108 - Roll The Cotton Down ( B ) - Halyard Shanty


A very popular halyard shanty "Roll the cotton down", opens a big family of the shanties, which Stan Hugill describes as the shanty with the word 'Roll'. As a matter of fact, it vies with 'blow' and 'hilo' as the most popular word in a sailor work-song.
The versions of this great shanty are:
(a) Negro Version
(b) Cotton-Stowers' version
(c) Deep-sea version.
(d) Blackball version.
(e) Paddy and the railway.
(f) "A Long Time Ago"
This version is a "Cotton-Stowers' version" theme version.
"Shanties from the Seven Seas" by Stan Hugill (1st ed p 153 ).



Roll The Cotton Down ( B )


Come rock an' roll me over,
   - Oh, ROLL the cotton DOWN!
Let,s get this damned job over,
   - Oh, ROLL the cotton DOWN!

             *2*
Was ye ever down in Mobile Bay,
Screwin' cotton by the day?

            *3*
Oh, a black man's pay is rather low,
To stow the cotton we must go.

            *4*
Oh, a white man's pay is rather high,
Rock an' shake 'er is the cry.

            *5*
Oh, so early in the mornin', boys,
Oh, afore the day is dawnin', boys.

            *6*
Five dollars a day is a white man's pay,
So bring yer screws an' hooks this way.

            *7*
And bring yer sampson posts likewise,
Oh, bear a hand, get a curve on, boys.

            *8*
We'll floor her off from fore to aft,
There five thousand bales for this 'ere ceraft.

            *9*
Lift her up an' carry her along,
Screw her down where she belongs.

            *10*
Oh, tier by tier we'll stow 'em neat,
Until the job is made complete.

            *11*
Oh, Mobile Bay's no place for me,
I'll pack me bags an' go to sea

            *12*
We'll screw him up so handsomely,
And roll him over cheerily.

            *13*
A white man's pay is rather high,
An' a black man's pay is rather low.

            *14*
Oh, come hither, all you slaver boys,
An' come hither, all you bigger boys.