185 - Blow, Ye Winds (B) - Capstan Shanty


This version of the "Blow, Ye Winds", according to stan Hugill was even more popular than version "A" from his book. Joanna Colcord gives us this song as a Forebitter, but another American collector, sailor, and author Frederick Pease Harlow give us as a shanty. This version has been preserved by Stan Hugill from his shipmate -- "Taff" Davies of Anglesey -- is closely allied to both. It was sung at the capstan and pumps to the same tune as version "A". Worth noting that Harlow gives us additional two stanzas which are worth singing, so you can find at end of my reconstruction these additional two stanzas.
This song will be reconstructed as the capstan shanty.
"Shanties from the Seven Seas" by Stan Hugill (1st ed p 222).


Blow, Ye Winds (B)


Twas on a Sunday mornin', down 'cross the Southern Sea,
Our ship she lay at anchor, while awaitin' for a breeze,

   - Singin' blow, ye winds, in the mornin',
   - Blow, ye winds, high-ho!
   - Clear away yer runnin' gear,
   - An' blow, me bully-boys, blow!

                                  *2*
The cap'n he wuz down below, the men at their work about,
When under our bow we heard a splash, an' then a lusty shout.

                                  *3*
'Man overboard!' the lookout cried, an' for'ard we all ran,
A' hangin' to our larboard chains wuz a bluff, ol' green merman.

                                  *4*
His hair wuz blue, his eyes wuz green, his mouth wuz big as three,
An' the long green tail that he sat on wuz wigglin' in the sea.

                                  *5*
'Hello!' cried the Mate as bold as brass, 'What-ho! shipmates,' cried he.
'Oh, I want ter speak ter yer Ol' Man, I've a favour to ask, ye see.

                                  *6*
'I,ve bin out all night on a ruddy sea-fight at the bottom of the deep blue sea,
I've just come home and find that ye have caused a hell o' a spree.

                                  *7*
'Oh, ye've dropped yer anchor afore me house, an' blocked me only door,
An' me wife's blocked in an' she can't git out, nor me babes who number four.'

                                  *8*
'The anchor shall be hove at once, an' yer wife an' yer babes set free,
But I never saw a scale from a sprat to a whale till now that could speak to me.

                                  *9*
'Yer figgerhead is a sailor's bold, an' ye speak like a human man,
But where did yer git such a ruddy big tail, answer me that if yer can.'

                                 *10*
'A long time ago from ship 'Hero' I fell overboard in a gale,
An' away down below where the seaweeds grow, I meet a gal with a tail.

                                  *11*
'She saved me life, an' I made her me wife, an' me legs changed instantly,
An' I'm married to a sweet merimaid at the bottom of the deep blue sea.

                                  *12*
'So I'll stay here for the rest o' me life, with never a worry nor care.
Goodbye to the trade of a sailor bold -- my lotwith the fishes I'll share.

*Additional Harlow Verses*
                                  *13*
And now we're all loaded and I don't give a damn,
With anchor weighted and hawser made, we'll sail for Yankee Land,

                                  *14*
We're bound for New York City, in the good old ship Akbar,
The old man bought the consul out with a barrel of Stockholm tar.