009 - So Early In The Morning (A)

This is another shanty telling of Sailor's shore amusements. It was used both for halyards and pumps. The first line is the chorus, sung as many shantymen sang the chorus of other shanties, as an introduction when they were in doubt as to whether a greenhorn crowd knew the refrain or not. This version is a Liverpool-Irish one.
"Shanties from the Seven Seas" by Stan Hugill (p 52).



So Early In The Morning

    So! early in the mornin: the sailor likes... his bottle O!

                     *1*
The mate was drunken' and he went below to take a swig at his bottle O,
    So! early in the mornin: the sailor likes... his bottle O!

                     *2*
The bottle-O, the bottle-O, the sailor loves his bottle-O,

                     *3*
A bottle o' rum, a bottle o' gin, a bottle o' irish whisky-O

                     *4*
The baccy-O, terbaccy-O, the sailor loves his baccy-O.

                     *5*
A packet o' shag, a packet o' cut, a plug o' hard terbaccy-O

                     *6*
The lassies-O, the maidens-O, the sailor loves the judies-O.

                     *7*
A lass from the 'Pool, a gal from the Tyne, a chowlah so fine an' dandy-O.

                     *8*
A bully rough-house, a bully rough-house, the sailor likes a rough-house-O

                     *9*
A Tread on me coat, and all-hands-in, a bully good rough an' tumble-O.

                   *10*
A sing-song-O, a sing-song-O, the sailor likes a sing-song-O.

                   *11*
A drinkin' song, a song o' love, a ditty o' seas and shipmatessing-song-O,