The Advent and Development of Chanties

Subject: RE: The Advent and Development of Chanties
From: Gibb Sahib
Date: 27 Jul 11 - 11:52 PM

In the next few posts I am going to dissect Doerflinger's collection. He has it organized by working-task -- something that, while popular for a while with writers, is not that useful. Like Sharp and Terry and several predecessors, he also followed the practice -- frustrating for my purposes -- of putting notes separate, in the appendix. The goal is, to some extent, to present the items as a collection of songs to enjoy. So much of his notes that accompany the scores are somewhat vague and unsupported. In almost all cases, I think his comments are quite reasonable, and I'm sure they are supported at least by what he has read. But, at this stage in the game (this stage of chanty-writing) most of his commentary IMO is not very interesting. It is an accumulation or repetition of prior knowledge. The specific notes on specific songs are interesting to see how ideas were shaped about them *individually*, but for general purposes, the notes don't add much. So, I'm trimming most of the notes except for ones attributed to informants.

And, I am rearranging the presentation in terms of his sources.

1951        Doerflinger, William Main. _Shantymen and Shantyboys: Songs of the Sailor and Lumberman_. Macmillan: New York.

I'm going off the original version. I haven't compared the revised version of 1970, which I assume only adds comments in light of more recent works like Hugill's, but which does not affect the collected raw material. I don't have my copy of the revised around, so I haven't compared it.

General comments.

Preface dated March 1950.
Songs gathered in New York, Nova Scotia, 30s and early 40s.

Omitted some verses unsuitable for printing. However, he didn't *change* anything, rather it was all transcribed meticulously, with individuals variation given. That's what makes his distinct from almost every other chanty collection.

Had editors to transcribe the music that he'd recorded.
Mary Elizabeth Barnicle made available some recordings of Dick Maitland Also consulted J. Colcord.

On vocal style, notes.

…high breaks, or "hitches," as Captain Tayluer called them……shrill breaks in the voice on one or two notes in each stanza.

I think this is the first time such ornaments were called (in print) "hitches." Something that Hugill would follow up on.

Speaks of "a revival in shantying." The ermergence of shanties circa 1830s was, in his view, a RE-emergence.

Says the white sailors brought shanties with them to cotton ports, and then left with Negro songs. This would become Hugill's "shanty mart" idea.

Subject: RE: The Advent and Development of Chanties
From: Charley Noble
Date: 16 Jul 11 - 10:13 PM

Having read one of Bullen's semi-autobiographical books I would certainly go along with the idea that he thoroughly understood the world of the tall ship sailor. No doubt it was a struggle at the time to find a way to get a book of sailor work songs published, and it's still a struggle!

Oh, here's the lyrics to Neil Downey's recorded version of "Coal Black Rose":

O, me Rosie, Coal Black Rose,
Don't ye hear the banjo
Ping-a-pong-a-pong?
On, me Rosie, Coal Black Rose!

O, me Rosie, Coal Black Rose,
Up aloft
This yard must go!
On, me Rosie, Coal Black Rose!

O, me Rosie, Coal Black Rose,
Strung up like a banjo,
Taut an' long,
On, me Rosie, Coal Black Rose!

O, me Rosie, Coal Black Rose,
The yard is now a-movin',
Hauley-hauley, ho!
On, me Rosie, Coal Black Rose!

O, me Rosie, Coal Black Rose,
The Mate he comes around, boys,
Dinging an' a dang!
On, me Rosie, Coal Black Rose!

O, me Rosie, Coal Black Rose,
Back in to it, boys,
Rock an' roll 'er high!
On, me Rosie, Coal Black Rose!

O, me Rosie, Coal Black Rose,
One more pull, boys,
Rock an' roll 'er high!
On, me Rosie, Coal Black Rose!

O, me Rosie, Coal Black Rose,
Don't ye hear the banjo
Ping-a-pong-a-pong?
On, me Rosie, Coal Black Rose!

O, me Rosie, Coal Black Rose,
Skipper's on the beach
An' he can't get none!
On, me Rosie, Coal Black Rose!

O, me Rosie, Coal Black Rose,
Up aloft
This yard must go!
On, me Rosie, Coal Black Rose!

O, me Rosie, Coal Black Rose,
One more pull,
An' then belay!
On, me Rosie, Coal Black Rose!!!

Cheerily,
Charley Noble

Subject: RE: The Advent and Development of Chanties
From: Gibb Sahib
Date: 16 Jul 11 - 05:13 PM

Lighter,

The reasons you suggest are interesting. The first suggests that his work simply was not as useful/practical. The second suggests a possible bias.

I was thinking more along the lines of Bullen being *ignored* or unread in the first place, not being reviewed and then rejected.

Your idea about the 1-2 stanzas makes a lot of sense to me. Funny that Bullen gave piano accompaniment, as if the songs were meant to be performed, and yet did not give enough verses to perform! It's highly doubtable that the score-reading conservatory musicians would actually go through with improvising verses, as Bullen suggested! His work shows a horrible clash between two worlds. I think he knew and "understood" chanties as well or as or better than any of the authors on the subject. What to do then, when the conventions of his time compelled him to present them in such a format that was at odds with essential aspects of the genre?

Your second idea is quite profound, especially in terms of some of the discussion that have gone on in this thread. My opinion is that what Bullen said about shanty origins, while less attract-ing, would not necessarily have put off readers. However, I really can't know that. The more interesting question that it does raise is whether *in general* people (readers, not scholars in this case) would have been put off by Black cultural associations, affecting a turn away from that direction, or if those associations were ignored or over-written due to emphasis (and some manufacturing) of strong English cultural associations. In other words, if, as I believe to be true, there was a shift to favoring English "origins", etc., was it because the writers that had the dominant voice were saying that, and their voices came across more loudly? Or were other voices, saying different things, actively rejected. It could have been both. But I lean towards the former. Where the latter happened, I think, was at the level of writing (not reading). Audiences have seemed more open to accept whatever is presented.

All just opinions, and maybe not very clear at that!

Subject: RE: The Advent and Development of Chanties
From: GUEST,Lighter
Date: 16 Jul 11 - 04:05 PM

Gibb, another reason what Bullen was ignored, I think, is that he only gave one or two stanzas per song. Nobody wants to sing just one or two stanzas! Furthermore, he emphasized the African-American side of the subject, which may have lessened the interest for white singers and musicians of the period.

Exactly why shanties have been so generally shunned by African-Americans (and African-Britons) is another minor cultural mystery.

Subject: RE: The Advent and Development of Chanties
From: Gibb Sahib
Date: 16 Jul 11 - 03:55 PM

Whether he meant it or not (hi, Jon!), the key part of Lighter's observation for me is that Bullen's collection has generally been neglected as a source for performers. Tom Sullivan's interpretation, from the _Salt Atlantic Chanties_ album, was based in *Hugill's* "Coal Black Rose."

And this is something to wonder -- why Bullen was ignored. It's clear why Hugill's was popular in later years. But why was Bullen less-used in earlier years? Poor distribution? Unattractive presentation? My guess, in addition to those, is that Sharp's name had pull with the folklore-oriented people, and Terry had pull with the conservatory musician people. But while they both had some disagreements with, or complained about aspects of Bullen's work, Sharp and Terry's own works were informed by Bullen. As was Hugill's.

I am trying to imagine what Hugill's work would have been like without earlier models. Although presumably he still could have given, say, his "Coal Black Rose" learned from Harding, I imagine that earlier authors' versions refreshed his memories!

Subject: RE: The Advent and Development of Chanties
From: GUEST,Lighter
Date: 16 Jul 11 - 10:44 AM

Thanks, Charley.

Subject: RE: The Advent and Development of Chanties
From: Charley Noble
Date: 16 Jul 11 - 09:39 AM

Lighter was musing above whether any other Bullen's shanties had been recorded. Barry Finn and Neil Downey (Finn & Haddie) recorded a spirited rendition of the shanty version of "Coal Black Rose" on Fathom This!, © 2007. "Coal Black Rose" has been traced back to a popular minstrel song of the same name and shares a verse or two. Neil (in the CD track notes) derived his version from "Tommy O'Sullivan while recording at sea on the Unicorn in the early 80's."

Cheerily,
Charley Noble

Subject: RE: The Advent and Development of Chanties
From: Gibb Sahib
Date: 15 Jul 11 - 10:26 PM

[[Halliard Shanties]]

[BLOW BOYS BLOW]
//
15. Blow, my bully boys


1. A Yankee ship came down the river,

Blow, boys blow.

Her masts and yards they shine like silver.

Blow my bully boys blow.


2. And how d'ye know she's a Yankee packet?

The Stars and Stripes they fly above her.



3. And who d'ye think was skipper of her. (twice)



4. 'Twas Dandy Jim, the one-eyed nigger;
'Twas Dandy Jim, with his bully figure.



5. And what d'ye think they had for dinner?

Why bullock's lights and donkey's liver.



6. And what d'ye think they had for supper?

Why weevilled bread and Yankee leather.



7. Then blow my boys, and blow together.

And blow my boys for better weather.



8. A Yankee ship came down the river.

Her masts and yards they shine like silver.
//

[BLOW THE MAN DOWN]
//
16. Blow the man down

This is the shanty which is perhaps the best known among landsmen. 'Winchester Street' is in South Shields, and in the old days was the aristocratic quarter where only persons of high distinction—such as shipowners, and 'Southspainer' skippers—lived.

1. Oh blow the man down, bullies, blow the man down.

To me Way-ay, blow the man down.

Oh blow the man down, bullies, blow him away.

Oh gimme some time to blow the man down.

2. We went over the Bar on the thirteenth of May.

The Galloper jumped, and the gale came away.


3. Oh the rags they was gone, and the chains they was jammed,
And the skipper sez he, "Let the weather be hanged [damned]."



4. Äs I was a-walking down Winchester Street,

A saucy young damsel I happened to meet.



5. Ï sez to her, "Polly, and how d'you do?"

Sez she, "None the better for seein' of you."



6. Oh, it's sailors is tinkers, and tailors is men.
And we're all of us coming to see you again.



7. So we'll blow the man up, and we'll blow the man down.
And we'll blow him away into Liverpool Town.
//

[CHEERLY] Chopinesque!
//
17. Cheer'ly, men

This particular version was sung to me by Capt. R.W. Robertson. It differs but slightly from the version which I originally learnt from Sir Walter Runciman. Very few of the words were printable, and old sailors who read my version will no doubt chuckle over the somewhat pointless continuation of the verses concerning Kitty Carson and Polly Riddle. They will, of course, see the point of my having supplied a Chopinesque accompaniment to such a shanty.

1. Oh, Nancy Dawson, I-Oh.

Chee-lee men.

She robb'd the Bo'sun, I-Oh.

Chee-lee men.

That was a caution, I-Oh.

Chee-lee men.

Oh Hauly, I-Oh,

Chee-lee men.

2. Oh Sally Racket. I-Oh,
Pawned my best jacket. I-Oh,
Sold the pawn ticket. I-Oh, &c.



3. Oh Kitty Carson

Jilted the parson,

Married a mason.



4. Oh Betsy Baker

Lived in Long Acre,

Married a quaker.



5. Oh Jenny Walker

Married a hawker

That was a corker.



6. Oh Polly Riddle

Broke her new fiddle.

Right through the middle.
//


[GOOD MORNING LADIES ALL] As in 1920, with additional lyrics.
//
18. Good morning, ladies all

The title belongs to other shanties as well; but, so far as I know, this tune has never been printed until now. I learnt it from Northumbrian sailors when a very small boy, and have never heard of its use in any other than Blyth and Tyne ships. It may be a Northumbrian air, but from such knowledge as I have gleaned of Northumbrian folk-tunes, I incline to the conjecture that it may have been picked up in more southern latitudes by some Northumbrian seaman.

1. Now a long good-bye to you, my dear,

With a heave-oh haul.

And a last farewell, and a long farewell.

And good morning, ladies all.

2. For we're outward böund to New York town;

And you'll wave to us till the sun goes down.


3. Änd when we get to New York town,

Oh it's there we'll drink, and sorrows drown.



4. When we're back once möre in London Docks,

All the pretty girls will come in flocks.



5. Änd Poll, and Bet, and Sue will say:

"Oh it's here comes Jack with his three years' pay."



6. So a long good-bye to you, my dear,

And a last farewell, and a long farewell.
//

[HANGING JOHNNY]
//
19. Hanging Johnny

This cheery riot of gore is wedded to the most plaintive of tunes, and is immortalized by Masefield in his 'Sailor's Garland.' Nowadays one occasionally meets unhumorous longshore sailormen who endeavour to temper its fury to the shorn landsman by palming off a final verse, which gives one to understand that the previous stanzas have been only 'Johnny's' little fun, and which makes him bleat:
'They said I hanged for money,
But I never hanged nobody.'

I also possess a shanty collection where the words have so clearly shocked the editor that he has composed an entirely fresh set. These exhibit 'Johnny' as a spotless moralist, who would never really hang his parents, but would only operate (in a Pickwickian sense of course) on naughty and unworthy people:
'I'd hang a noted liar,
I'd hang a bloated friar.

'I'd hang a brutal mother,
I'd hang her and no other.

'I'd hang to make things jolly,
I'd hang all wrong and folly.'

Imagine a shantyman (farceur as he ever was) making for edification in that style!

1. Oh they call me hanging Johnny.

Away, boys, away.

They says I hangs for money.

Oh hang, boys, hang.

2. Änd first I hanged my daddy. (twice)



3. Änd then I hanged my mother,


My sister and my brother.



4. Änd then I hanged my granny. (twice)



5. Änd then I hanged my Annie;

I hanged her up see canny. 



6. Wë'll hang and haul together;

We'll haul for better weather.
//

[HILO BOYS]
//
20. Hilo Somebody

This is another of the shanties I learnt as a boy from Blyth sailors, and which has never been printed before. I fancy that 'blackbird' and 'crew' must be a perversion of 'blackbird and crow,' as the latter figure of speech occurs in other shanties.

1. The blackbird sang unto our crew.

Hilo boys, Hilo.

The blackbird sang unto our crew.

Oh Hilo somebody, Hilo.

2. The blackbird sang so sweet to me. (twice)



3. We sailed away to Mobile Bay. (twice)



4. And now we're bound for London Town. (twice)



5. The up aloft this yard must go. (twice)



6. I thought I heard the old man say:—

"Just one more pull, and then belay."



7. Hooray my boys, we're homeward bound. (twice)



8. The blackbird sang unto our crew. (twice)
//

[RUN LET THE BULGINE RUN]
//
21. Oh run, let the Bullgine run

The reference to the 'Bullgine' seems to suggest Transatlantic origin. There were endless verses, but no attempt at narrative beyond a recital of the names of places from which and to which they were 'running.' This version was sung to me by Mr. F.B. Mayoss, a seaman who sailed in the old China Clippers.

1. Oh we'll run all night till the morning.

Oh run, let the Bullgine run.

Way-yah, Oh-I-Oh,
run, let the Bullgine run.
2. Oh we sailed all day tö Mobile Bay.



3. Oh we sailed all nïght äcross the Bight.

4. Oh we'll run from Dover to Cällis.



5. Öh drive her captäin, drïve her.



6. Öh captain make her nöse blood.



7. She's a dandy packet and a flier too.



8. With a dandy skipper, and a dandy crew.



9. Oh we'll run all nïght till the mörning.
//

[REUBEN RANZO] Alden's (1882) version is part of the composite. Adds verses to 1920 article version.
//
22. Reuben Ranzo

Alden gives this version, and I fancy it may have once been fairly general, as several of my relatives used to sing it. The version I mostly heard from other sailors, however, began:… [melodic phrase variant – same as the one in his 1920 article]
But from Mr. Morley Roberts I had the following:… [melodic phrase variant]
Capt. Robertson's version ran thus:… [melodic phrase variant]

I think he[Whall] is right about the absence of improvization on extraneous topics, but I used to hear a good deal of improvization on the subject of Ranzo himself. I knew at least three endings of the story: (1) where the captain took him into the cabin, 'larned him navigation,' and eventually married him to his daughter; (2) where Ranzo's hatred of ablutions caused the indignant crew to throw him overboard; (3) where the story ended with the lashes received, not for his dirty habits, but for a theft:
'We gave him lashes thirty
For stealin' the captain's turkey.'

I have also heard many extemporaneous verses relating his adventures among the denizens of the deep after he was thrown overboard.

1. Oh poor old Reuben Ranzo,

Oh Ranzo boys, Ranzo.

Ah pity poor Reuben Ranzo.

Ranzo boys, Ranzo.

2. Oh Ranzo was no sailor

He shipped on board a whaler.



3. Old Ranzo couldn't steer her,
Did you ever hear anything queerer?



4. Oh Ranzo was no beauty
Why couldn't he do his duty?


5. Oh Ranzo washed once a fortnight

He said it was his birthright.


6. They triced up this man so dirty

And gave him five and thirty. 


7. Oh poor old Reuben Ranzo
Ah pity poor Reuben Ranzo.
//

[DEAD HORSE]
//
23. The dead horse

This shanty was used both for hauling and for pumping ship. It seems to have had its origin in a rite which took place after the crew had 'worked off the dead horse.' The circumstances were these: Before any voyage, the crew received a month's pay in advance, which, needless to say, was spent ashore before the vessel sailed. Jack's first month on sea was therefore spent in clearing off his advance, which he called working off the dead horse. The end of that payless period was celebrated with a solemn ceremony: a mass of straw, or whatever other combustibles were to hand, was made up into a big bundle, which sometimes did, and more often did not, resemble a horse. This was dragged round the deck by all hands, the shanty being sung meanwhile. The perambulation completed, the dead horse was lighted and hauled up, usually to the main-yardarm, and when the flames had got a good hold, the rope was cut and the blazing mass fell into the sea, amid shouts of jubilation.

1. A poor old man came riding by.

And they say so, and they hope so.

A poor old man came riding by.

Oh poor old man.

2. I said "Old man your hoss will die." (twice)



3. And if he dies I'll tan his skin. (twice)



4. And if he lives you'll ride again. (twice)



5. I thought I heard the skipper say. (twice)



6. Oh one more pull and then belay. (twice)



7. A poor old man came riding by. (twice)
//

[TOMMY'S GONE]
//
24. Tom's gone to Hilo

…I have chosen the version sung to me by Mr. George Vickers, although in the first chorus it differs somewhat from the version I learnt as a boy:…
I give Mr. Vickers's verses about 'The Victory' and 'Trafalgar,' as I had never heard them sung by any other seaman. I have omitted the endless couplets containing the names of places to which Tommy is supposed to have travelled.

