The Mudcat Café TM
Thread #168402 Message #4082086
Posted By: Stewie
05-Dec-20 - 08:48 PM
Thread Name: Mudcat Australia-New Zealand Songbook
Subject: RE: Rise Up Mudcat Songbook - Australia
A NAUTICAL YARN
(Anon/Trad)
I sing of a captain who's well known to fame
A naval commander, Bill Jinks was his name
Who sailed where the Murray's clear waters do flow
A freshwater shellback with a yo-heave-a-yo.
To the port of Wahgunyah his vessel was bound
When night came upon him and darkness around
Not a star on the waters its clear light did throw
But the vessel sped onwards with a yo-heave-a-yo
'O captain, O captain, let's make for the shore
For the winds they do rage and the winds they do roar'
'Nay, nay!' said the captain, 'though the wild winds may blow
I will stick to my vessel with a yo-heave-a-yo'
'O captain, O captain, the waves sweep the deck
O captain, O captain, we'll soon be a wreck
To the river's deep bosom, each sailor will go'
But the captain laughed lightly with a yo-heave-a-yo.
Farewell to our sweethearts, the girls we adore,
Farewell to our friends, for we'll see them no more,
The crew shrieked with terror, the captain he swore
We had struck on a sandbank, so we all walked ashore
A song of the Murray River paddle steamers. The words are attributed to Keighley Goodchild, but Ian Mudie thought this very unlikely. The usual tune is 'Villikins and his Dinah". Burl Ives was the first to record it.
R-J, you will recall that it was a favourite of Smokey and Batey.
Youtube clip
--Stewie.