133 - Where Am I To Go, M' Johnnies? - Halyard Shanty


This is another "Roll" halyard shanty that comes from Stan Hugill's friend, Harding, "Where Am I To Go, M' Johnnies?". According to Stan Hugill, Harding Barbadian from Barbados sang this shanty with many wild yelps and "hitches", this song has been the first time in print in Stan Hugill's "Shanties From The Seven Seas".
It is also worth mentioning, the only one exceptional great use of Harding's wild yelps and "hitches", you can find in cd record attached to Jim Mageean's great book "Haul Away - A collection of Hauling Shanties Compiled by Jim Mageean".
Like many shanties, it mentions the Black Ball Line of Trans-Atlantic sailing packets which operated from 1818 until 1878.


Where Am I To Go, M' Johnnies?


Where am I to go, me Johnnies? O, where am I to go?
   - To me WAY hay, hay, high, ROLL an' go!
O, where am I to go, me Johnnies? O, where am I to go?
   - For I'M a young sailor boy, an' WHERE am I to go?

*2*
'Way up on that t'gallant yard, that's where yer bound to go,
'Way up on that t'gallant yard, that's where yer bound to go,

*3*
'Way up on that t'gallant yard an' take that gans'l in.
'Way up on that t'gallant yard an' take that gans'l in.

*4*
Yer bound away around Cape Horn, that's where yer that gans'l in,
Yer bound away around Cape Horn, that's where yer that gans'l in.

*5*
Yer bound away through ice an' snow, that's where yer bound to go.
Yer bound away through ice an' snow, that's where yer bound to go.