1. Tommy's gone and I'll go too,

Away down Hilo.

Oh, Tommy's gone and I'll go too.

Tom's gone to Hilo.

2. Tommy's gone to Liverpool,


3. Tommy's gone to Mobile Bay.



4. Tommy's gone, what shall I do?


5. Tommy fought at Tráfalgár.

6. The old Victory led the way.
The brave old Victory led the way.


7. Tommy's gone for evermore.

Oh, Tommy's gone for evermore.
//

[WHISKEY JOHNNY]
//
25. Whisky Johnny

1. Oh whisky is the life of man.

Whiskey Johnny.

Oh whisky is the life of man.

Whisky for my Johnny.

2. Oh whisky makes me pawn my clothes.

And whisky gave me this red nose.



3. Oh whisky killed my poor old dad.

And whisky druv my mother mad.



4. Oh whisky up, and whisky down.

And whisky all around the town.



5. Oh whisky here and whisky there.

It's I'll have whisky everywhere.



6. Oh whisky is the life of man.

It's whisky in an old tin can.
//

[BONEY]
//
26. Boney was a warrior

I never met a seaman who has not hoisted topsails to this shanty…

1. Boney was a warrior.

Way-ay Yah.

Boney was a warrior.

John France-Wah.

2. Boney beat the Rooshians. (twice)



3. Boney beat the Prooshians. (twice)



4. Boney went to Möscow. (twice)



5. Moscow was a-fïre. (twice)



6. Boney he came back again. (twice)



7. Boney went to Elbow. (twice)



8. Boney went to Waterloo. (twice)



9. Boney was defeated. (twice)



10. Boney was a prisoner

'Board the Billy Ruffian. 


11. Boney he was sent away,

'Way to St. Helena.



12. Boney broke his heart, and died. (twice)



13. Boney was a warrior. (twice)
//

[[Fore-Sheet or Sweating-up Shanties:]]

[JOHNNY BOWKER] fore-sheet
//
27. Johnny Boker

This popular shanty was sometimes used for bunting-up a sail, but more usually for 'sweating-up.' Although I have allowed the last note its full musical value, it was not prolonged in this manner aboard ship. As it coincided with the pull, it usually sounded more like a staccato grunt.

1. Oh do my Johnny Boker,
Come rock and roll me over.

Do my Johnny Boker, do.

2. Oh do my Johnny Boker,
The skipper is a rover.

Do my Johnny, &c.



3.Oh do, &c.
The mate he's never sober.
Do my, &c.



4.Oh do, &c.
The Bo'sun is a tailor.
Do my, &c.



5.Oh do, &c. We'll all go on a jamboree.
Do my, &c.



6.Oh do, &c.
The Packet is a Rollin'.
Do my, &c.



7.Oh do, &c.
We'll pull and haul together.
Do my, &c.



8.Oh do, &c.
We'll haul for better weather.
Do my, &c.



9.Oh do, &c. And soon we'll be in London Town.
Do my, &c.



10.Oh do, &c.
Come rock and roll me over.
Do my, &c.
//

[HAUL AWAY JOE] fore-sheet. As in 1920 article, with added verses.
//
28. Haul away, Joe

The major version of this shanty (which appears in Part II) was more general in the last days of the sailing ship; but this minor version (certainly the most beautiful of them) is the one which I used to hear on the Tyne. The oldest of my sailor relatives never sang any other. This inclines me to the belief that it is the earlier version. The verses extemporized to this shanty were endless, but those concerning the Nigger Girl and King Louis never seem to have been omitted.

1. Way, haul away, We'll haul away the bowlin'.

Way, haul away, Haul away Joe.

2. Way haul away. The packet is a-rollin'.



3. Way haul away. We'll hang and haul together.



4. Way haul away. We'll haul for better weather.


5. Once I had a nigger girl, and she was fat and lazy.


6. Then I had a Spanish girl, she nearly druv me crazy.


7. Geordie Charlton had a pig, and it was double jointed.


8. He took it to the blacksmith's shop to get its trotters pointed.


9. King Louis was the king o' France before the Revolution.


10. King Louis got his head cut off, and spoiled his Constitution.



11. Oh when I was a little boy and so my mother told me.



12. That if I didn't kiss the girls my lips would all go mouldy.



13. Oh once I had a scolding wife, she wasn't very civil.



14. I clapped a plaster on her mouth and sent her to the divvle.
//

[BOWLINE] fore-sheet. As in 1920, with added verses.
//
29. We'll haul the bowlin'

This was the most popular shanty for 'sweating-up.' There are many variants of it. The present version I learnt from Capt. John Runciman. In this shanty no attempt was ever made to sing the last word. It was always shouted.

1. We'll haul the bowlin' so early in the morning.

We'll haul the bowlin', the bowlin' haul!

2. We'll haul the bowlin' for Kitty is my darlin'.



3. We'll haul the bowlin'; the fore-to-gallant bowlin'.



4. We'll haul the bowlin', the skipper is a growlin'.



5. We'll haul the bowlin', the packet is a rollin'.


6. We'll haul the bowlin' so early in the morning.
//

[[Bunty Shanty:]]

[PADDY DOYLE]
//
30. Paddy Doyle's boots. As in 1920. A composite.

This shanty differs from all others, as (a) it was sung tutti throughout; (b) it had only one verse, which was sung over and over again; and (c) it was used for one operation and one operation only, viz. bunting up the foresail or mainsail in furling. In this operation the canvas of the sail was folded intensively until it formed a smooth conical bundle. This was called a bunt, and a strong collective effort (at the word 'boots') was required to get it on to the yard.
Although the same verse was sung over and over again, very occasionally a different text would be substituted, which was treated in the same manner. Capt. Whall gives two alternatives, which were sometimes used:
'We'll all drink brandy and gin,'
and—
'We'll all shave under the chin.'
Mr. Morley Roberts also told me that a variant in his ship was—
'We'll all throw dirt at the cook.'

1.        To my way-ay-ay-ah,

2.        We'll pay Paddy Doyle for his boots.
Alternative verses.
2. We'll all throw dirt at the cook.


3. We'll all drink brandy and gin.
//

Subject: RE: The Advent and Development of Chanties
From: Gibb Sahib
Date: 15 Jul 11 - 10:23 PM

1921        Terry, Richard Runciman. _The Shanty Book, Part I._ London: J. Curwen & Sons.

As Bradford & Fagge's short set was the score to the earliest commercial chanty recordings, Terry's collection went on to become a main source for chanties during the 1920s commercial/mainstream shanty boom. Terry had his feet in the world of "legitimate" classical music performances; he was known in that world. And perhaps that is why his work was adopted over Sharp's. (Sharp's would be used by the folklore-oriented Revival performers.) Bullen's work, at least directly speaking, was ignored by performers. As noted earlier, however, my personal suspicions are that many of Terry's forms (most aside from those that were unique to his "Tyneside" collecting experiences) were composite, "ideal" that he created in part through referencing the major collections that preceded him (i.e. like Hugill). He justified this by citing his general familiarity with chanties that came from growing up around sailor relatives. His creations, as performance models, may be "good enough," so far as performances are expected to vary. But I am cautious of using them uncritically as evidence for historical scholarship on chanties.

From the Foreword by Sir Walter Runciman, praising Terry's a a unique new collection of someone who has the life experience to match musical skill, and validating the musical forms. Also notes shanties as part of [British] "folk-music".
//
Whatever landsmen may think about shanty words—with their cheerful inconsequence, or light-hearted coarseness—there can be no two opinions about the tunes, which, as folk-music, are a national asset.
I know, of course, that several shanty collections are in the market, but as a sailor I am bound to say that only one—Capt. W.B. Whall's 'Sea Songs, Ships, and Shanties'—can be regarded as authoritative. Only a portion of Capt. Whall's delightful book is devoted to shanties, of which he prints the melodies only (without accompaniment); and of these he does not profess to give more than those he himself learnt at sea. I am glad, therefore, to welcome Messrs. Curwen's project of a wide and representative collection. Dr. Terry's qualifications as editor are exceptional, since he was reared in an environment of nineteenth-century seamen, and is the only landsman I have met who is able to render shanties as the old seamen did. I am not musician enough to criticize his pianoforte accompaniments, but I can vouch for the authenticity of the melodies as he presents them, untampered with in any way.
//

Most of the introductory/background material comes from Terry's articles in Music & Letters (reproduced verbatim), and I will not repeat it.

More claiming of experience:

//
It may reasonably be asked by what authority a mere landsman publishes a book on a nautical subject. I may, therefore, plead in extenuation that I have all my life been closely connected with seafaring matters, especially during childhood and youth, and have literally 'grown up with' shanties. My maternal ancestors followed the sea as far back as the family history can be traced, and sailor uncles and grand-uncles have sung shanties to me from my childhood upwards. During boyhood I was constantly about amongst ships, and had learnt at first hand all the popular shanties before any collection of them appeared in print. I have in later years collected them from all manner of sailors, chiefly at Northumbrian sources. I have collated these later versions with those which I learnt at first hand as a boy from sailor relatives, and also aboard ship. And lastly, I lived for some years in the West Indies, one of the few remaining spots where shanties may still be heard, where my chief recreation was cruising round the islands in my little ketch. In addition to hearing them in West Indian seaports, aboard Yankee sailing ships and sugar droghers, I also heard them sung constantly on shore in Antigua under rather curious conditions. West Indian negro shanties are movable wooden huts,…
//

And on etymology and spelling again. He says that shanties were English, in contradistinction to French, but with his "hut" theory of etymology vaguely implies he believes shanty origins to lie in the Caribbean.
//
…The 'literary' sailors, Clark Russell and Frank Bullen, have also spelt it 'chanty,' but their reason is obvious. The modest seaman always bowed before the landsman's presumed superiority in 'book-larnin'.' What more natural than that Russell and Bullen, obsessed by so ancient a tradition, should accept uncritically the landsman's spelling. But educated sailors devoid of 'literary' pretensions have always written the word as it was pronounced. To my mind the strongest argument against the literary landsman's derivation of the word is that the British sailor cultivated the supremest contempt for everything French, and would be the last person to label such a definitely British practice as shanty-singing with a French title. If there had been such a thing in French ships as a labour-song bearing such a far-fetched title as (un) chanté, there might have been a remote possibility of the British sailor adopting the French term in a spirit of sport or derision, but there is no evidence that any such practice, or any such term, achieved any vogue in French ships. As a matter of fact, the Oxford Dictionary (which prints it 'shanty') states that the word never found its way into print until 1869…
If I wished to advance another theory more plausible still, and equally unconvincing, I might urge that the word was derived from the negro hut-removals already mentioned. Here, at least, we have a very ancient custom, which would be familiar to British seamen visiting West Indian seaports. The object moved was a shanty; the music accompanying the operation was called, by the negroes, a shanty tune; its musical form (solo and chorus) was identical with the sailor shanty; the pulls on the rope followed the same method which obtained at sea; the soloist was called a shantyman; like the shantyman at sea he did no work, but merely extemporized verses to which the workers at the ropes supplied the chorus; and finally, the negroes still pronounce the word itself exactly as the seaman did.
I am quite aware of the flaws in the above argument, but at least it shows a manual labour act performed both afloat and ashore under precisely similar conditions as to (a) its nature, (b) its musical setting; called by the same name, with the same pronunciation in each case; and lastly, connected, in one case, with an actual hut or shanty. Against this concrete argument we have a landsman's abstract speculation, which (a) begs the whole question, and (b) which was never heard of until a few years before the disappearance of the sailing ship. I do not assert that the negroid derivation is conclusive, but that from (un) chanté will not bear serious inspection.
//

More bibliographic notes:
//
…Of all these collections Capt. Whall's is the only one which a sailor could accept as authoritative. Capt. Whall unfortunately only gives the twenty-eight shanties which he himself learnt at sea. But to any one who has heard them sung aboard the old sailing ships, his versions ring true, and have a bite and a snap that is lacking in those published by mere collectors.
Davis and Tozer's book has had a great vogue, as it was for many years the only one on the market. But the statement that the music is 'composed and arranged on traditional sailor airs' rules it out of court in the eyes of seamen, since (a) a sailor song is not a shanty, and (b) to 'compose and arrange on traditional airs' is to destroy the traditional form.
Bullen and Arnold's book ought to have been a valuable contribution to shanty literature, as Bullen certainly knew his shanties, and used to sing them capitally. Unfortunately his musical collaborator does not appear to have been gifted with the faculty of taking down authentic versions from his singing. He seems to have had difficulty in differentiating between long measured notes and unmeasured pauses; between the respective meanings of three-four and six-eight time; between modal and modern tunes; and between the cases where irregular barring was or was not required. …
//

Method of presentation. He is respecting unique variants – when it comes to melodies, not lyrics. Bowdlerie lyrics.
//
As regards the tunes, I have adhered to the principle of giving each one as it was sung by some individual singer. This method has not been applied to the words. Consequently the verses of any given shanty may have derived from any number of singers. Since there was no connection or relevancy between the different verses of a shanty, the only principle I have adhered to is that whatever verses are set down should have been sung to me at some time or other by some sailor or other.
Of course I have had to camouflage many unprintable expressions, and old sailors will readily recognize where this has been done. Sometimes a whole verse (after the first line) has needed camouflage, and the method adopted is best expressed as follows:

There was a young lady of Gloucester
Who couldn't eat salt with her egg,
And when she sat down
She could never get up,
And so the poor dog had none.


Personal sources/thanks:
//
Amongst those to whom I owe thanks, I must number the Editors of The Music Student and Music and Letters, for allowing me to incorporate in this Preface portions of articles which I have written for them. Also to Capt. W.J. Dowdy, both for singing shanties to me himself, and affording me facilities for interviewing inmates of the Royal Albert Institution, over which he presides. I also wish to express my gratitude to those sailors who have in recent years sung shanties to me, especially Capt. R.W. Robertson, Mr. Geo. Vickers, Mr. Richard Allen, of Seahouses, and Mr. F.B. Mayoss. And last, but not least, to Mr. Morley Roberts, who has not only sung shanties to me, but has also given me the benefit of his ripe nautical experience.
//

[[Windlass and Capstan Shanties:]]

[BILLY BOY] As in 1920, with 2 verses added.
//
1. Billy Boy

This is undoubtedly a coast song 'made into a shanty.' I heard it in Northumberland, both on shore and in ships, when I was a boy. …The version of line 1, page 3, bars 2 and 3, is older than the one given in my arrangement for male-voice chorus (Curwen Edition 50572), so, upon consideration, I decided to give it here. There are many more verses, but they are not printable, nor do they readily lend themselves to camouflage. The tune has not appeared in print until now.

1. Where hev ye been äal the day,
Billy Boy, Billy Boy?

Where hev ye been äal the day, me Billy Boy?

I've been walkin' äal the day
With me charmin' Nancy Grey,

And me Nancy kittl'd me fancy

Oh me charmin' Billy Boy.

2. Is she fit to be yor wife
Billy Boy, Billy Boy?

Is she fit to be yor wife, me Billy Boy?

She's as fit to be me wife
As the fork is to the knife

And me Nancy, etc.



3. Can she cook a bit o' steak
Billy Boy, Billy Boy?

Can she cook a bit o' steak, me Billy Boy?

She can cook a bit o' steak,
Aye, and myek a gairdle cake

And me Nancy, etc.



4. Can she myek an Irish Stew
Billy Boy, Billy Boy?

Can she myek an Irish Stew, me Billy Boy?

She can myek an Irish Stew
Aye, and "Singin' Hinnies" too.

And me Nancy, etc.
//

[RIO GRANDE] learned from an uncle. Looks like a composite.
//
2. Bound for the Rio Grande

The variants of this noble tune are legion. But this version, which a sailor uncle taught me, has been selected, as I think it the most beautiful of all. I used to notice, even as a boy, how it seemed to inspire the shantyman to sentimental flights of Heimweh that at times came perilously near poetry.

1. I'll sing you a song of the fish of the sea.

Oh Rio.

I'll sing you a song of the fish of the sea

And we're bound for the Rio Grande.

Then away love, away,
'Way down Rio,

So fare ye well my pretty young gel.

For we're bound for the Rio Grande.

2. Sing good-bye to Sally, and good-bye to Sue,
And you who are listening, good-bye to you.

3. Our ship went sailing out over the Bar
And we pointed her nose for the South-er-en Star.

4. Farewell and adieu to you ladies of Spain
And we're all of us coming to see you again.


5. I said farewell to Kitty my dear,
And she waved her white hand as we passed the South Pier.

6. The oak, and the ash, and the bonny birk tree

They're all growing green in the North Countrie.
//

[GOODBYE FARE YOU WELL] As in 1920, with added verses.
//
3. Good-bye, fare ye well

This is one of the best beloved of shanties. So strongly did its sentiment appeal to sailors that one never heard the shantyman extemporize a coarse verse to it.

1. I thought I heard the old man say

Good-bye, fare ye well,
Good-bye, fare ye well.

I thought I heard the old man say,

Hooray my boys we're homeward bound.

2. We're homeward bound, I hear the sound. (twice)
3. We sailed away to Mobile Bay. (twice)
4. But now we're bound for Portsmouth Town. (twice)
5. And soon we'll be ashore again. (twice)
6. I kissed my Kitty upon the pier
And it's oh to see you again my dear.
7. We're homeward bound, and I hear the sound. (twice)
//

[JOHNNY COME DOWN TO HILO] as in 1920, with added verses.
//
4. Johnny come down to Hilo
This is clearly of negro origin. I learnt several variants of it, but for its present form I am indebted to Capt. W.J. Dowdy.

1. I nebber see de like since I bin born,

When a big buck nigger wid de sea boots on,

Says "Johnny come down to Hilo.
Poor old man."

Oh wake her, oh, shake her,
Oh wake dat gel wid de blue dress on,

When Johnny comes down to Hilo.
Poor old man.
2. I lub a little gel across de sea,

She's a Badian beauty and she sez to me,

"Oh Johnny," etc.
3. Oh was you ebber down in Mobile Bay

Where dey screws de cotton on a summer day?

