Briggs, cont.

I'm enjoying the fresh lyrics of some of these chanties.

Next is two versions of REUBEN RANZO -- great to have such an example of two person's variations from the same ship.

//
A hoisting and windlass shanty frequently heard in bad weather was:

RANZO

Solo: Oh Ranzo was no sailor, boys—
Chorus: Ranzo, boys, a Ranzo!
Solo: Oh Ranzo was no sailor, boys—
Chorus: Ranzo, boys, a Ranzo!

He shipped aboard a whaler, boys—

And he could not do his duty—

Oh, they took him to the gangway,

And they gave him one-and-twenty.

Oh, the Captain was a good man,

And he took him to the cabin,

And he taught him navigation.

Oh, the Captain had a daughter,

And she loved poor Reuben Ranzo—

Oh, poor Reuben Ranzo!

Oh, he now sails captain of her,

And he thinks of the times he used to have

While he hugs the Captain's daughter.

Three cheers for Young Reuben Ranzo!

And I'll bid adieu to the girl I loved—

Adieu to the girl with the red topped boots

We touch our glass with a good-bye lass—

(These words are as copied for me by a sailor. The last two lines are apparently improvised and difficult to fit to the tune.)

Another version of the same shanty was written for me by Lawrence, an old sailor of our crew.

ORENSO

Solo: Orenso was no sailor—
Chorus: Orenso, boys, Orenso!
Solo: Orenso was no sailor—
Chorus: Orenso, boys, Orenso!

He was apprenticed to a tailor—

And he did not like his master—

So he thought he'd be a sailor,

And he shipped on board, a whaler—

He shipped as able seaman.

And he could not do his duty.

The Mate he was a bad man;

He lashed him to the capstan,

And he gave him six-and-thirty.

The Captain was a good man;

He took him to the cabin,

And he learned him navigation;

And he had a only daughter—

Orenso used to court her.

Now he's married the Captain's daughter.

Now he sails the South Seas over.

He is captain of a whaler,

And when he gets a sailor

That can not do his duty,

He takes him down the cabin

And learns him navigation.
//

Then, HAUL AWAY JOE. I'm not sure what to make of the many verses, in light of the idea that not many were needed for this. Does Brigg's transcription represent a single performance (actual or ideal), or is it a compilation of verses?

//
        The shanty we most often heard when boarding a main tack or hauling aft the fore sheet was:

HAUL AWAY, JOE

Solo: Once I had a yaller gal—I kept her like a lady—
Chorus: Way, haul away, haul away, Joe!
Solo: Once I had a yaller gal—I kept her like a lady—
Chorus: Way, haul away, haul away, Joe!

Now I've got an Irish girl, she's dirty, fat and lazy—

You'd better sell your fiddle and buy your wife a gown—

I wouldn't sell my fiddle for all the wives in town.

Now I'm sparking a Spanish lass—She almost sets me crazy—

Oh, thence, boys, I'll never give her up for Miss Long-legs-Daisy.

O boys, I'll pass the grog around when i marry the Spanish lady—

O, my boys, she's the lass—She'll court you nice and easy—
//

Next, BLOW BOYS BLOW, with a few fun and original verses. "Monkey's nuts" is interesting!

//
Another shanty frequently heard was:

BLOW, MY BULLY BOYS, BLOW

Solo: Holler, my boys, I long to hear you—
Chorus: Blow, boys, blow!
Solo: Holler, my boys, I long to hear you—
Chorus: Blow, my bully boys, blow!

Blow today and blow tomorrow—

A Yankee ship goes down the river—

Then how do you know she's a Yankee packet?

She fired a gun and I heard a racket.

Where do you think that she was bound to?

For Hongkong, and that's in China.

And what do you think we had for cargo?

Doll's eyes and fly paper.

Who do you think was captain of her?

Old Tom Jones, the big Kanaka.

Who do you think was Chief Mate of her?

Jimmy Brown, the big-bellied sinner.

And who do you think was steward of her?

A long-tailed Chinaman who spoiled the dinner.

What do you think we had for dinner?

Monkey's nuts and baboons' liver—
//

And, WHISKEY JOHNNY:

//
        But the most popular shanty, sung on our bark during the fiercest gales was:

WHISKEY FOR MY JOHNNY

Solo: Whiskey is the life of man—
Chorus: Whiskey, Johnny!
Solo: Whiskey is the life of man—
Chorus: Whiskey for my Johnny!

Whiskey made me a drunken man—

Whiskey made me what I am.

Whiskey drove me to the sea.

Whiskey gave me a broken nose.

Whiskey made me pawn my clothes.

Whiskey made go to prison.

Whiskey killed my poor old dad.

Whiskey drove my brother mad.

Whiskey and me, us do agree.

I drink whiskey when I can.

Now, whiskey gone, my song goes too.

        The shanties for hauling the fore and main sheets are the most ancient.
//

Briggs goes on another voyage in late 1882. The AMY TURNER is off Cape Cod, and they need to get the anchor up in a storm. The 70-yr. old chanteyman gives one of the older chanties, SANTIANA:

//
It was not easy to work the capstan in such a gale and John Miller, of East Boston, the ship-keeper, nearly 70 years old, who had spent many years on the United States Ship "Ohio", started a shanty, of which he sang the verses, while the sailors joined in the chorus and pulled with a will. I took down the words, as follows:

SANTA ANNA ON THE PLAINS OF MEXICO

Santa Anna gained the day—
        Hurrah, Santa Anna!
Santa Anna gained the day—
        All on the plains of Mexico.

He gained the day at Monterey.

He sailed away one fine day—

Oh, that creole gal, she's the gal for me!

She wears red-top boots and her hair does shine—

She's just the girl to make them pine—

We're bound to have her in the black-ball line—

Oh, was you ever in Mobile Bay?

Screwing cotton by the bale—

'Tis there you'll find the boys to shine—

But the girls are all of the blackest kind—

Now we sail from Mobile Bay—

We are bound for Liverpool town—

Oh, there you'll see the girls come down—
//