Thanks for those texts, Gibb. Valuably early, full, and authentic.

The Danish-born Hjalmar Rutzebeck (1889-1980) was known as the last American chanteyman. He went to sea before World War I. His chantey texts are often highly idiosyncratic, but his “Ransor” [sic] is pretty mainstream, combining familiar and novel elements.

From “Chantey-Man” (1969):


Oh poor old Robin Ransor
    Ransor, boys, Ransor.
Oh poor old Robin Ransor
    Ransor, boys, Ransor.

Oh, Ransor was no sailor….            [twice]

He was a New York tailor….            [twice]

One day he met a sailor….             [twice]

A sailor from a whaler….             [twice]

He shipped aboard the whaler….       [twice]

On shore he was a good tailor…
At sea he was no sailor…

The captain made him climb the mast….
All he could do was to hold fast….

A sea sick man has little worth….
They scoffed at him and called him turd….

A happy day to Robin came….
He was as good as any man.

(The meeting with a sailor resembles a similar line in L. A. Smith's version of 1888.)