When Johnny, etc.

4. Did you ebber see de ole Plantation Boss

And de long-tailed filly and de big black hoss?

When Johnny, etc.
5. I nebber seen de like since I bin born

When a big buck nigger wid de sea boots on,

Says "Johnny come down," etc.
//

[CLEAR THE TRACK] Learned "in boyhood".
//
5. Clear the track, let the Bulgine run

The tune was a favourite in Yankee Packets. It does not appear in Whall. [It did appear in the 4th edition, however] 'Bullgine' was American negro slang for 'engine.' I picked up this version in boyhood from Blyth seamen.

1. Oh, the smartest clipper you can find.

Ah ho Way-oh, are you most done.

Is the Marget Evans of the Blue Cross Line.

So clear the track, let the Bullgine run.

Tibby Hey rig a jig in a jaunting car.

Ah ho Way-oh, are you most done.

With Lizer Lee all on my knee.

So clear the track, let the Bullgine run.


2. Oh the Marget Evans of the Blue Cross Line


She's never a day behind her time.

3. Oh the gels are walking on the pier


And I'll soon be home to you, my dear.

4. Oh when I come home across the sea,

It's Lizer you will marry me. 


5. Öh shake her, wake her, before we're gone;

Oh fetch that gel with the blue dress on.
6. Oh I thought I heard the skipper say

"We'll keep the brig three points away."

7. Oh the smartest clipper you can find


Is the Marget Evans of the Blue Cross Line.
//

[LOWLANDS AWAY] As in 1920, with added verses. From John Runciman.
//
6. Lowlands away

…It was well known to every sailor down to the time of the China Clippers. My version is that of Capt. John Runciman, who belonged to that period. I have seldom found it known to sailors who took to the sea after the early seventies. The tune was sung in very free time and with great solemnity…. In North-country ships the shantyman used to make much of the theme of a dead lover appearing in the night. There were seldom any rhymes, and the air was indescribably touching when humoured by a good hand. A 'hoosier,' by the way, is a cotton stevedore. …

Lowlands, Lowlands,
Away my John,

Lowlands, away,
I heard them say,

My dollar and a half a day.



1. A dollar and a half a day is a Hoosier's pay.

Lowlands, Lowlands,
Away my John.

A dollar and a half a day is very good pay.

My dollar and a half a day.



2. Oh was you ever in Mobile Bay.

Screwing the cotton by the day.


3. All in the night my true love came,

All in the night my true love came.


4. She came to me all in my sleep. (twice)



5. And hër eyes were white my love. (twice)



6. And then I knew my love was dead. (twice)
//

[SALLY BROWN]
//
7. Sally Brown

Although its musical form is that of a halliard shanty, it was always used for the capstan. I never heard it used for any other purpose than heaving the anchor. The large-sized notes [LA TI DO] given in the last bar are those which most sailors sing to me nowadays; the small ones [RE MI DO] are those which I most frequently heard when a boy.

1. Sally Brown she's a bright Mulatter.

Way Ay-y Roll and go.

She drinks rum and chews terbacker.

Spend my money on Sally Brown.

2. Sally Brown shë has a daughter

Sent me sailin' 'cross the water.



3. Seven long years Ï courted Sally. (twice)



4. Sally Brown I'm bound to leave you

Sally Brown I'll not deceive you.



5. Sally she's a 'Badian' beauty. (twice)



6. Sally lives on the old plantation

She belongs the Wild Goose Nation.



7. Sally Brown is a bright Mulatter

She drinks rum and chews terbacker.
//

[SANTIANA]
//
8. Santy Anna

1. Oh Santy Anna won the day.

Way-Ah, me Santy Anna.

Oh Santy Anna won the day.

All on the plains of Mexico.
2. He beat the Prooshans fairly.
Way-Ah, etc.

And whacked the British nearly.
All on, etc.



3. He was a rorty gineral;

A rorty snorty gineral.



4. They took him out and shöt him.

Oh when shall we forgët him.



5. Oh Santy Anna won the day

And Gin'ral Taylor run away.
//

[SHENANDOAH] learned as a boy. As in 1920, with additional verses.
//
9. Shenandoah

…This version (sung to me by Capt. Robertson) is almost, but not quite, identical with the one I learnt as a boy. …

1. Oh Shenandoah, I long to hear you.

Away you rolling river.

Oh Shenandoah, I long to hear you.

Away, I'm bound to go
'Cross the wide Missouri.

2. Oh Shenandoah, I love your daughter. (twice)



3. 'Tis seven long years since last I see thee. (twice)



4. Oh Shenandoah, I took a notion

To sail across the stormy ocean.



5. Oh Shenandoah, I'm bound to leave you.

Oh Shenandoah, I'll not deceive you.



6. Oh Shenandoah, I long to hear you. (twice)
//

[STORMY ALONG JOHN]
//
10. Stormalong John

This is one of the many shanties with 'Stormy' as their hero. Whatever other verses were extemporized, those relating to digging his grave with a silver spade, and lowering him down with a golden chain, were rarely omitted. Other favourite verses were:
(a) I wish I was old Stormy's son.

(b) I'd build a ship a thousand ton.

1. Oh poor old Stormy's dead and gone.

Storm along boys,
Storm along.

Oh poor old Stormy's dead and gone.

Ah-ha, come along, get along,
Stormy along John.


2. I dug his grave with a silver spade. (twice)


3. I lower'd him down with a golden chain. (twice)


4. I carried him away to Mobile Bay. (twice)

5. Oh poor old Stormy's dead and gone. (twice)
//

[HOGEYE]
//
11. The Hog's-eye Man

Of the numberless versions of this shanty I have chosen that of Capt. Robertson as being the most representative. Of the infinite number of verses to this fine tune hardly one is printable. There has been much speculation as to the origin of the title. As a boy my curiosity was piqued by reticence, evasion, or declarations of ignorance, whenever I asked the meaning of the term. It was only in later life that I learnt it from Mr. Morley Roberts. His explanation made it clear why every sailor called it either 'hog-eye' or 'hog's-eye,' and why only landsmen editors ever get the word wrong. …That is all the explanation I am at liberty to give in print.

1. Oh the hog's-eye man is the man for me,
He were raised way down in Tennessee.
Oh hog's eye, oh.
Row the boat ashore for the hog's-eye.
Steady on a jig with a hog's-eye oh,
She wants the hog's-eye man.
2. Oh who's been here while I've been gone?
Söme big buck nigger, with his sea boots on?[3]

3. Oh bring me down mÿ riding cane,
For I'm off to see my darling Jane.

4. Oh Jenny's in the garden a-picking peas,
And her golden hair's hanging down to her knees.
5. Oh a hog's-eye ship, and a hog's-eye crew,
And a hog's-eye mate, and a skipper too.
//

[HUCKLEBERRY HUNTING] from Capt. Jogn Runciman.
//
12. The Wild Goose Shanty

…Allusions to 'The Wild Goose Nation' occur in many shanties, but I never obtained any clue to the meaning (if any) of the term. The verse about 'huckleberry hunting' was rarely omitted, but I never heard that particular theme further developed.

1. I'm the Shanty-man of the Wild Goose Nation.

Tibby Way-ay Hioha!

I've left my wife on a big plantation.

Hilo my Ranzo Hay!

2. Now a long farewell to the old plantation. (twice)



3. And a long farewell to the Wild Goose Nation. (twice)


4. Oh the boys and the girls went a huckleberry hunting. (twice)


5. Then good-bye and farewell yöu rolling river. (twice)



6. I'm the Shanty-man of the Wild Goose Nation.

I've left my wife on a big plantation.
//

[HEAVE AWAY MY JOHNNIES] as in 1920, with added verses.
//
13. We're all bound to go

I used to hear this tune constantly on the Tyne. It is one of the few shanties which preserved a definite narrative, but each port seems to have offered variants on the names of the ships that were 'bound for Amerikee.' 'Mr. Tapscott' was the head of a famous line of emigrant ships. The last word in verse 5 was always pronounced male. This has led to many shantymen treating it not as meal, but as the mail which the ship carried. As the shanty is full of Irish allusions, the probabilities are that the word was meal, to which the sailor gave what he considered to be the Irish pronunciation. Whenever I heard the shanty it was given with an attempt at Irish pronunciation throughout.

1. Oh Johnny was a rover
And to-day he sails away.

Heave away, my Johnny,
Heave away-ay.

Oh Johnny was a rover
And to-day he sails away.

Heave away my bully boys,
We're all bound to go.

2. As I was walking out one day,
Down by the Albert Dock.

I heard an emigrant Irish girl
Conversing with Tapscott.


3. "Good mornin', Mister Tapscott, sir,"
"Good morn, my gel," sez he,

"It's have you got a Packet Ship
All bound for Amerikee?"



4. "Oh yes, I've got a Packet Ship,
I have got one or two.

I've got the Jenny Walker
And I've got the Kangeroo."



5. "I've got the Jenny Walker
And to-day she does set sail,

With five and fifty emigrants And a thousand bags o' male."

6. Badluck to thim Irish sailor boys,
Bad luck to thim I say.
For they all got drunk, and broke into me bunk
And stole me clo'es away.
//

[DRUNKEN SAILOR] for "windlass and capstan." As in 1920, with added verses.
//
14. What shall we do with the drunken sailor?

This fine tune—in the first Mode—was always a great favourite. Although mostly used for windlass or capstan, Sir Walter Runciman tells me that he frequently sang to it for 'hand-over-hand' hauling. …It is one of the few shanties that were sung in quick time.

1. What shall we do with the drunken sailor,

What shall we do with the drunken sailor,

What shall we do with the drunken sailor

Early in the morning?

Hooray and up she rises,

Hooray and up she rises,

Hooray and up she rises

Early in the morning.


2. Put him in the long-boat until he's sober. (thrice)


3. Pull out the plug änd wet him all over. (thrice)


4. Put him in the scuppers with a hose-pipe on him. (thrice)


5. Heave him by the leg in a running bowlin'. (thrice)


6. Tie him to the taffrail when she's yard-arm under. (thrice)
//

Subject: RE: The Advent and Development of Chanties
From: Gibb Sahib
Date: 13 Jul 11 - 07:42 PM

1920        Terry, R.R. "Sailor Shanties (II)." _Music and Letters_ 1(3) (July 1920):256-268.

Continuation of Part I. Here, Terry moves on to give more shanties, filed under type.

A general observation: Many of the examples given seem to me suspiciously like they were drawn from earlier collections (of which Terry sticks to just the major ones, without delving into any side articles or historical literature). They are not wholesale reproductions, but rather, composites, in order to create what Terry might have thought were 'ideal' forms. Terry does mention, at every turn, his credentials—his experience hearing chanties whilst growing up. But while he may have been familiar with the songs generally, I am skeptical as to whether he actually remembered their musical and lyrical details and whether he isn't, rather, using the works of previous others to create his examples. Many have the feel of Bullen's melodies, but the lyrics are fleshed out from other sources.

I know that Terry, like Sharp, utilized John Short as an informant. That would certainly explain some similarities. However:
1) At this point, Terry is not citing his informants, nor is he citing his desk-sources specifically. This suggests a sort of cavalier attitude, more indicative of a performing musician than a folklorist, where the songs are presumed to be "out there" as de-contextualizable (??) objects, regardless of their singers, place, time, etc. In other words, it's OK (it doesn't matter much) if one mixes up details from different sources, and there's no need to mention a sources because any other source would be the same.
2) Trying to compare all the sources, from which I argue Terry may have drawn to make his composites, is difficult. They all need to be in front of you, and it's a time-consuming process that must be done song-by-song. I am not going to do it right now. And, I am going to wait until studying Terry's big collection to see what he claims to be the source of each item.

[LOWLANDS AWAY]
//
LOWLANDS.

Lowlands, Lowlands, Away, my John!
Lowlands, away, I heard them say,
My dollar and a half a day.
A dollar and a half a day is a Hoosier's pay.
Lowlands, Lowlands, away, my John!
A dollar and a half a day is very good pay.
My dollar and a half a day.
//

[JOHNNY COME DOWN TO HILO]
//
Of the more rhythmic capstan shanties, the following rollicking tune (known to every sailor) is a fair sample:-

JOHNNY COMES DOWN TO HILO.

I nebber see de like since I bin born,
When a big buck nigger wid de sea boots on,
Sez Johnny come down to Hilo, O poor old man.
Oh wake her, Oh shake her, Oh wake dat gel wid de blue dress on,
When Johnny comes down to Hilo, O poor old man.
//

[GOODBYE FARE YOU WELL]
//
GOODBYE FARE YE WELL.

I thought I heard the old man say,
Goodbye, fare-ye-well, Goodbye, fare-ye-well.
I thought I heard the old man say,
Hooray, my boys, we're homeward bound.
//

//
Hauling shanties…required for "the short pull" or "sweating up." (Americans called them the long and the short drag).
//

[REUBEN RANZO]
//
REUBEN RANZO

Oh pity poor Reuben Ranzo.
Ranzo, boys, Ranzo.
Oh poor old Reuben Ranzo.
Ranzo, boys, Ranzo.
//

[BOWLINE], "sweating up"
//
HAUL THE BOWLIN'.
We'll haul the bowlin' so early in the morning.
[cho.]We'll haul the bowlin', the bowlin' haul.

So much effort was now required on the pull that it was difficult to sing a musical note at that point. The last word was therefore usually shouted.
//

[PADDY DOYLE]
//
One tune of this type (when a special collective effort was required) was that used to " bunt up " the foresail or mainsail in furling. In this operation the canvas of the sail was doubled in-tensively until it formed a smooth conical bundle. This was called a "bunt," and a strong collective effort was required to get it onto the yard. Only one short tune was ever used for this bunting operation. It differs from all other shanties in being sung tutti throughout:-

PADDY DOYLE'S BOOTS.
To me Way-ay-ay-ah.
We'll pay Paddy Doyle for his BOOTS.

The same words were sung over and over again, but very occasionally a different text would be substituted. Capt. Whall gives two alternatives which were sometimes used: "We'll all drink brandy and gin" and "We'll all shave under the chin." Mr. Morley Roberts also told me that a variant in his ship was "We'll all throw dirt at the cook."
//

The following passage shows that Terry had little or no experience with shanties as they were sung aboard ship.
//
For "pull-and-haul" shanties, the shantyman took up his position near the workers (he did no work himself) and announced the shanty,-sometimes by singing the first line. This established the tune to which they were to supply the chorus. For capstan shanties he usually did the same. He is generally shown in pictures as sitting on the capstan, but so far as I can learn, he more usually took up his position on or against the knightheads.
//

Nature of lyrics again, extemporized, often dirty.
//
Each shanty had one or two stereotyped verses, after which the shantyman extemporised on any topics he chose. There was no need for any connection or relevancy between one verse and another, nor were rhymes required. The main thing that mattered was that the rhythm should be preserved, and that the words should be such as would keep the workers merry. Great license was taken in this respect, and the intimacy of the shantyman's topics was such as to make his extemporised verses unprintable. As Capt. Whall says-no seaman in a cargo-carrying ship ever heard a "decent " shanty, and in passenger vessels the shantyman was given the option of "decent words or no shanty." He mentions the notorious "Hog's-eye man" (to which I refer later) as a case in point.
//

[HAUL AWAY JOE]
//
It is curious that some of the loveliest melodies were those to which the lewdest kind of words were usually fitted. The following is an instance. Only a few verses are fit for print: --

HAUL, HAUL AWAY.

Way haul away, We'll haul away the bow lin'.
[cho.] Haul away, Haul away JOE.

King Louis was the King of France, Before the Revolution.
Way haul away, etc.

King Louis got his head cut off, And spoiled his constitution.
Way haul away, etc.
//

Some quasi-narrative chanties.
//
A few shanties had a definite narrative which was adhered to, extemporaneous verses being added only if the regulation ones did not spin out to the end of the job in hand. One of the most popular of these was " Reuben Ranzo " above quoted. It had two usual versions, one with a happy ending (the captain took him into his cabin and "learned him navigation," afterwards marrying him to his daughter) and the other concluding with the tragedy of Ranzo being led to the gangway to receive "five-and-furty " lashes for his dirty habits. (In yet another version the indignant crew threw him overboard).
//

Role of shantyman.
//
The importance of a shantyman could not be overestimated. A good shantyman with a pretty wit was worth his weight in gold. He was a privileged person, and was excused all work save light or odd jobs.
//

The next part gives clear evidence for my suspicions of Terry's shady presentation. After slamming scholars for looking for "modes", he claims [STAND TO YOUR GROUND" is "modal." However, what he has done is reproduce Whall's example having removed the accidentals (G#'s)! I just don't get it.
//
Like all traditional tunes, some shanties are in the ancient modes, and others in the modern major and minor keys. It is the habit of the " folksonger " (I am not alluding to our recognised folk-song experts) to find "modes " in every traditional tune. It will suffice therefore, to say that shanties follow the course of all other traditional music. Many are modern, and easily recognisable as such; others are modal in character, e.g.:

STAND TO YOUR GROUND
Sally am de gal dat I lub dearly.
Way, sing Sally;
O, Sally am de gal dat I lub dearly.
Hilo, John Brown, stand to your ground.
//

[DRUNKEN SAILOR]
//
WHAT SHALL WE DO WITH THE DRUNKEN SAILOR.

What shall we do with the drunken sailor?
What shall we do with the drunken sailor?
What shall we do with the drunken sailor,
Early in the morning. etc.
//

[HOGEYE] It compares to Sharp's / Short's version in English Folk-Chanteys.
//
THE HOG'S-EYE MAN.

Oh, de Hog's eye man is de man fer me;
He war raised'way down in Tennessee
Oh, Hog's-eye, oh;
Row de boat a- shore fer de Hog's-eye,
Steady on a jig with the Hog's-eye, Oh;
She wants de Hog's-eye man.
//

[MR. STORMALONG]
//
Others fulfil to a certain extent modal conditions, but are never-theless in keys.

STORMALONG.

