057 - A Long Time Ago (G) - (WITH PRESENTATION)

This song was very popular in English and American Ships. It was probably, in the nineties of XIX century of the most-used halyard shanty of them all. Even the German and Scandinavians popularized versions in their own tongues. This song was sung as halyard shanty. The stanzas from stanza 4, as suggested in the book (see "A Hundred Years Ago'"), come from "A Hundred Years Ago'" from page 510 (same book 1st edition).
"Shanties from the Seven Seas" by Stan Hugill (1st ed: p 101).



A Long Time Ago (G)

Old Bully John from Baltimore
   - Timme WAY, hay, HO,high ho!
Old Bully John from the Eastern Shore
   - Oh a LONG time aGO!

*2*
Old Bully John I knew him well,
But now he's dead an' gone to hell.

*3*
A bully on land an' a bucko at sea,
Old Bully John wuz the boy for me,

*4*
He's as dead as a nail in the lamproom door,
He's dead as nail, that son-o'-a-whore.

*5*
A hundred years have passed an' gone,
'Tis a hundred years since I made this song.

*6*
They used to think that pigs could fly,
Can you believe this bloody lie?

*7*
They thought the stars were set alight
By bunch o' angels every night.

*8*
They thought the word was flat or square,
That old Columbus never got there.

*9*
They though the moon was made o' cheese;
You can believe if yer please.

*10*
They thought that merimaids were no yarn,
But we know better 'cos we can larn.

*11*
They hung a man for making steam,
They pitched his body in a stream.

*12*
Oh, a very long time an' a very long time,
'Tis a hell o' a time since I made this rhyme.

*13*
Oh, don't yiz hear the Old Man say,
Just one more pull, lads, then belay!