lie,
If I don't love that girl I hope I may die.
Liza Lee, she promised me,
When I returned she would marry me.
And now I am on a foreign strand,
With a glass of whisky in my hand;
And I'll drink a glass to the foreign shore,
And one to the girl that I adore.
When I am homeward bound again,
My name I'll publish on the main.
With a good ship and a jolly crew,
A good captain and chief mate, too,
Now fare thee well, fare thee well,
For sweet news to my girl I'll tell.
//

Then comes Haswell's collected version of HAUL AWAY JOE.

//
"Haul away." This is a short-rope pulling song of almost equal popularity in the olden days with "Haul the Bowline." It is one of the most characteristic melodies amongst the chanties. At the word "Joe," all hands give a pull.

"Oh once I had a nigger girl,
And she was fat and lazy.
And then I got an Irish girl,
And she was double-jointed.
And then I had a Dover lass,
She ran away with a soldier."
"Away, haul away—Haul away, Joe.

Away, haul away—Haul away, Joe.
Away, haul away—Haul away, Joe."

[score]
//

Then Alden's other SHENANDOAH. Smith seems confused here, first in not recognizing (?) that Alden gave two versions of "Shenandoah," and second in calling the river "Shenandore."

//
The following is a windlass song of negro origin, River Shenandore:—

[score, as in Alden]
//

Then, she has RIO GRANDE (fishes version) as in Alden.