Old Stormy he was a bully old man,
Tib-by way-oh Stormalong.
Oh poor old Stormy's dead and gone,
Ay, ay, ay, Mister Storm along.
//

Major and minor key switch. Much speculation.
//
Like many other folk-songs, certain shanties originally no doubt in a mode were, by the insertion of leading notes, converted into the minor, key. There was also the tendency on the part of the modem sailor to turn his minor key into a major one. I sometimes find sailors singing in the major nowadays, tunes which the very old men of my boyhood used to sing in the minor. A case in point is "Haul away Joe," already quoted. Miss Smith is correct in giving it the minor form which once obtained on the Tyne, and I am inclined to hazard the opinion that that was the original form, and not, as now, the following …
In later times I have also heard The Drutnken Sailor (a distinctly modal tune) sung in the major as follows…
I have generally found that these perversions of the tunes are due to sailors who took to the sea as young men in the last days of the sailing ship, and consequently did not imbibe to the full the old traditions. With the intolerance of youth they assumed that the modal tum given to a shanty by the older sailor was the mark of ignorance since it did not square with their ideas of a major or minor key.
//

In this long passage, Terry talks up his awareness of fieldwork issues, yet he then justifies his presentation of ideal forms, deprecating the "variant" collection of Sharp's ilk and putting down "undeducated" informants.
//
This experience is common to all folk-tune collectors. Other characteristics, for example :-(a) different words to the same melody, (b) different melodies to the same or similar words, need not be enlarged upon here as they will be self-evident when a definitive collection is published. Of the usual troubles incidental to folk-song collecting it is un-necessary to speak. But the collection of shanties involves difficulties of a special kind. In taking down a folk-song from a rustic, one's chief difficulty is surmounted when one has broken down his shyness and induced him to sing. There is nothing for him to do then but get on with the song. Shanties however, being labour songs, one is "up against" the strong psychological connection between the song and its manual acts. …An incident related to me quite casually by Sir Walter Runciman throws a similar light on the inseparability of a shanty and its labour. He described how one evening several north country ships happened to be lying in a certain port. All the officers and crews were ashore leaving only the apprentices aboard, some of whom as he, remarked were " very keen on shanties," and their suggestion of passing away the time by singing some was received with enthusiasm. The whole party of about thirty apprentices at once collected themselves aboard one vessel, sheeted home the main topsail, and commenced to haul it up to the tune of "Boney was a warrior," changing to " Haul the Bowlin' " for " sweating up." In the enthusiasm of their singing and the absence of any officer to call " 'Vast hauling" they continued operations until they broke the topsail yard in two, when the sight of the wreckage and the fear of consequences brought the singing to an abrupt conclusion. In my then ignorance, I naturally asked "Why couldn't you have sung shanties without hoisting the topsail? " and the reply was:-" How could we sing a shanty without having our hands on the rope? " …The only truly satisfactory results which I ever get nowadays from an old sailor are when he has been stimulated by conversation to become reminiscent, and croons his shanties almost sub-consciously. Whenever I find a sailor willing to declaim shanties in the style of a song I begin to be a little suspicious of his seamanship... Of course I have had sailors sing shanties to me in a fine declamatory manner, but I usually found one of three things to be the case :-the man was a "sea lawyer"; or had not done much deep-sea sailing; or his seaman-ship only dated from the decline of the sailing vessel. It is doubtless interesting to the folksonger to see in print shanties taken down from an individual sailor with his individual melodic twirls and twiddles. But since no two sailors ever sing the same shanty quite in the same manner, there must necessarily be some means of getting at the tune, unhampered by these individual idiosyncrasies, which are quite a different thing from what folk-song students recognise as "variants." The power to discriminate can only be acquired by familiarity with the shanty as it was in its palmy days. The collector who now comes upon the scene at this late time of day must necessarily be at a disadvantage. The ordinary methods which he would apply to a folk-song break down in the case of a labour song. Manual actions were the soul of the shanty; eliminate these and you have only the skeleton of what was once a living thing. It is quite possible, I know, to push this line of argument too far, but everyone who knows anything about seamanship must feel that a shanty nowadays cannot be other than a pale reflection of what it once was. That is why I deprecate the spurious authenticity conferred by print upon isolated versions of shanties sung by individual old men. When the originals are available it seems to me pedantic and academic to put into print the comic mispronunciations of well-known words by old and uneducated seamen. And this brings me to the last difficulty which confronts the collector with no previous knowledge of shanties. As a mere matter of dates, any sailors now remaining from sailing ship days must necessarily be very old men. I have found that their octo-genarian memories are not always to be trusted. On one occasion an old man sang quite glibly a tune which was in reality a pasticcio of three separate shanties all known to me. I have seen similar results in print, since the collector arrived too late upon the scene to be able to detect the tricks which an old man's memory played him. I have already spoken of shanties which were derived from popular songs, also the type which contained a definite narrative. Except where a popular song was adapted, the form was usually rhymed or more often unrhymed couplets. The topics were many and varied but the chief ones were (1) popular heroes such as Napoleon, and " Santy Anna." …(2) The sailor had mythical heroes too; e.g. " Ranzo " (already mentioned) and " Stormy" who was the theme of many shanties. …(3) High sounding, poetic, or mysterious words such as " Lowlands," " Shenandoah," " Rolling river," " Hilo," " Mobile Bay," " Rio Grande " had a great fascination, as their constant recurrence in many shanties shows. (4) The sailor also sang much of famous ships, such as "The Flying Cloud," " The Henry Clay," or " The Victory," and famous lines such as " The Black Ball."... (5) Love affairs (in which Lizer Lee and other damsels constantly figured) were an endless topic. (6) But chiefly did Jack sing of affairs connected with his ship. He never sang of "the rolling main," " the foaming billows," " the storm clouds," etc. These are the stock-in-trade of the landsman; they were too real for the sailor to sing about. He had the instinct of the primitive man…
//

[HEAVE AWAY MY JOHNNIES]
//
WE'RE ALL BOUND TO GO.

Oh Johnny was a rover and today he sails away.
Heave away my Johnny, Heave away-ay
Oh Johnny was a rover and today he sails away.
Heave away my bully boys, We're all bound to go.

As I was walking out one day, Down by the Albert Dock.
Heave away, etc.
I heard an emigrant Irish girl Conversing with Tapscott.
Heave away, etc.

Good morning, Mr. Tapscott, sir; "Good morn, my gel," sez he.
Heave away, etc.
It's have you got a Packet Ship All bound for Amerikee.
Heave away, etc.
//

The example of "knock a man down" that he uses in the following argument does not work. Because Adams (and others), not only Sharp, had attested a "knock a man down." Moreover, Sharp got the version from John Short – is Terry alleging that Sharp changed the lyrics?
//
…One feature of the words may be noted. The sailor's instinct for romance was so strong that in his choruses at least (no matter how " hair curling " the solo might be) he always took the crude edge off the concrete and presented it as an abstraction if possible. For example; he knew perfectly well that one meaning of "to blow " was to knock or kick. He knew that discipline in Yankee packets was maintained by corporeal methods; so much so that the mates (to whom the function of knocking the " packet rats" about was delegated) were termed 1st, 2nd, and 3rd " blowers" or strikers, and in the shanty he sang "Blow the man down." " Knock " or " kick " (as I have recently seen in a printed collection) was too crudely realistic for him. In like manner the humorous title "Hogs-eye" veiled the coarse intimacy of the term which it represented. And that is where--when collecting shanties from the " longshore " mariner of to-day--I find him (if he is un-educated) so tiresome. He not only wants to explain to me as a landsman the exact meaning (which I know already) of terms which the old type of sailor, with his natural delicacy, avoided discussing, but he tries where possible to work them into his shanty,-- a thing the sailor of old time never did. So that when one sees in print expressions which sailors did not use, it is presumptive evidence that the collector has been imposed upon by a salt of the "sea lawyer" type. Perhaps I ought to make this point clearer. Folk-song collecting was once merely an artistic pursuit. Now it has become a flourishing industry of high commercial value. From the commercial point of view it is essential that results should be printed and circulated as widely as possible. Some knowledge of seamanship is an absolute necessity where folk-shanties are concerned. The mere collector nowadays does not possess that knowledge; it is confined to those who have had practical experience of the sea, but who will never print their experiences. The mere collector must print his versions…
//

Getting profound… then a bit snide, about insider knowledge. And more notes on the nature of "dirty" lyrics.
//
…What is unprinted must remain unknown; what is printed is therefore accepted as authoritative, however misleading it may be. Many highly educated men, of which Captain Whall is the type, have followed the sea. It is from them that the only really trustworthy information is forthcoming. But so far as I can judge, it is uneducated men who appear to sing to collectors nowadays, and I have seen many a quiet smile on the lips of the educated sailor when he is confronted with printed versions of the uneducated seaman's performances. For example, one of the best known of all Shanties is "The Hog's-eye man." I have seen this entitled "The Hog-eyed man," and even "The Ox-eyed Man." Every old sailor knew the meaning of the term. Whall and Bullen, who were both sailors, use the correct expression, "Hog-eye." The majority of sailors of my acquaintance called it "Hog's-eye." Did decency permit I could show conclusively how Whall and Bullen are right and the mere collector wrong. It must suffice, however, for me to say that the term " Hog's-eye " or "Hog-eye" had Nothing whatever to do with the optic of the "Man" who was sung about. I could multiply instances, but this one is typical and must suffice. We hear a great deal of the coarseness and even lewdness of the shanty, but I could wish a little more stress were laid on the sailor's natural delicacy. Jack was always a gentleman in feeling. Granted his drinking, cursing, and amours; but were not these until Victorian times the hall mark of every gentleman ashore? The Rabelaisian jokes of the shantyman were solos, the sound of which would not travel far beyond the little knot of workers who chuckled over them. The choruses--shouted out by the whole working party -- would be heard all over the ship, and even penetrate ashore if she were in port. Hence, in not a single instance do the choruses of any shanty contain a coarse expression.
//

Terry makes a distinction in shanty performance style that I have not seen before. I'm not sure what to make of it yet.
//
One final remark about collectors which has an important bearing upon the value of their work. There were two classes of sailing vessels that sailed from English ports, --the coaster or the mere collier that plied between the Tyne or Severn and Boulogne, and the Southspainer, under which term was comprised all deep-sea vessels. On the collier or short voyage vessel the crew was necessarily a small one, and the Shanty was more or less of a makeshift, adapted to the capacity of the limited members of the crew. Purely commercial reasons precluded the engagement of any Shantyman specially distinguished for his musical attainments. Consequently, so far as the Shanty was concerned, "any old thing would do." On the Southspainer, however, things were very different. The Shantyman was usuallv a person of considerable musical importance, who sang his songs in a more or less finished manner; his melodies were clean clear-cut things without any of the folk-songer's quavers and wobbles. I heard them in the 'seventies and 'eighties before the sailing-ship had vanished, consequently I speak of the things I know.
//

Subject: RE: The Advent and Development of Chanties
From: Gibb Sahib
Date: 12 Jul 11 - 08:00 PM

1920        Terry, R.R. "Sailor Shanties (I)." _Music and Letters_ 1(1):35-44.

This would be Terry's first published work on shanties, the first of 2 articles which would later become his book collection.

After some generic/stereotypical comments, Terry takes note of the literature on chanties that had grown since their demise in practice.
//
When the sailing ship ruled the waters and the shanty was a
living thing, no one appears to have paid heed to it. To the
landsman of those days—before folk-song hunting had begun—the
haunting beauty of the tunes would appear to have made no appeal.
This may be partly accounted for by the fact that he would never
be likely to hear the sailor sing them ashore, and partly because of
the Rabelaisian character of the words to which they were sung
aboard ship. We had very prim notions of propriety in those
days, and were apt to overlook the beauty of the melodies, and to
speak of shanties in bulk as "low vulgar songs." Be that as it
may, it was not until the early 'eighties—when the shanty was
beginning to die out with the sailing ship—that any attempt was
made to form a collection. W. L. Alden in Harper's Magazine,
and James Runciman—in the St. James' Gazette [1884, I think – LA Smith quoted him] and other papers—wrote articles on the subject, and gave musical quotations.
//

Critique of LA Smith:
//
In 1888 Miss L. A. Smith of Newcastle-on-Tyne published The Music
of the Waters, a thick volume into which was tumbled indiscrimi-
nately and uncritically a collection of all sorts of tunes from all
sorts of countries which had any connection with seas, lakes,
rivers, or their geographical equivalents. Scientific folk-song
collecting was not understood in those days, and consequently all
was fish that came to the authoress's net. Sailor shanties and
landsmen's nautical effusions were jumbled together higgledy-
piggledy, …But this lack of discrimination, pardonable in those days,
was not so serious as the inability to write the tunes down cor-
rectly. So long as they were copied from other song-books they
were not so bad. But when it came to taking them down from the
seamen's singing the results were deplorable. Had the authoress
been able to give us correct versions of the shanties, her collection
would have been a valuable one. One example (of what runs all
through the book) will be sufficient to show how a lack of the rudi-
ments of music renders valueless what would otherwise have been
a document of importance. This is the Tyneside version of "Johnny Boker," one of the best known of all shanties :
[score]

Here follows the version of Miss Smith; she gives no words, and
entitles it "Johnny Polka" :—
[score]

It will be seen that the notes are given correctly, but their respective
time values are all wrong, and the barring which this involves
makes the version a travesty.
//

Continues, comparing his Tyneside work to Smith's.
//
The book contains altogether about thirty-two shanties collected
from sailors in the Tyne seaports. [Actually, probably only 14-18 of them at most were collected by Smith.] Since both Miss Smith and
myself hail from Newcastle, her "hunting ground " for shanties
was also mine, and I am consequently in a position to assess the
importance or unimportance of her work. I may therefore say
that although hardly a single shanty is noted down correctly, I can
see clearly (having myself noted the same tunes, in the same dis-
trict,) what she intended to convey, and furthermore can vouch
for the accuracy of some of the words which were common to north
country sailors, and have not appeared in other collections. As
examples I may mention those of " Rio Grande," " Lowlands,"
" Blow the man down," " Hilo my Ranzo Way," " Santy Anna,"
and " Heave away my Johnny." If I have dealt at some length
with Miss Smith's book it is not because I wish to disparage a well-
intentioned effort, but because I constantly hear The Music of
the Waters quoted as an authoritative book on sailor shanties ;
and since the shanties in it were all collected in the district where
I spent boyhood and youth, I am familiar with all of them, and can
state definitely that they are in no sense authoritative. I should
like however to pay my tribute of respect to Miss Smith's industry,
and to her enterprise in calling attention to tunes that then seemed
in a fair way to disappear.
//

Now, on to critiquing Davis/Tozer:
//
About the same time appeared a collection entitled Sailors'
Songs or Chanties, in which the music was "composed and arranged on traditional sailor airs " by Dr. Ferris Tozer. These two
pieces of information rule the book out of court, since (a) a sailor
song is not a shanty, and (b) to "compose and arrange on traditional
airs" is to destroy the traditional form.
//

On Whall.
//
Other collections have since appeared, but (for reasons into which
I prefer not to enter here) none of them are genuinely authoritative
save Capt. W. B. Whall's -Sea Songs, Ships, and Shanties. Capt.
Whall studied music under Sir John Stainer, consequently we have
the necessary combination (which all the other collections lack) of
seamanship and musicianship.
//

Establishing his authority.
//
Since I follow the profession of a
church organist, it may reasonably be asked "by what authority "
I speak concerning shanties, and shanty collecting. I ought there-
fore to explain that my maternal ancestors have followed the sea
as far back as the family history can be traced. I have "grown
up with" sailor shanties,—sung to me by sailor uncles and grand-
uncles since I was a child. I have in later years collected shanties
from all manner of sailors, but chiefly from Northumbrian sources.
I have collated these later versions with the ones which I learnt at
first hand from sailor relatives as a boy. And lastly, I lived for
some years in the West Indies,—one of the few remaining spots
where the shanty is still alive.
//

Etymology/spelling again.
//
The derivation of the word is unknown. Two have been pro-
posed, but without producing any evidence that could satisfy a
philologist. One of them, (un) chanti has the disadvantage of
suggesting that the word rhymes with "auntie"; and when, in
consequence of this derivation, the word is spelt "chanty," the
ordinary reader is led to pronounce it " tchahnty " which arouses
the irritation and contempt of the sailor, who always, everywhere
makes it alliterate with " shall " and rhyme with " scanty." Its
pronunciation is best represented by "Shanty " as in the Oxford
Dictionary, which assigns 1869 for its introduction into literature.
There is very little to be said for the derivation from shanty, a hut,
but that from (un) chani will not bear serious inspection.
As to the origin of shanty tunes I have a third explanation, but
it cannot be printed. They would appear to have been sung in
British ships as early as the 15th century. But as Capt. Whall
deals with this point in his book, nothing further need be said here.
The varied character of the sailor's tunes indicates a variety of
sources. Mediterranean voyages would account for Italian in-
fluence, as, for example, in the following, which has not been
printed before. Although sung to me by a Northumbrian sailor,
it is redolent of the languor of Venetian lagoons, of moonlight, and
swift stealing gondolas, and the tinkling guitar, with ite unchanging
tonic and dominant harmonies :—

My Johnny. [w/ score]

We're homeward bound today But where is my Johnny;
My own dear Johnny, My own dear Johnny,
Well drink and court and play, But always think of Johnny.
My lively Johnny, Goodbye.

This is clearly a definite song annexed wholesale, and fitted with
English words. Its modern tonality will not attract folk-song
collectors, but my sailorman informed me that it was a favourite
"interchangeable" shanty in his ship.
//
The above "Italian influenced" song was reprinted in Hugill, and I've rendered it here:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=04a09UGm_X8

Begins to present his uniquely collected items, with [BILLY BOY]:
//
Folk-songs learnt ashore in his native fishing village provided
much of the material from which the sailor's shanty was fashioned.
Sometimes there would be no adaptation, and the song (especially
if it had a double refrain) would be sung complete, as in the following
example. It is Northumbrian in origin, and deals with the same
topic as "My boy Billy" collected by Dr. Vaughan-Williams.

Both words and tune are different from Dr. Vaughan-Williams's,
but the idea is the same :—" Billy " has been out courting, and
undergoes cross-questioning concerning the qualifications of his
lady-love as housewife. The theme seems common (with varying
words and tune) to several English counties.

BILLY BOY.

Where hev ye been aal the day, Billy Boy, Billy Boy?
Where hev ye been aal the day, me Billy Boy?
I've been walkin' aal the day with me charm-in' Nancy Grey,
And me Nancy kittl'd [=tickled] me fancy,
Oh me charmin' Billy Boy.

