Lyr Add: London Pool (C. Fox Smith)

Subject: Lyr Add: London Pool (C. Fox Smith)
From: Charley Noble
Date: 24 Nov 08 - 07:51 PM

Here's a shanty based on one of the earlier poems of Cicely Fox Smith, composed in 1904 before she traveled to Victoria, British Columbia. It seems to work well to a traditional shanty tune but I've done substantial reworking of her lyrics. The original poem follows (copy and paste into WORD/TIMES/12 to line up chords):

By Cicely Fox Smith
From WINGS OF THE MORNING, edited by Cicely Fox Smith, published by Elkin Mathews, London, UK, © 1904, pp. 40-41.
Adapted by Charlie Ipcar, 11/24/08
Tune: inspired by "Whiskey Johnny-o"


London Pool-2

C-------------------F---------C
London Pool's in London town,
F---------C------G
Whiskey for me Johnny-o!
C----------------------F--------C
Where the tall ships anchor down –
F---------C------G-------C
Whiskey for me Johnny-o!
-------------G--C--G---C
Oh to haul the an-chor chain,
G---------------C---F------C-G
Heave-a-pawl and heave a-gain,
C---------G7--------F-----C
Hear the capstan's old re-frain –
F-------------C-------G-----C
Down from London Pool, O!


London Pool's a crowded place,
Whiskey for me Johnny-o!
Ships and crews of every race –
Whiskey for me Johnny-o!
Oh to shake the tops'ls free,
Sheet 'em home so cheer-i-ly,
Free-and-by to the open sea –
Down from London Pool, O!

London Pool's a gallant sight,
Whiskey for me Johnny-o!
Work all day and roar all night –
Whiskey for me Johnny-o!
Oh to shake our heels and go,
Where the Channel winds do blow,
Hail the lights of long ago –
Down from London Pool, O!



By Cicely Fox Smith
From WINGS OF THE MORNING, edited by Cicely Fox Smith, published by Elkin Mathews, London, UK, © 1904, pp. 40-41.

London Pool


London Pool's in London town,
    Ay, boys! O boys!
London Pool's in London town,
Where the great ships anchor down!
O to shake the canvas free,
Hear the cordage cheerily
Whistling to the open sea
    Down from London Pool, O!

London Pool's a crowded place,
    Ay, boys! O boys!
London Pool's a crowded place,
Crafts and crews of every race!
O to hear the clanking chain
Trail along the wharf again, –
Hear the tautening ropes astrain
    Down from London Pool, O!

London Pool's a gallant sight,
    Ay, boys! O boys!
London Pool's a gallant sight,
Toil by day and glare by night!
O to shake our heels and go, –
Feel the four free winds ablow,
Hail the lights of long ago
    Down from London Pool, O!

Cheerily,
Charley Noble

Subject: RE: Lyr Add: London Pool (C. Fox Smith)
From: Charley Noble
Date: 08 Aug 09 - 04:46 PM

I've been revisiting this song and now it runs like this (copy and paste into WORD/TIMES/12 to line up chords):

By Cicely Fox Smith
From WINGS OF THE MORNING, edited by Cicely Fox Smith, published by Elkin Mathews, London, UK, © 1904, pp. 40-41.
Adapted by Charlie Ipcar, 8/8/09
Tune: inspired by "Whiskey Johnny-O"
Key: D (2/C)

London Pool-2

C'----C----C'--------------F'--------C'
Now Lon-don Pool's in London town,
C-----C'-------C--G-------C
Whis-key for me Johnny-O!
---------C'-------------F'-------C'
Where the tall ships anchor down –
C-----C'-------C----G-------C
Whis-key for me Johnny-O!
C"----------C'--F'
Oh to haul the anchor chain,
C'--------C-----C'--C
Heave-a-pawl and heave a-gain,
C"------------C'-----F'
Hear the cap-stan's old re-frain –
C'------------C----C'--C
Down from Lon-don Pool, O!


Now London Pool's a crowded place,
Whiskey for me Johnny-O!
Ships with crews of every race –
Whiskey for me Johnny-O!
Oh to loose the tops'ls free,
Sheet 'er home so cheer-i-ly,
Free-and-by to the open sea –
Down from London Pool, O!

Now London Pool's a stirring sight,
Whiskey for me Johnny-O!
Work all day and roar all night –
Whiskey for me Johnny-O!
Oh to shake our heels and go,
Where the Channel winds do blow,
Hail the lights of long ago –
Down from London Pool, O!

I'm using single and double quotation marks to indicate higher versions of the same chord.

Cheerily,
Charley Noble