Solo Is she fit to be yor wife, Billy Boy, Billy Boy ?
Chorus Is she fit to be yor wife, My Billy Boy ?
Solo She's as fit to be me wife As the fork is to the knife,
Chorus And me Nancy kittled, etc.
//

[GOOD MORNING LADIES ALL]
//
Although I had the following from a Northumbrian sailor, I
should hesitate to ascribe the tune to a Northumbrian source with-
out further corroboration. Again the theme—or at least the title—
is a familiar one, but I have not come across the tune (or variants
of it) in any other part of the country. It was used as a halliard
shanty :—

GOOD MORNING, LADIES ALL.

Now a long good-bye to you my dear.
With a heave Oh haul!
And a last farewell and a long farewell.
And good morning ladies all.
//

Another item that Terry remembers from youth in a fishing village. However, its use as a chanty is dubious.
//
The following beautiful tune I used to hear when a child in the
fishing villages of Cresswell and Hauxley. I have the authority of
Mr. James Runciman for its being used as a capstan shanty. I
cannot remember the words, but Mr. Runciman printed two verses
in his book The Romance, of the Coast. I can now find no one
in the district who remembers the song, and my efforts to recapture
the words (by enquiries in Newcastle newspapers) have so far
proved fruitless. Sir Walter Runciman—who knows practically
all the shanties which had a vogue in Blyth ships—tells me that he
nevef heard this particular tune so used. He thinks it must have
been " made into a shanty " only aboard the ship in which Mr.
James Runciman heard it. I give the chorus, as my memory is
not to be trusted for the rest of the words :—

Hev ye seen owt o' maa bonny lad.
And are ye sure he's weel—Oh?
He's gyen ower land, Wiv his stick in his hand.
He's gyen te moor the keel—Oh.
//

A long explanation why he thinks some chanties were localized in his native area. Basically, well-trained sailors tended to stay with the same ship.
//
In my boyhood the Northumbrian coast was specially rich in
folk-songs known to the inhabitants of every fishing village. A
considerable proportion of these were bilinear in form, with a lilt
or refrain after each line. The presence of this double chorus
made such folk-songs specially suitable for shanties. Up to now
I do not think it has ever been satisfactorily explained in print why
shanties' of this type were so strictly localised. The facts would
seem to be these. At Blyth and Amble, for example, there was a
flourishing Seaman's Union. Its objects were not so pronounced
as the Seamen's Unions of to-day. It was to some extent a benefit
club, and only on matters of grave importance did it approach
shipowners in its corporate capacity. The duty on which it most
prided itself, and which it carried out with the utmost rigour was
the examination of apprentices when they bad completed their
indentures. Every apprentice when " out of his time " aspired to
a position as Able Seaman either aboard' the vessel in which he had
served his apprenticeship, or some other ship belonging to the
same port. But sailors in those days were very jealous of their
prestige and their privileges. In their pride of seamanship they
resented the presence of a lubber aboard their ship. Consequently
before they would consent to sail with any time-expired apprentice,
the latter was obliged to appear before a small board or committee
of the sailors of the union, and undergo a very searching exami-
nation on all points of practical seamanship. If he passed this
severe test he was at liberty to sail in any ship, and was received
by any crew as a comrade and an equal. If he failed, he could
only ship aboard a vessel as " Half Marrow," receiving only half
an ordinary AB's pay. In such contempt was the Half Marrow
held, that many ships' crews would not sail with one, and I have
even known engagements (contracted during apprenticeship) broken
off because a girl's pride would not allow her to marry a sailor
whom she regarded as a discredit to his profession. I have also
known cases where a Half Marrow, scorned by every ship in his
native seaport, was obliged to migrate to the Tyne or even to
Bristol, in order to obtain employment aboard a type of ship which
carried a miscellaneous crew, and where the corporate pride of
seamanship was not so pronounced. In those days sailors became
so attached to their ship that they were content to spend their
whole lives in her, and almost broke their hearts if circumstances
obliged them to make a change. It will thus be seen that any
local folk-song which obtained a footing aboard the ships of any
one port would not be likely, owing to the more or less fixed
personnel of the crews, to travel farther afield.
//

I am surprised how much his [ROLL THE COTTON DOWN] resembles Bullen's, and that after just referring to Bullen's ideas. It is very similar, and yet seems to be subtley changed at liberty! (And what's the deal with not mentioning Bullen by name?
//
Another source of shanties was undoubtedly negroid. The
following well-known shanty is a type with which sailors would
necessarily become familiar at cotton seaports :—

ROLL THE COTTON DOWN.

I'm bound to Alabama
Oh roll the cotton down,
I'm bound to Alabama
Oh roll the cotton down.

I have seen it stated in the preface to a recent collection of
shanties that those of negro origin are characterized by what we
should now call ragtime. This is far from being the case. If there
is one thing more than another which distinguishes negro music,
it is its direct and insistent rhythm. Everything the negro does
is rhythmic… Ragtime is a product of the stage nigger,
not of the real negro. I never found any negro use syncopation.
The popular impression that he does so is no doubt due to careless
observation of the way in which he beats time to any given tune,
viz :—by a tap of the foot followed by a clap of the hands. The
foot-tap always comes on the strong beat, and the hand-clap on
the weak one. Since the bare foot makes no sound, the casual
observer does not notice its action, but he does both see and hear
the hand-clap (off the beat) and thinks he is listening to syncopation.
A moment's reflection will show that ragtime or any other form of
syncopated music is just the thing which could not be used for a
shanty where the pull on the rope must necessarily occur on the strong beat of the music.
//
I can agree that the "business" parts of a chanty are not to be syncopated, but to say that Black music contains no syncopation…???!

"American influence." [SHENANDOAH]
//
American influence both as regards music and phraseology is
traceable throughout the history of the shanty. One quotation
of a beautiful tune—known to every sailor—will suffice :—

SHENANDOAH.

Oh, Shenandore, I long to hear you
Away you rolling river;
Oh, Shenandore, I long to hear you,
Away I'm bound to go 'cross the wide Missouri.
//

Mention of borrowing from longshore material, eg [A-ROVING], [JOHN BROWN'S BODY], [SACRAMENTO].
//
Another source about which there is a certain amount of mis-
apprehension is to be found in popular airs which were annexed in
their entirety. " A-roving," " John Brown's Body," and others
were used in this way. "Camptown Races" became "The Banks
of Sacramento " and so on. As an old sailor once said to me " You
can make anything into a shanty."
//

Then makes an argument for a different origin of [PADDY ON THE RAILWAY], saying it was developed from or originally was a shanty. I believe his facts are not straight!
//
Bullen included in his collection the equally well-known " Poor Paddy works on the Railway," and his expressed dislike for it was doubtless due to the commonly accepted opinion that it was not a genuine shanty, but
had been imported wholesale from "The Christy Minstrels" who
flourished in the 'fifties. But I think it is not sufficiently under-
stood that just as sailors borrowed and adapted tunes from any
and every source, so did the Christy Minstrels. Without wishing
to be dogmatic, I have the following reason for thinking that "The
Christies " annexed " Poor Paddy " from the sailor, and not vice
versa. Mr. James Runciman (who died in 1891 [born 1852!]) gave me a shanty which he had learnt from a great-uncle of his, the melody of which
is nothing more or less than that of " Poor Paddy." I place the
two side by side for purposes of comparison :—

THE SHAVER.

When I was a little tiny boy, I went to sea in Stormy's employ.
I sail'd away across the sea, When I was just a Shaver, a Shaver.
It's I was weary of the sea, when I was just a Shaver.

Solo Oh they whacked me up, and they whacked me down.
The Mate he cracked me on the crown.
They whacked me round, and round, and round.
Chorus When I was just a Shaver. It's I was weary, etc.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VEIfuL_dIOY

POOR PADDY WORKS ON THE RAILWAY.

In eighteen hundred and forty one, My cordaroy breeches I put on,
My cordaroy breeches I put on, To work upon the railway, the railway. I'm weary of the railway, Oh poor Paddy works on the railway.

So here at any rate we have an instance of a tune, universally
attributed to the Christy Minstrels, but which (whatever its original
source) was actually sung at sea before the Christy Minstrels came
into existence. [OK, but they came into existence in 1843.] (A " Shaver "—by the way—is the north country equivalent of the Cockney term " Little Nipper.")
//

Subject: RE: The Advent and Development of Chanties
From: Gibb Sahib
Date: 12 Jul 11 - 05:02 PM

1915        Terry, Richard Runciman. "Sea Songs and Shanties."_ Journal of the Royal Music Association_ 11(41): 135-140.

On May 18, 1915, R.R. Terry (1865-1938) addressed members of the [Royal] Musical Association. Terry, an expert in liturgical music and the organ, was presumably in the midst of his project of collecting chanties. Here he uses a bit of his clout as a descendant of sea-farers to gain some leverage among his colleaugues. This is a transcript or summary of his address, from the proceedings of the meeting, followed by points from the discussion.

Terry is jumping into the fray after the 1914 showdown between Bullen and Sharp.
//
There is a great deal of literature on the subject, but the lecturer has been long familiar with Shanties from hearing his own sailor relatives sing them. There is this to be said about sailors' Shanties: there are so many variants of all the tunes that there is plenty of material for a lecture without having recourse to compiling from existing literature.
//
So, he proposes to make is own musicological contribution.

On spelling:
//
As regards the spelling of the word" Shanties," every person
who has had any connection with the Sea knows that the word
is pronounced in that way; there is no reason therefore why the
spelling should not correspond.
//

//
A Shanty was not sung by way of recreation, but was used to
lighten labour. …They flourished with the sailing ship and the coming of steam has killed them. Their origin so far as the composers are concerned is not known. In those unsophisticated days some sailor on
board ship more musical than the others probably collated the
tunes he knew, and the result was the Shanty. It had been
asserted that most of them were of negro origin, and that they
suggest ragtime. But there is nothing less suggestive of ragtime
than the Shanty; it has a clean, definite, rhythm which would
help the men at their work.
//
This is a response to Bullen.

He continues,
//
The negro in the West Indies is not the American negro. It is the latter that sings ragtime, and not so much he as the people who caricature him. The negro of the more primitive type is a person with a keen sense of persistent rhythm. In the West Indies one can hear Shanties to this day.
Here, perhaps, if one wants to get it, can be found the derivation
of the word Shanty, for the negro huts are called by this name. When a negro quarrels with his neighbour, and the relations between them are too strained for them to live any longer together, then one arranges to have his shanty moved. They are moved on trolleys, which are pulled by men at the end of ropes stretching down the road; and as they pull, the shantyman sits on top of the roof astride and sings the solo part of
some "pull and haul" Shanty. If the word is derived by some
from the French verb chanter, possibly this West Indian custom
is also a plausible explanation.
//
This may be the start of the "hut" theory? I'm not sure; I've tended to gloss over that in readings. What I find more interesting is the way he negotiates Bullen and Sharp. To essentialize their positions (!): Bullen says "Chanties are mainly Negro origin…I know through lived experience", Sharp says, "No, not really…I doubt it based on my musicological analysis." And Terry says, "OK, Negro, but *Caribbean*…this explains the musical inconsistencies." Personally, I think they are mixing up dance song and work song, which share some features (being a product of the same culture's musical system), but which shouldn't be compared so closely.

Seems to be rehashing Bullen, on the nature of shanty lyrics:
//
As regards the words, there are a few stereotyped verses at
the beginning and then the shanty-man used to invent the rest
which had to do with shipping, politics, personal characteristics.
the food, &c., all of which came in for a share of sarcasm
according to his extemporising capacity. Napoleon was a
favourite subject of the men, and so was a certain mythical
person called Starmy. [sic] The average sailor Shanty after the first
verse or so was simply unprintable, and that is especially so with
"The Hog's Eye Man," one of the most beautiful of the lot.
On an East Indiaman it was a great event for the passenger to
come and listen to the sailors' Shanties, and this particular one
was a great favourite on nearing port, but the singing of it was
absolutely forbidden except when the Captain could be assured
that a printable version would be used.
//

Taking a jab at Sharp's ilk here—interesting for someone familiar with modes from Latin liturgical music (his expertise):
//
One hears a great deal about modal evidence in Shanties.
The mistake of most Shanty books is that modal melodies are
often treated as if they were in keys, while on the other hand
there are a great many which are really either major or minor,
but are called modal. Modes seem to have a fascination for the
folk-song hunter; he finds Mode in everything; but a tune may
fulfil the conditions of Modal melody and yet not be in a Mode.
//

Minstrel sources recognized.
//
There are several types of Shanty which are without doubt
taken from published songs, some of them sung by the original
Christy Minstrels. Many a Christy Minstrel melody was adopted
on board ship, for anything could be made into a Shanty.
//

A plug for his forthcoming book?:
//
The ideal collection has yet to come. The sailor must combine
with the musician, and there must be a distinction between
tunes in Modes and in keys, but all is lost labour unless there is
real sympathy with and a certain practical knowledge of the
[li]fe at sea.
//

Following this, a choir performed some examples, then, discussion.

//
THE CHAIRMAN: It is quite clear that Dr. Terry is steeped in
Shantyism! …However, Dr. Terry did not go to sea [and thus didn't perish], and so we have been able to enjoy the benefit of his research and of his accumulated knowledge concerning shanties. As to his philological
remarks about the spelling of the word, I would seriously advise
him not to set foot in the class-rooms of Oxford University, and
utter such fearful heresy about "shanty." More than a dozen
professors would rise and ask if he had ever been to school, and
if so whether he had forgotten the Latin verb cano, which surely
must be the original root of words standing for singing and
chanting. We must not have a philological discussion, but I
cannot agree as to his spelling of "shanties," it hurts one's eyes
terribly. The suggestion has been made that it has connection
with the shanty or hut of the negroes, which is very ingenious and
clever. And there are shanties in Ireland, funny little places
where you get something stronger to drink than water. Well, the
imbibing of such potations leads to a certain amount of singing,
therefore it might be said that the word "shanties" comes from
these places where you get whisky! …
//
So, the "ch" spelling had been fairly well entrnched up to this point (e.g. in Englishmen Sharp and Bullen, though not in Whall), and what now seems to be the Commonwealth spelling preference of "sh" did not form until later.

Feedback from the Chairman on the lyrical nature:
//
…The words may seem foolish and silly if looked at coldly, but I
remember a time when in singing certain songs they did not think
so much of the words as of the music; to make out the rhythm
and accent and carryon the measure to the end they used to
insert all sorts of words. So with the sailors, they had to finish
their measure, and if necessary improvise words, there is nothing
very remarkable in that. As to some of the lines being
unprintable, I have in my collection Campion's Songs, written for
the lute, bass viol, and voice. He was a musician in the time of
Queen Elizabeth, and wrote some beautiful hymns and poetry, but
some of the songs are unprintable, though they stood for the feeling
of the day. Sailors in singing their shanties were not supposed
to have listeners, and they just said anything that came into their
head; one cannot blame them for that.
//

//
Mr. J. H. MAUNDER: Dr. Terry referred to the Christy
Minstrels in connection with shanties. Does he know if some of
the Christy Minstrels' songs were taken from shanties or vice versa,
and could he give us an idea of the time the Christy Minstrels
started? I remember hearing as a boy that the Moore and
Burgess troupe was developed from the Christy Minstrels.
//
JOHN, GRAHAM: …I have heard lectures on shanties on several
occasions, but I have not come across anyone with such a grip
of his subject as Dr. Terry has shown, nor with his enthusiasm.
I think the plan adopted this afternoon is peculiarly interesting. I
do not think it has been done before--that of giving a number
of shanties in a set. It seems to me there is a great chance of
shanties being sung by men's choirs and so on in this form.
Whereas one shanty might be put aside as being insignificant,
when we have a kind of fantasia of them in this way they become
exhilarating. I have enjoyed the singing; there has been a real
hit of British style about it: and in the coming years probably
we shall cultivate more and more of the rollicking, true John
Bull kind of song and tune.
//

//
Dr. TERRY: I am pleased to find that my -few n:marks have
been well received; but I am disappointed that I have not had
the man-handling I expected on several debatable points raised
with the express purpose of provoking discussion. I was not
unmindful of the derivation given by the Oxford Dictionary. My
suggestion has been spoken of as clever and ingenious. leaving it
to be inferred that like most clever, ingenious things, it is
worthless because too clever by half. But I would point out that
the British tar seems to have derived hardly any words from a
foreign tongue. An important reason why we should spell the
word as shanty, is that we want future generations to pronounce
the word as the sailors did; even our Chairman once or twice
pronounced it "shanty." [Does he mean "tchanty"?] As to the derivation of the word given in the Oxford Dictionary, some quite good authorities dissent from it.

I have been paid too great a compliment in having it thought
that I have dived deeply into an out-of-the-way subject. Had I
not come of a sailor family, or had I been living in London all
my life, it would have taken a considerable amount of time to
collect the material. As it was, it has been no trouble: I could
not help it, I have grown up with it: therefore I cannot claim
the credit of having spent long laborious nights wasting the
midnight oil collating information; one could not help imbibing
these things as a youngster. In regard to what has been said about
words being unprintable, I remember once being asked by a
Musical Club to give them something that had not been in print,
something old that had not been printed in England before.
Well, I arranged a quartet, and we sang it in public-myself,
a professional singer, a minor Canon, and another clergyman,
I think-something in medireval Italian which we pronounced as
modern Italian. You can imagine how startled and shocked we
were to find later what we had really been saying! Luckily no
scholar of medireval I talian happened to be present, so it was
never found out. As to the question raised about the Christy
Minstrels, .I went into that point, and showed that some shanties
were derived from Christy Minstrels and vice versa. I ought to
know the date when Christy Minstrels began, but I do not. But
Mr. Britten, whom I see here, is an authority on all these matters.
I am sorry Mr. Britten has not spoken, for it would have been an
enlivening and intellectual exercise.
Mr. BRITTEN: The date was about 1858.
Dr. TERRY: If Mr. Britten says 1858 or thereabouts you may
take it that he is right.
//
Britten was wrong! :-)

Subject: RE: The Advent and Development of Chanties
From: GUEST,Lighter
Date: 12 Jul 11 - 04:41 PM

Gibb, nice work! I don't think any of Bullen's shanties (except "Ten Stone"?) have ever been recorded.

His "Shenandoah" really is hardly more than a chant, but with a whole crew behind it it must have sounded "wild"...in the 19th Century Romantic sense.

Subject: RE: The Advent and Development of Chanties
From: John Minear
Date: 12 Jul 11 - 08:54 AM

These are too good, and interesting to miss: "Shenandoah" & "Poor Lucy Anna"


http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1be-0VjCtxE


http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aDb1oGugh2E

Subject: RE: The Advent and Development of Chanties
From: John Minear
Date: 12 Jul 11 - 08:47 AM

Gibb, thanks for the Bullen materials. I've read all of this before but it's always amazing what one misses! I find this statement intriguing:

"The tunes of both the Chanties and the American Revival Hymns spring from one common source—negro music."

Is it possible that we have parallel developments going on with "chanties" and "spirituals" both evolving from the plantation slave work songs? The call-response pattern, before the "spirituals" were polished up, is common to all three genres. And of course we could add the fourth group which would be modern chain gang songs. What continues to be striking here is that "chanties" come from the same source as "spirituals" and "chain gang songs".

Having a common source in things like corn-shucking songs would partially explain why chanties didn't "come from" spirituals. It still puzzles me though that there was not more crossover between spirituals and chanties. Maybe the "sacred/profane" boundary was strict on board ship.

I'm wondering if Sharp wasn't more likely referring to "English" hymnody than to the spiritual tradition. He showed a marked lack of interest in "Black music" on his Southern Appalachian tours.

Subject: RE: The Advent and Development of Chanties
From: Gibb Sahib
Date: 12 Jul 11 - 02:53 AM

[[HALLIARD CHANTIES]]

[TOMMY'S GONE]
//
23. Toms Gone to Hilo.

Tommy's gone an' I'll go too
Away, to Hilo O
O Tommy's gone to Liverpool
Tom's gone to Hilo.
//

[HANGING JOHNNY]
//
24. Hanging Johnny.

Oh they call me hangin Johnny
Away ay ay ay
Because I hang fer money
Oh hang, boys, hang!
//

[ONE MORE DAY]
//
25. One More Day.

Only one more day my Johnny,
One more day
To rock an' roll me over,
One more day.
//

[ROLL THE COTTON DOWN]
//
26. Bound to Alabama.

Oh I'm bound to Alabama
Ter rollthe cotton dow-own
I'm boun ter Alabama ter roll the cotton down.
//

[YANKEE JOHN STORMALONG]
//
27. Liza Lee

Oh you Lize-er Lee
Yankee John Stormalong
Lize-er Lee is de gal fer me
Yankee John Stormalong
//

[REUBEN RANZO]
//
28. Reuben Ranzo.

Poor old Reuben Ranzo
Ranzo boys Ranzo!
Poor old Reu-uben Ranzo
Ranzo boys Ranzo.
//

[DEAD HORSE]
//
29. Poor Old Man. (Dead Horse.)

Poor old man your horse will die
an' they say so, an' they hope so
Poor old man your horse will die,
Oh poor old man!
//

//
…I learned it from a Spaniard, a stevedore engaged in stowing a cargo of mahogany which I shipped when I was mate of a pretty little barquentine in Tonala, Mexico. They, the stevedores, used many Chanties hauling the big logs about the hold, but this was a new one to me and hearing it so often I absorbed it, feeling that it was a very good one.

30. Hilo Come Down Below.

Said the black bird to the crow
Hilo, come down below
Come down below wid de whole yer crew,
Hilo come down below
//

[BONEY]
//
31. Boney Was a Warrior. (John François.)

Boney was a warrior
Way ay yah!
Boney was a warrior
John France-wah!
//

[BLOW THE MAN DOWN]
//
32. Blow the Man Down.
Oh blow the man down bullies blow him away
Way ay! Blow the man down
Oh blow the man down bullies blow him away
Gimme some time to blow the man down.
//

[COAL BLACK ROSE]
//
33. Coal Black Rose.

[cho.] Oh my Rosy Coal black Rose
Don't you hear de banjo Pinka a pong a-pong
[cho.] Oh my Rosy Coal black Rose.
//

[WHISKEY JOHNNY]
//
34. Whiskey Johnny.

Oh Whisky is the life of man,
Whisky Johny
oh Whisky is the life of man,
oh Whisky for my Johnny.
//

[BLOW BOYS BLOW]
//
35. Blow Boys Blow.

A Yankee ship came down de ribber,
Blow boys blow
A Yankee ship came down de ribber
Blow my bully boys blow!
//

[RUN LET THE BULGINE RUN]
//
36. The Bullgine.

Oh she's lovely up alo-oft an' she's lovely down below
Oh run let de Bullgine run
Way ya a Ah-o-oh
oh-oh run let de Bullgine run.
//

[[FORE SHEET CHANTIES]]

[BOWLINE]
//
37. Haul the Bowlin'.

Haul the Bowline, the skipper he's a growlin
[cho.] Haul the Bowline, the Bowline haul! (_shout_)
//

[JOHNNY BOWKER]
//
38. Do My Johnny Bowker.

Do my Johnny Bowker, come rock and roll me o-over,
[cho.] Do my Johnny Bowker do.
//

[HAUL AWAY JOE]
//
39. Haul Away Jo.

Way haul away For Kitty she's me da-arlin.
[cho.] Way haul away haul away Joe!
//

[[BUNT CHANTY}}

[PADDY DOYLE]
//
40. Paddy Doyle's Boots.

Ay way ay yah
We'll pay Paddy Doyle for his boots.
//

Then, sea songs, "41. Farewell and Adieu to You Spanish Ladies" (minor mode melody) and "42. Lowlands Low" [GOLDEN VANITY].

Subject: RE: The Advent and Development of Chanties
From: Gibb Sahib
Date: 12 Jul 11 - 02:52 AM

Bullen 1914, cont.

[SHENANDOAH] (usual style)
//
…ordinary windlass or pump type…

Shanandoh, I long ter hear ye;
A way, you rolling river;
Oh Shanandoh I can't get near ye
Ha ha! I'm bound away on the wide Missouri!
//

[A-ROVING]
//
…sounds suspiciously like some old English melody that has been pressed into sea service as a chanty…

12. A-Roving.

In Amsterdam there lived a maid and she was tall and fair,
her eyes were blue, her cheeks were red and she had auburn hair
but I'll go no more a ro-oving with you fair maid.
A roving, a roving since rovings' been my ru-i-n
I'll go no more a ro-oving with you fair maid.
//

[LOWLANDS AWAY]
//
13. Lowlands Away.

Lowlands away I heard them say
Lowlands, lowlands away my John
Lowlands away I heard them say,
My dollar an' a half a day.
//

[RIO GRANDE]
//
14. Rio Grande.

Oh Captain, oh Ca-apten heave yer ship to;
Oh! you Rio
For I have got letters to send home by you.
And I'm bound to Rio
Grande
And away to Rio Oh to Rio
sing fa-are you well my bonny young gal,
For I'm bound to Rio grande.
//


The tune of the following is rendered here: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aDb1oGugh2E
//
…so mournful that one suspects it of being the lament of some just sold slaves sent from one State to another without reference to any human ties they may have possessed. This Chanty was very seldom used except where negroes formed a considerable portion of the crew…

15. Poor Lucy Anna.

Oh the mountens so high an de ribbers so wide
Poor Lucy Anna
De mountens so high an' de ribbers so wide
Ise just gwine ober de mounten!
//

[SANTIANA]
//
…I first made its acquaintance in Sant Ana itself, a lawless mahogany port in the Gulf of Mexico.

16. Santy Anna.

Santy Anna's gone away
Hurrah! Santy Anna!
Santy Anna's go-one a way
Across the plains of Mexico.
//

[DRUNKEN SAILOR] Interesting seeing eye-dialect here ("de mawnin'").
//
…I gladly confess that my most pleasnt recollections of it are connected with the Savage Club where its fine chorus used to be uplifted strenuously by the full force of the brother Savages assembled.

17. What Shall We Do with a Drunken Sailor.

What shall we do with a drunken sailor,
what shall we do with a drunken sailor,
what shall we do with a drunken sailor,
Early in de mawnin'
Hooray an up she rises,
hooray an up she rises,
hooray an up she rises,
Early in de mawnin'.
//

[PADDY ON THE RAILWAY] Bullen says he didn't like this one, and never sang it as chantyman.
//
18. Poor Paddy.

In eighteen hundred an sixty one I thought I'd do a li-itle run,
I thought I'd do-oo a li'itle run
an' work up on a railway a railway
I'm weary on a railway
Oh! Poor Paddy works on the railway.
//

[HUCKLEBERRY HUNTING]
//
Oh! what did you give fer yer fine leg o' mutton
To me way ay ay you Ranzo way
Oh-h what did yer give fer yer fine leg o' mutton,
to me Hilo: me Ranzo way.
//

[HOGEYE]
//
20. Hog-eye Man.

Oh! de hog-eye man is de man for me,
He wuk all day on de big levee
Oh! Hog-eye Pig-eye!
Row de boat a shore fer de hog-eye O!
an all she wants is de hog eye man.
//

[NEW YORK GIRLS]
//
21. Can't You Dance the Polka.

My fancy man is a loafer, he loafs along de shore!
Git up you lazy sailor man an lay down on de floor!
Away! You santy my dear man
Oh you New York gals, cant ye dance the polka
//

[SACRAMENTO] Tune is closer to "Camptown Ladies" than to the "traditional" Sacramento.
//
22. The Banks of the Sacramento.

New York City is on fire
With a hoodah an a doodah!
New York City is on fire
hoodah doodah day.
Blow boys blow for Californyo
There's plenty of gold, so I've been told,
on the banks of the Sacramento.
//

Subject: RE: The Advent and Development of Chanties
From: Gibb Sahib
Date: 12 Jul 11 - 02:50 AM

1914        Bullen, Frank. T. and W.F. Arnold. _Songs of Sea Labour._ London: Orpheus Music Publishing.

Bullen, born c.1858, first went to sea in 1869 at age 11.

Bullen's collection is a unique and detailed repository of chanties as learned by a "hardcore" chantyman of the 1870s, without the prejudice of Captain Whall's earlier selections. Bullen's singing was transcribed by Arnold, an academically trained musician.

While Sharp read and acknowledge the work, it does not seem to have had much/any influence on later performers (/the Revival) until Hugill re-printed some of the items. Bullen was known for a couple books earlier. I wonder what happened with this one. Was it poorly distributed? Did it not carry much clout for some reason?

Intro, dated 1913. Critiques predecessors for not having experience.
//
But I, unwillingly enough, had to spend over a decade of my sea life in various sailing ships' forecastles, engaged in trades where Chanties were not only much used on board, but where many new ones were acquired in the harbours; I allude to the West Indies and the Southern States of America.

Being possessed of a strong and melodious voice and a tenacious memory, Chanty singing early became a passion with me, and this resulted in my being invariably made Chantyman of each new vessel I sailed in, a function I performed until I finally reached the quarter-deck, when of course it ceased…I was before the mast in sailing ships from 1869 to 1880…I was never apprenticed and consequently was a member of many different ships' companies and sailed in many varying trades in that time.
//

The nature of chanty lyrics: Impromptu, dirty.
//
The stubborn fact is that they had no set words beyond a starting verse or two and the fixed phrases of the chorus, which were very often not words at all. For all Chanties were impromptu as far as the words were concerned. Many a Chantyman was prized in spite of his poor voice because of his improvisations. Poor doggerel they were mostly and often very lewd and filthy, but they gave the knowing and appreciative shipmates, who roared the refrain, much opportunity for laughter… And although many a furtive smile will creep over old sailors' faces, when they hear these Chanties and remember the associated words that went with them, those words are not down here.
//

Notes on "The Music of the Chanties," by Arnold, 1913.
//
Seeing that the majority of the Chanties are Negroid in origin, perhaps a few remarks on Negro music will not be out of place here…
//

Musicological talk follows. About pentatonic scale. Comparison with example from "Slave Songs of the United States." "Snap" rhythm. Ending melodies on other tones than the tonic. "Rag-time" vs. "raggy" nature of chanty tunes. Comparison to Sankey hymns (and also quoting Jekyll's work on Jamaican music).
//
Many of the Chanty tunes bear a strong resemblance to hymn tunes of the Sankey and Moody type. …after the War of Emancipation troupes of negro singers toured the Northern States of America, introducing the traditional slave tunes to all classes of the community, including the negroes of the North, who adapted some of the songs into their religious services. …negro songs and singers became "the rage." …many of the traditional tunes already used as hymns by the negroes, and others because of their quasi religious flavour, were adapted to words of a devotional nature. Mr. Bullen himself told the writer that on one occasion he overheard a South Carolina negro, employed on a sperm whaling ship as harpooner, crooning what was ostensibly a Sankey hymn, but, on being questioned, the singer submitted the information that he had never heard of either Sankey or Moody, and what he was singing was a South Carolina slave song, "The little Octoroon"… Mr. Bullen however, knew the tune as "Ring the bells of heaven" one of the best known of the Sankey collection. …There is not the slightest doubt that many of the hymns in that famous collection had their origin in the old traditional negro tunes…The tunes of both the Chanties and the American Revival Hymns spring from one common source—negro music.
//

"Note to the Chanties"
//
It is a wild thought of mine I know, but I have imagined the improvising of words to these Chanties becoming a favourite country house Drawing Room diversion…
//

Chanties not sung off duty.
//
Unlike the old folk-songs, which are used for pleasure or diversion, the Sailor's Chanties were never sung in the forecastles after labour, nor in all my experience have I ever heard a song sung in a ship's forecastle that would be recognized as a sailor's song.
//

//
…But the great majority of these tunes undoubtably emanated from the negroes of the Antilles and the Southern states, a most tuneful race if ever there was one, men moreover who seemed unable to pick up a ropeyarn without a song… I have never seen any men work harder or more gaily than negroes when they were allowed to sing….
//

[[WINDLASS AND CAPSTAN CHANTIES]]

[MUDDER DINAH] Sharp also gave this (from informant Conway), and we know it as a rowing song from South Carolina.
//
…when I first heard the Chanty which I have called "Mudder Dinah!"…We were discharging general cargo in the Demerara River off Georgetown, and all the wonder I could spare, being a first voyage laddie, was given to the amazing negroes who, not content with flinging their bodies about as they hove at the winch, sang as if their lives depended upon maintaining the volume of sound at the same time… I became most anxious to learn it, so I asked one of our two boat-boys to teach me…HE set about his pleasnt task at once but was very soon pulled up by his mate who demanded in indignant tones what he meant by teaching "dat buckra chile" dem rude words. They nearly had a fight over it and then I learned that the words didn't matter, that you varied them according to taste, but as taste was generally low and broad the words were usually what my negro friend called, in cheerful euphemism, rude.

1. Mudder Dinah.

Good mornin' Mudder Dinah, how does yer shabe yer peepul?
Sing! Sally oh! Right fol de ray!
Hooray-ay-ay-ay-ay-ay-ay, For ole mudder di-inah-h
Sing Sally oh. Right fol der ray.
//

//
In this way [i.e. from stevedores in Demerara on his first voyage] I acquired numbers 1, 2, 3, and 4 in this collection and I have never heard them anywhere else. They are negro Chanties all right enough, but they were not in common use on board ship.
//

[SISTER SUSAN] Harlow also gave this as a stevedore's song.
//
2. Sister Seusan.

Sister Seusan my aunt Sal
Gwineter git a home bime-by-high!
All gwineter lib down Shinbone Al,
Gwineter git a home bime-by.
Gwineter git a home bime-by-e-high
Gwineter git a home bime-by.
//

//
3. Ten Stone.

I nebber seen de like sence I ben bawn!
Way ay ay ay ay!
Nigger on de ice an a hoe-in up corn
Way ay ay ay ay
Ten stone! Ten stone, ten stone de win' am ober!
Jenny git along Jenny blow de horn,
As we go marchin' ober!
//

A "Shenandoah" lyrical theme, however, the form/tune here is unique. This is probably related to the now-popular "Down Trinidad/Sunnydore" song, and perhaps to "Shiny O".
My rendition: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1be-0VjCtxE
//
4. Shenandoah

Oh Shenandoh my bully boy I long to hear you holler;
Way ay ay ay ay Shenandoh
I lub ter bring er tot er rum en see ye make a swoller;
Way ay ay ay Shenandoh!
//

[SALLY BROWN] Bullen notes with this (and later with "Drunken Sailor") having heard it sung for enjoyment by gentlemen of London's Savage Club. Am I to suppose that many of the Club's members would have included retired seamen (does anymone know more about it)? I guess the question for me would be what period he is talking about and what that would imply. To wit, was this after the era (first decade of 20th c.) when chanties had spread to the general public – in which case these two songs were, in a way, pop songs? Or, was it at an earlier time, such that the singers had all really remember the songs from their working experience?
//
…But my most pleasant memory of it is not when weighing the anchor or working the flywheel pumps, but on sundry Saturday nights at the Savage Club, when the delighted Savages did their best to lift the roof off the great Clubroom at Adelphi Terrace, and the mighty volume of sound must have been heard on the farther bank of the Thames….

5. Sally Brown.

Sally Brown she's a bright Mulatto
Way ay –ay roll and go!
She drinks rum and chews terbacker;
Spend my money on Sally Brown.
//

First appearance of this, though we've had WALKALONG SALLY. Tune resembles "Tom's Gone to Hilo" a bit.
//
…typically negro and no white man could hope to reproduce the extraordinary effects imparted to it by a crowd of enthusiastic black men.

6. Walk Along Rosey.

Rosy here an Ro-o-sy dere,
A way you Rosy walk along
Oh Rosy here, an Rosy dere!
Walk along my Rosy!
//

[GOODBYE FARE YOU WELL]
//
…an old, old favourite with the white sailor, but it is full of melancholy…probably more frequently sung than any other Chanty when getting under weigh either outward or homeward bound.

7. Good-bye, Fare-you-well.

I thought I heard our old man say
Good bye fare you well , good bye fare you well
I thought I heard our old man say
Hurah my boys we're ho-omeward bound!
//

[MR. STORMALONG]
//
8. Storm-along.

Stormy he was a good old man.
To my way, You Stormalong!
Oh Stormy he is dead and gone!
Ay! Ay! Ay! Mister Stormalong.
//

[LEAVE HER JOHNNY]
//
To sing it before the last day or so on board was almost tantamount to mutiny, and was apt even at the latest date to be fiercely resented by Captain and Officers.

9. Leave her Johnny.

Leave her Johnny and we'll work no-o more
Leave her Johnny, leave her!
Of pump or drown we've had full store;
Its time for us to leave her.
//

[JOHNNY COME DOWN TO HILO] was supposedly last heard off Calcutta by Bullen – in the 1870s, I suppose. Interesting in the lyrics here is the "[A]merican man." Bullen gives the lyrics in a Black [eye-]dialect, and in that context I'm not sure just what was meant by "American." Is the singing subject supposed to be a Black man of the Caribbean, or….?
//
…brings to my mind most vividly a dewy morning in Garden Reach where we lay just off the King of Oudh's palace awaiting our permit to moor. I was before the mast in one of Bates' ships, the "Herat," and when the order came at dawn to man the windlass I raised this Chanty and my shipmates sang the chorus as I never heard it sung before or since…I have never heard that noble Chanty sung since…

10. Johnny Come Down to Hilo.

I nebber seen de like, Since I ben born
When a 'Merican man wid de sea boots on
Says Johnny come down to Hilo.
Poor old man!
Oh! wake her! Oh! Shake her
Oh wake dat gal wid der blue dress on,
When Johnny comes down to Hilo!
Poor old man!
//

Subject: RE: The Advent and Development of Chanties
From: Gibb Sahib
Date: 11 Jul 11 - 06:29 PM

Thanks, Charlie and John, for giving some company!

John--

Thanks for the link and your compliment. Making these links on Mudcat has always been a pain, and I forget to do 'em when I pasted my text from elsewhere.

The brief mention of hymn-tunes by Sharp is quite possibly a reference to what he had been reading. His intro to the book reads as a dialogue with or comment on what had recently been published. Masefield was one person that said a couple tunes (Shenandoah and Hanging Johnny) sounded like hymns. But it was Bullen (or perhaps Arnold, in that book) who said more. He did in fact make a connection. If I had to guess, Sharp was acknowledging that (he deferred to the 'experience' writers) rather than proposing an original idea. I hope to have notes up on Bullen, soon.

I would imagine that these authors, all English, were familiar with these "hymn" tunes from the "spirituals" of the touring Fisk Jubilee Singers and such.

Subject: RE: The Advent and Development of Chanties
From: John Minear
Date: 11 Jul 11 - 11:58 AM

Gibb, I really like your rendition of "Roll & Go" that you mention above. Somehow I missed that version of "Sally Brown" when I was going through your collection. And just so it stands out and is easily available for others, here it is again:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_9MrvUgTMMU

Also, I was interested in what Sharp had to say about hymns and hymn tunes. To my - limited - knowledge, this is the only time in our discussion where hymns have been mentioned as a source for chanties. I have wondered about this in the past. And I have wondered why there seem to be no connections between Black "spirituals" as call/response songs and chanties.

I appreciate your treatment of Sharp and your making his collection available like this.

Subject: RE: The Advent and Development of Chanties
From: Charley Noble
Date: 10 Jul 11 - 08:27 PM

Gibb-

More good work.

Keep it coming.

Cheerily,
Charley Noble

Subject: RE: The Advent and Development of Chanties
From: Gibb Sahib
Date: 10 Jul 11 - 07:40 PM

[[PULLING CHANTEYS]]

[HAUL AWAY JOE] John Short.
//
… Short described it as a "tacks and sheets" chantey…

27. Haul Away, Joe.

Haul away, haul away, haul away, my Rosie,
Way, haul away, haul away, Joe.
O you talk about your Aver [Havre] girls,
And round the corner Sally ;
Way, haul away, haul away, Joe.

But they cannot come to tea
With the girls in Booble Alley.

O ! once I loved a nigger girl,
And I loved her for her money.

O ! once I had a nice young girl,
And she was all a posy.

And now I've got an English girl,
I treat her like a lady.

We sailed away for the East Indies,
With spirits light and gay.

We discharge our cargo there, my boys,
And we took it light and easy.

We loaded for our homeward bound,
With the winds so free and easy.

We squared our yards and away we ran,
With the music playing freely.

Now, up aloft this yard must go,
We'll pull her free and easy.

Another pull and then belay,
We'll make it all so easy.
//

[SALLY BROWN] Charles Robbins. Chromatic tune. This was also in Sharp's 1914 JFSS article. Incidentally, I think this is the first "along with Sally Brown" that I've seen. Is this a place where Sharp "softened" the phrase (no pun intended)? It is likely the source of Sweeney's Men's (and Planxty's) popular, adapted version of the song.
//
28. Sally Brown.

I shipped on board of a Liverpool liner ;
Way, ho, rolling go;
And I shipped on board of a Liverpool liner,
For I spent my money 'long with Sally Brown.



Sally Brown was a Creole lady.

O Sally Brown was a bright mulatto.

O seven years I courted Sally.

And now we're married and we're living nice and comfor'ble.
//

[ISLAND LASS] Richard Perkins.
//
29. Lowlands Low.

Lowlands, Lowlands, Lowlands, lowlands, low.
Our Captain is a bully man;
Lowlands, Lowlands, lowlands, low.
He gave us bread as hard as brass;
Lowlands, Lowlands, lowlands, low.
//

[SHALLOW BROWN] First version. John Short.
//
30. Shallow Brown.

Shallow O, Shallow Brown,
Shallow O, Shallow Brown.
A Yankee ship came down the river;
Shallow O, Shallow Brown.
A Yankee ship came down the river ;
Shallow O, Shal-low Brown.

And who do you think was master of her ?

A Yankee mate and a lime-juice skipper.

And what do you think they had for dinner ?

A parrot's tail and a monkey's liver.
//

[MUDDER DINAH] George Conway.
//
31. Sing, Sally O.

O I say my Mammy Dinah, What is the matter?
Sing Sally O ; Fol lol de day.
O hurrah! hurrah ! My Mammy Dinah.
Sing Sally O ; Fol lol de day.

O have you heard the news to-day ?
For we are homeward bound.
//

[REUBEN RANZO] John Short.
//
32. Poor Old Reuben Ranzo.

Ranzo, boys, Ranzo.
O poor old Reuben Ranzo,
Ranzo, boys, Ranzo
O Poor old Reuben Ranzo,
Ranzo, boys, Ranzo.

O! Ranzo was no sailor.

He shipped on board a whaler.

He shipped with Captain Taylor.

The man that shot the sailor.

He could not do his duty.

He couldn't boil the coffee.

The Captain being a good man.

He taught him navigation.

We took him to the gratings.

And gave him nine and thirty.



O ! that was the end of Ranzo.
//

[GENERAL TAYLOR} John Short.
//
33. General Taylor.

General Taylor gained the day;
Walk him along, Johnny, carry him along.
General Taylor gained the day;
Carry him to the burying ground.
Oo oo oo.... oo you stormy,
Walk him along, Johnny, carry him along;
oo-oo you stormy,
Carry him to the burying ground.

Dan O' Connell died long ago;
Dan O' Connell died long ago
//

[MR. STORMALONG] John Short.
//
34. Old Stormey.

I wish I was old Stormey's son;
To my way, yah, stormalong,
I'd give those sailors lots of rum;
Aye, aye, aye, Mister Stormalong.

I'd build a ship both neat and strong
To sail the world around all round.

Old Stormey's dead, I saw him die.

We dug his grave with a silver spade.

We lowered him down with a golden chain.

And now we'll sing his funeral song.
//

[BULLY IN ALLEY] John Short.
//
35. Bully in the Alley.

So help my bob I'm bully in the alley ;
Way-ay bully in the alley,
So help my bob I'm bully in the alley;
Way-ay bully in the alley.
Bully down in our alley ;
So help my bob I'm bully in the alley,
Way-ay bully in the alley ;
Bully in Tin-pot alley
Way-ay bully in the alley.

Have you seen our Sally ?

She's the girl in the alley.
//

[YANKEE JOHN STORMALONG] John Short.
//
36. Liza Lee.

Liza Lee she promised me ;
Yankee John, Stormalong ;
She promised for to marry me;
Yankee John, Stormalong.
//

[BOWLINE] John Short.
//
37. Haul on the Bow-line.

Haul on the bowline, O Kitty you are my darling,
Haul on the bowline, the bowline, haul.
Because she had a foretop, fore and main to bowline;
Haul on the bowline, the bowline haul.

Because she had a main-top main and mizen to bowline ;
Haul the bowline, the bowline haul.

Haul on the bowline, O Kitty you are my darling,
Haul on the bowline, the bowline haul.
//

[PADDY DOYLE] John Short. bunting
//
38. Paddy Doyle.

To my way ay. ay ay ay yah,
We'll pay Paddy Doyle for his boots…

We'll order in brandy and gin.

We'll all throw dirt at the cook.

The dirty old man on the poop.
//

[BLOW THE MAN DOWN] John Short.
//
… I have supplemented Mr. Short's words — he could only remember two stanzas — with lines from other versions…

39. Knock a Man Down.

[Cho.] Knock a man down, kick a man down ;
way ay knock a man down,
knock a man down right down to the ground,
O give me some time to knock a man down.

The watchman's dog stood ten foot high ;

A lively ship and a lively crew.

O we are the boys to put her through

I wish I was in London Town.

It's there we'd make the girls fly round.
//

[JOHNNY BOWKER] John Short. bunting
//
40. Johnny Bowker.

Do my Johnny Bowker. Come rock and roll over
Do my Johnny Bowker, do.
//

[TALLY] Mr. Rapsey. Published in earlier journal article.
//
41. Tiddy I O.

O now you forbid us to bid you adieu ;
Tid-dy I - o, I - o;.
O now you forbid us to bid you adieu ;
Tiddy I-o, I-o, I-o.

We're homeward bound to Bristol Town.

We're homeward bound with sugar and rum

And when we arrive in Bristol docks.

O then the people will come down in flocks.
//

[ROUND THE CORNER] John Short.
//
42. Round the Corner, Sally.

O around the corner we will go;
Around the corner, Sally,
O Mademoiselle we'll take her in tow ;
Around the corner, Sally
We will take her in tow to Callio ;
Around the corner, Sally.

O ! I wish I was at Madame Gashees.

O ! it's there, my boys, we'd take our ease.
//

[HANDY MY BOYS] John Short.
//
43. So Handy.

So handy, my girls, So handy.
Be handy in the morning;
So handy, my girls, So handy,
Be handy in the morning;
So handy, my girls, So handy.

Be handy at your washing, girls.

My love she likes her brandy.

My love she is a dandy.

I thought I heard our Captain say :

At daylight we are bound away.

Bound away for Botany Bay.
//

[LONG TIME AGO] has an unusual 'tag' chorus at the end. James Tucker.
//
44. A Long Time Ago.

Away down south where I was born ;
To my way-ay-day, Ha !
Away down south where I was born ;
A long time ago.
'Twas a long, long time and a very long time,
A long time ago

O ! early on a summer's morn.

I made up my mind to go to sea.
//

[CHEERLY] John Short.
//
… Mr. Short told me this was the first chantey he learned and he thought it must have been the " first chantey ever invented." …

45. Cheerly Man.

O oly-i-o Cheerly Man.
Walk him up O
Cheerly man.
Oly-i-o, oly-i-o
Cheerly Man.
//

[BOTTLE O] John Short.
//
46. The Sailor Likes His Bottle O.

So early in the morning The sailor likes his bottle O.

A bottle of rum and a bottle of gin,
And a bottle of old Jamaica Ho!
So earIy in the morning The sailor likes his bottle O.
//

[DEAD HORSE] John Short.
//
47. The Dead Horse.

A poor old man came a-riding by,
And they say so, And I hope so,
A poor old man came a-riding by,
O poor old man.

Says I : Old man your horse will die.

And if he dies I'll tan his skin.

And if he don't I'll ride him again.

After very hard work and sore abuse.
They salted me down for sailors' use.

And if you think my words not true,
Just look in the cask and you'll find my shoe.

But our old horse is dead and gone,
And we know so, and we say so,
//

[WHISKEY JOHNNY] James Tucker.
//
48. Whisky for My Johnny.

Whisky is the life of man
Whisky, Johnny,
Whisky is the life of man,
Whisky for my Johnny.

I'll drink whisky while I can.

Whisky in an old tin can.

Whisky up and whisky down.

Pass the whisky all around.

Whisky polished my old nose.

Whisky made me go to sea.

My wife drinks whisky, I drink gin.

Whisky killed my mam and dad.

Whisky killed our whole ship's crew.

Whisky made me pawn my shirt.
//

[BONEY] John Short.
//
49. Bonny Was a Warrior.

Bonny was a warrior; Way-ay-yah
Bonny was a warrior, Jean François.

Bonny went to Moscow.

Moscow was on fire.

It took the Duke of Wellington

O to defeat old Bonny.

Hurrah, hurrah, for Bonny.

A bully, fighting terrier.
//

[BLOW BOYS BLOW] John Short.
//
50. Blow, Boys, Come Blow Together.

Blow, boys, come blow together ;
Blow, boys, blow.
Blow, boys, come blow together ;
Blow, my bully boys, blow.

A Yankee ship came down the river.


And who do you think was Master of lier ?

Why Bully Brag of New York City.

And what do you think we had for supper ?

Belaying-pin soup and a roll in the gutter.
//

[HANGING JOHNNY] John Short.
//
51. Hanging Johnny.

And they calls me hanging Johnny;.
Hooray, hooray.
And they calls me Hanging Johnny,
So hang, boys, hang.

They hanged my poor old father.

They hanged my poor old mother.

They say I hanged for money.

But I never hanged nobody.
//

[HUNDRED YEARS] John Short.
http://www.wildgoose.co.uk/wildgoose-media/samples/WGS381CD-T4.mp3 (Jeff Warner)
//
52. A Hundred Years on the Eastern Shore.

A hundred years on the eastern shore ;
O yes O
A hundred years on the eastern shore ;
A hundred years ago.

A hundred years have passed and gone.

And a hundred years will come once more.
//

[SHENANDOAH] Second version. James Thomas. 4 pulls are indicated in one chorus!
//
… This, a shortened form of No. 11, was one that Mr. Thomas often heard
on " The City of Washington," in which ship he sailed to America in 1870….

53. Shanadar.

Shanadar is a rolling river, E-o, I-o, E-o, I-o.
//

[LONG TIME AGO] Captain Hole.
//
54. In Frisco Bay.

In Frisco bay there lay three ships
To my way ay ay o,
In Frisco bay there lay three ships
A long time ago.

And one of those ships was Noah's old Ark,
And covered all over with hickory bark.

They filled up the seams with oakum pitch.

And Noah of old commanded this Ark.

They took two animals of every kind.

The bull and the cow they started a row.

Then said old Noah with a flick of his whip :
Come stop this row or I'll scuttle the ship.

But the bull put his horn through the side of the Ark ;
And the little black dog he started to bark.

So Noah took the dog, put his nose in the hole ;
And ever since then the dog's nose has been cold.
//

[SHALLOW BROWN] Second version. Robert Ellison.
//
55. Shallow Brown.

O I'm going to leave her
Shallow O Shallow Brown.
O I'm going to leave her
Shallow O Shallow Brown.

Going away to-morrow,
Bound away to-morrow.

Get my traps in order.

Ship on board a whaler.

Bound away to St. George's.

Love you well, Julianda.

Massa going to sell me.

Sell me to a Yankee.

Sell me for the dollar.
Great big Spanish dollar.
//

[WON'T YOU GO MY WAY] John Short. First time.
//
56. Won't You Go My Way.

I met her in the morning ;
Won't you go My way?
I met her in the morning ;
Won't you go My way?

In the morning bright and early.

O Julia, Anna, Maria.

I asked that girl to mairy,

She said she'd rather tarry.

Oh marry, never tarry.
//

[STORMY] Robert Ellison.
//
57. Wo, Stormalong.

Whenever you go to Liverpool ; Wo, stormalong;
When ever you go to Liverpool ; Stormalong, lads stormy.

And Liverpool that Yankee School.

And when you go to Playhouse Square,

My bonny girl she do live there.

We're bound away this very day.

We're bound away at the break of day.
//

John Short.
//
58. O Billy Riley.

O Billy Riley, little Billy Riley,
O Billy Riley O;
O Billy Riley, wake him up so cheer'ly.
O Billy Riley O.

O Mister Riley, O Missus Riley.

O Miss Riley, O Billy Riley.

O Miss Riley, screw him up so cheer'ly.
//

[TOMMY'S GONE] John Short.
//
59. Tom is Gone to Hilo.

My Tom is gone, what shall I do?
Oo - way, you I - o - o - o,
My Tom is gone, what shall I do?
My Tom is gone to Hilo.
//

John Short. A significantly different tune.
//
… Mr. Short said that this was used not only as a pulling chantey but also when they were screwing cotton into the hold at New Orleans …

60. Tommy's Gone Away.

Tommy's gone, what shall I do ?
Tommy's gone away,
Tommy's gone, what shall I do ?
Tommy's gone away.
//

[END]

Subject: RE: The Advent and Development of Chanties
From: Gibb Sahib
Date: 10 Jul 11 - 07:38 PM

[[CAPSTAN CHANTEYS]]

[SANTIANA] John Short.
//
1. Santy Anna.

Santy Anna run away;
Ho-roo, Santy Anna ;
Santa Anna run away all on the plains of Mexico

General Taylor gained the day,

Mexico you all do know,

The Americans'll make Ureta* [Huerta] fly,
//


[LEAVE HER JOHNNY] First Version. John Short.
//
2. Leave Her Johnny.

O the times are hard and the wages low;
Leave her Johnny leave her;
O the times are hard and the wages low,
It's time for us to leave her.


The bread is hard and the beef is salt,

O, a leaking ship and a harping crew,

Our mate he is a bully man,
He gives us all the best he can.

I've got no money, I've got no clothes,

O, my old mother she wrote to me

I will send you money, I will send you clothes.
//

Second Version. Richard Perkins.
//
3. Leave Her Johnny.

The times are hard and the wages low,
Leave her Johnny leave her,
O the times are hard and the wages low,
It's time for us to leave her.
//

[OLD MOKE] John Short.
//
… " Hoo-roo " may be a reminiscence of "Shule Agra," and the reference to "the railroad " a memory of " Poor Paddy works on the railway." Both words and tune show negro influence. The chantey is not included in any other collection…

4. He-back, She-back.

He-back, she-back, daddy shot a bear,
Shot him in the back and he Never turned a hair,
I'm just from the railroad, too-rer-loo,
Oh the old moke picking on the banjo.
Hoo-roo! What's the matter now?
I'm just from the railroad, too-rer-loo,
I'm just from the railroad, too-rer-loo,
Oh the old moke picking on the banjo.
//

[HOGEYE] John Short.
//
…The tune of this chantey shows negro influence, especially in the curious and characteristic rhythm of the chorus.

5. The Hog-eyed Man.

O who's been here since I've been gone?
Some big black nigger with his sea-boots on,
And a hog-eye, Steady up a jig and a hog-eye,
Steady up a jig, And all she wants is her hog-eyed man.

The hog-eyed man is the man for me,
He brought me down from Tennessee.
//

[CLEAR THE TRACK] George Conway. This may be the first to use contain the somewhat sketchy phrase "clear away", which I *think* earmarks some Revival versions sourced from Sharp.
//
… The tune, the final cadence of which is very similar to that of Santy Anna, is clearly related to that of Shule Agra…

6. Clear the Track.

I wish I was in London town
Ha-hee, ha-oo, are you most done
I wish I was in London town ;
So clear away the track and let the bullgine run.
With my hi-rig-a-jig and a low-back car,
Ha-hee, ha-oo, are you most done,
To My pretty little yaller girl fare thee well,
So clear away the track and let the bullgine run.

Twas there I saw the girls around.
//

[DRUNKEN SAILOR] James Tucker. The melody has the typical shape, and yet it's different – almost like a harmony part to the usual tune.
//
… The tune in the text — obviously a bagpipe air…

7. Drunken Sailor.

What shall we do with a drunken sailor?
What shall we do with a drunken sailor?
What shall we do with a drunken sailor
Early in the morning?
Way ay and up she rises,
Way ay and up she rises,
Way ay and up she rises
Early in the morning.

Put him in the long-boat till he gets sober.

Keep him there and make him bail her.
//

[DOODLE LET] Makes its first appearance. John Short.
//

… Mr. Short always sang " doodle let me go."…

8. Do Let Me Go.

It's of a merchant's daughter belonged to Callio;
Hooraw, my yaller girls, do let me go
Do let me go, girls, Do let me go,
Hooraw, my yaller girls, do let me go.
//

[JAMBOREE] John Short. I suspect The Spinners' interpretation was developed from this?
//
Now Cape Clear it is in sight,
We'll be off Holy head by tomorrow night,
And we'll shape our course for the Rock Light;
O Jenny get your oatcake done.
Whip jamboree, whip jamboree,
O you long- tailed black man poke it up behind me,
Whip jamboree, Whip jamboree,
O Jen-ny get your oatcake done.

Now my lads, we're round the Rock,
All hammocks lashed and chests all locked,
We'll haul her into the Waterloo Dock,
O, Jenny, get your oat-cake done.

Now, my lads, we're all in dock
We'll be off to Dan Lowrie's on the spot;
And now we'll have a good roundabout,
O, Jenny, get your oat-cake done.
//

This "Roll and Go" is distinct from the typical "Sally Brown". John Short.
[One of my favourite chanties! http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_9MrvUgTMMU]
//
10. Roll and Go.

Way ay roll and go.
O Sally Brown she promised me,
A long time ago.
She promised for to marry me;
Way ay roll and go
O she promised for to marry me,
A long time ago.

O, Sally Brown's the girl for me,
O, Sally Brown, she slighted me.

As I walked out one morning fair,
It's then I met her, I do declare.
//

[SHENANDOAH] John Short.
//
11. Shanadar.

O Shanadar I love your daughter,
Hooray you rolling river.
Shanadar I love your daughter
Ha Ha, I'm bound away to the wild Missouri.


O seven years I courted Sally.

And seven more I couldn't gain her.

She said I was a tarry sailor.

Farewell my dear I'm bound to leave you;
I'm bound away but will ne'er deceive you.
//

[ROLLER BOWLER] first time. John Short.
//
12. Roller, Bowler.

Hooray you roller, bowler;
In my hi-rig-a-jig and a ha ha.
Good morning ladies all.
O the first time that I saw her
'Twas down in
Playhouse Square,
To my hi-rig-a-jig and a ha ha.
Good morning ladies all.

As I walked out one morning,
As I walked out one morning,
Down by the river side,

O ladies short and ladies tall,
O ladies short and ladies tall
I love them all,
//

[RUN LET THE BULGINE RUN] John Short.
//
13. Let the Bullgine Run.

We'll run from night till morning.
O run, let the bullgine run.
Way yah, oo-oo oo-oo-oo,
O run, let the bullgine run.

We'll run from Dover to Calais.

We sailed away from Mobile Bay.

We gave three cheers and away we went.

Now up aloft this yard must go.

We're homeward bound for Liverpool Docks.
//

[HUCKLEBERRY HUNTING] John Short.
//
14. Huckleberry Hunting

The boys and the girls went a huckleberry hunting;
To my way-ay-ay-ay-ay-ay yah;
All the boys and the girls went a huckleberry hunting;
To my Hilo, my Ranzo-ray.
//

[ONE MORE DAY] John Short.
//
15. One More Day.

One more day, my Johnny,
For one more day;
O rock and roll me over
For one more day.

There is one thing more that grieves me
There is my poor wife and baby

I'm bound away to leave you
Don't let my parting grieve you
//

[JOHNNY COME DOWN TO HILO] John Short.
//
… Presumably, Hilo is the seaport of that name on the east coast of Hawaii Island…

16. O Johnny Come to Hilo.

O a poor old man came a-riding by,
Says I : old man your horse will die.
O Johnny come to Hilo,
O poor old man.
O wake her, O shake her,
O shake that girl with the blue dress on,
O Johnny come to Hilo;
Poor old man.
//

[GOOD MORNING LADIES] John Short.
//
17. Good Morning, Ladies All.

Aye yo o, aye yo o.
I thought I heard our captain say:
Aye yo. O, aye yo o.
O go on board your pilot boat And roll her down the bay.
Ha, ha, my yaller girls, Good morning, ladies all.

Our Captain on the quarter-deck
Was looking very sad.
//

[LOWLANDS AWAY] Henry Bailey.
//
… The words of the fourth verse were given me by Mr. Short. "Matelors "
means " sailors," as Mr. Short well knew ; and an "oozer," he said, was a
cotton stevedore…

18. Lowlands Away.

Lowlands, lowlands away, my John ;
I'm bound away, I heard him say,
My lowlands away, my John ;
A dollar and a half is a oozer's pay,
A dollar and a half a day.

A dollar and a half won't pay my way ;
A dollar and a half is a white-man's pay.

We're bound away to Mobile Bay ;

What shall we poor matelors do ?
//

[RANZO RAY] John Short.
http://www.wildgoose.co.uk/wildgoose-media/samples/WGS381CD-T10.mp3 (Tom Brown)
//
… Mr. Short always sang " rodeling " for " rolling."…

19. The Bully Boat.

Ah the bully boat is coming,
Don't you hear the paddles rolling?
Rando, rando, hooray, hooray
The bully boat is coming,
Don't you hear the paddles rolling?
Rando, rando, ray.

Ah! the bully boat is coming
Down the Mississippi floating.

As I walked out one May morning
To hear the steam-boat rolling.
//

[STORMY ALONG JOHN} John Short.
//
20. Stormalong John.

I wish I was old Stormy's son ;
To my way–ay Stormalong John.
I wish I was old Stormy's son,
Ha ha, come along get along, Stormy along John.

I'd give those sailors lots of rum.

O was you ever in Quebec?

A-stowing timber on the deck.

I wish I was in Baltimore.

On the grand old American shore.
//

[RIO GRANDE] John Short.
//
21. Rio Grand.

I think I heard the old man say:
o you Rio,
I think I heard the old man say:
We're bound for Rio Grand.
And away for Rio,
O you Rio,
So fare you well, my bonny young girl,
We're bound for Rio Grand.

O Rio Grand is my native land.

It's there that I would take my stand.

She's a buxom young maid with a rolling black eye.

She came from her dwelling a long way from here.

I wish I was in Rio to-day.

Buckle [bucko] sailors you'll see there,

With long sea-boats and close cropped hair.
//

[LUCY LONG] John Short.
//
22. Lucy Long.

Was you ever on the Brumalow,
Where the Yankee boys are all the go?
To my way-ay-ay ha, ha
My Johnny, boys, ha ha
Why don't you try for to wring Miss Lucy Long?

O! as I walked out one morning fair,
To view the views and take the air.

'Twas there I met Miss Lucy fair,
'Twas there we met I do declare.
//

[BLACKBALL LINE] John Short.
//
23. The Black Ball Line.

In Tapscott's line we're bound to shine ;
A way, Hooray, Yah;
In Tapscott's line we're bound for to shine,
Hooray for the Black Ball Line.

In the Black Ball Line I served my time.

We sailed away from Liverpool Bay.

We sailed away for Mobile Bay.

It was there we discharged our cargo, boys.

We loaded cotton for the homeward bound.

And when we arrived at the Liverpool Dock.

We ran our lines on to the pier.

We made her fast all snug and taut.

The skipper said: That will do, my boys.
//

[FIRE DOWN BELOW] John Short.
//
24. Fire! Fire!

There is fire in the galley, There is fire down below,
Fetch a bucket of water, girls, There's fire down below.
Fire! Fire!
Fire down below.
It's fetch a bucket of water girls, There's fire down below.

There is fire in the fore-top,
There's fire in the main;
Fetch a bucket of water, girls,
And put it out again.

As I walked out one morning fair
All in the month of June.
I overheard an Irish girl
A-singing this old tune.
//


[A-ROVING]
//
25. A-Roving.

In Plymouth town there lived a maid;
Bless you, young women;
In Plymouth town there lived a maid ;
O mind what I do say ;
In Plymouth town there lived a maid
And she was mistress of her trade;
I'll go no more a-roving with you, fair maid.
A-roving, a-roving, Since roving's been my ru-i-in
I'll go no more a-roving with you, fair maid.

I took this fair maid for a walk,
And we had such a loving talk.

I took her hand within my own,
And said: I'm bound to my old home.
//

[HEAVE AWAY MY JOHNNIES] John Short.
//
26. Heave Away, My Johnny.

It's of a farmer's daughter, so beautiful I'm told
Heave away my Johnny, heave away.
Her father died and left her five hundred pound in gold;
Heave away. my bonny boys, We're all bound away.

Her uncle and the squire rode out one summer's day.

Young William is in favour, her uncle he did say.
//

Subject: RE: The Advent and Development of Chanties
From: Gibb Sahib
Date: 10 Jul 11 - 07:03 PM

1914        Sharp, Cecil K. 1914. _ English Folk-Chanteys._ London: Simpkin, Marshall, Hamilton, Kent & Co. Ltd.

60 chanteys. Majority heard from John Short of Watchet, Somerset.
The format is similar to Sharp's publication in issues of the Folk Song Society journal (e.g., sort sets of verses, lots of stringing out/half-couplets), but the entries have a dual purpose in that they are set to piano arrangements, as if they are to be performed. Indeed, the notes for the items are put (inconveniently, for our purposes) in a separate section at the end.

In his intro to the collection, Sharp reveals his basic intent and biases. His a priori assumption is that this repertoire primarily belongs to a song tradition of the English people. Therefore (for example), he seeks to connect the tunes to other English folk or popular songs – not necessarily a bad move in all cases, but an assumption, nonetheless, that closes the door on other possibilities. He talks about songs exhibiting "Negro influence", which seems to me a way of assuming again that some core English repertoire is at the center, which Black songs can only "influence"; Black song traditions cannot be at the center in this sort of discussion.

What is wonderful about Sharp's collected shanties is that we have them for posterity, and more so that he has recorded the musical and lyrical peculiarities of specific singers (i.e. he has been descriptive). This is as opposed by giving a 'generic' quasi-composite version of the chanties, such as some of the earlier authors had done. However, that benefit is somewhat diminished in this particular collection; unlike in his journal articles, Sharp does create composite/ideal/prescriptive versions to some extent.

One can also critique Sharp's relative ignorance of the subject. He had gained familiarity by this point, but I think that what he didn't know about shanties comes through now and again in misperceptions of what his informants sang. (Incidentally, when Hugill went on to re-present many of these items, he "corrected" some of the lyrics to reflect what one better acquainted with the subject would assume must have been the intended words.)

The opening of the intro reflects Sharp's assumption that chanties were at the core of some ~ancient~ English song tradition. He thought they were a hold-over from a larger body of English work songs…the rest of which mysteriously vanished. He does not think that the dearth of other work songs besides chanties might indicate that they were borrowed from non-English culture!
//
THE sailors' chantey is, I imagine, the last of the labour-songs to survive in this country. In bygone days there must have been an enormous number of songs of this kind associated with every rhythmical form of manual labour ; but the machine killed the landsman's work-song too long ago for it now to be recoverable. The substitution, too, of the steam-engine for the sail in deep-sea craft has given the death-blow to the chantey; …
//

Origin ideas, with little evidence. Does not distinguish "Complaynt" from more recent work songs, and yet the issue is "beyond question."
//
How old the chantey may be it is impossible to say, but that the custom
amongst sailors of singing in rhythm with their work was in vogue as far back at least as the fifteenth century, the vivid description of the voyage in " The Complaynt of Scotland" (c. 1450) places beyond question.
//

Etymology, orthography. Doesn't use much literature to make an argument; seems just like a random decision.
//
Notwithstanding the antiquity of the chantey the word itself is quite
modern ; indeed, the compilers of the Oxford Dictionary are unable to cite its use in literature earlier than 1869. Moreover, although the authorities are more or less in agreement regarding the derivation of the word (Fr. chante), its spelling is still in dispute. The Oxford Dictionary (1913) gives the preference to "shanty"; Webster's New International
Dictionary (1911) to "chantey"; while the Century Dictionary (1889) prints both forms "chantey" and " shanty." Clark Russell and Kipling write it " chantey," and Henley "chanty." As the balance of expert opinion appears to favour "chantey " that spelling is adopted here.
//

Prior writings consulted; he seems to have looked at collections mainly, and perhaps not other articles and sources.
//
Considering the interest which this subject must have for antiquaries,
musicians, folk-lorists and others, its bibliography is remarkably slender. //

Mentions LA Smith, Davis/Tozer, Whall, Bullen.
//
Of these, the last two are at once the most recent and, in my opinion, the
most authoritative. Each is the compilation of a professional sailor and
avowedly a one-man collection, containing those chanteys only which its
author had himself heard and learned at sea. Here, of course, Mr. Whall and Mr. Bullen have the advantage of me. I have no technical or practical knowledge whatever of nautical matters ; I have never even heard a chantey sung on board ship. But then I approach the subject from its aesthetic side my concern is solely with the music of the chantey and with its value as an art-product and this I contend is quite possible even for one who is as ignorant as I am of the technical details of the
subject.
//
So, he is mainly interested in tune-forms, and connecting them to other folk song tunes.

Personal sources.
//
Counting variants, I have collected upwards of 150 chanteys, all of which
have been taken down from the lips of old sailors now living in retirement at St. Ives, Padstow, Watchet, Bridgwater, Clevedon, Bristol, Newcastle and London.
//

Sharp's criteria for inclusion, which includes the funky decision not to include "popular" songs whose tunes are "not of folk-origin" – meaning that very many of the common shanties would have to be excluded…and also meaning that Sharp assumes shanties that are included do not have popular origins (for example, Haul Away Joe).
//
In making my selection for the purposes of this book I have been
guided by the following considerations. I have limited my choice to those
chanteys which I had definite evidence were actually used within living
memory as working-songs on board ship; I have excluded every example
of the sea-song or ballad, which is, of course, not a labour-song at all; I have omitted certain popular and undoubtedly genuine chanteys, such as
"The Banks of the Sacramento," " Poor Paddy works on the Railway," "Can't you dance the Polka," "Good-bye, Fare you Well," etc., all of which are included, I believe, in one or other of the Collections above enumerated on the ground that the tunes are not of folk-origin, but rather the latter-day adaptations of popular, "composed" songs of small musical value; and finally, to save space, I have excluded several well-known chanteys, e.g. "Farewell and Adieu to you, Ladies of Spain," "Cawsand Bay," "The Coasts of High Barbary," etc., all of which have been repeatedly published.
//

On Sharp's informants.
//
A reference to the Notes will show that thirty-nine of the chanteys in this
Collection have already seen the light in some form or other. The remaining twenty-one are, I believe, now published for the first time.
Fifty-seven of the chanteys in my Collection, and forty-six of those in this
volume, were sung to me by Mr. John Short of Watchet, Somerset. Although seventy-six years of age he is apparently, so far as physical activity and mental alertness go, still in the prime of life. He has, too, the folk-singer's tenacious memory and, although I am sure he does not know it, very great musical ability of the uncultivated, unconscious order. He now holds the office of Town Crier in his native town, presumably on account of his voice, which is rich, resonant and powerful, and yet so flexible that he can execute trills, turns and graces with a delicacy and finish that would excite the envy of many a professed vocalist. Mr. Short has spent more than fifty years in sailing-ships and throughout the greater part of his career was a recognised chanteyman, i.e. the solo-singer who led the chanteys. It would be difficult, I imagine, to find a more experienced exponent of the art of chantey-singing, and I account myself peculiarly fortunate in having made his acquaintance in the course of my investigations and won his generous assistance. Of the other singers who have been good enough to sing to me, Mr. Perkins of St. Ives and the late Mr. Robbins of London deserve especial mention. …
//

A word more on John Short (1839-1933), who our friend Tom Brown has helped us to know better through the Short Sharp Shanties project. Short ("Yankee Jack") started his deepwater career circa 1857/8 and retired from that circa 1873-75.

Many of the shanties which Sharp got from Short are ones rarely collected elsewhere. Quite often, the only other version is one supplied –miraculously?—by Hugill. TomB made the following observation on Mudcat in March '09:

"It's fascinating to find that, of those shanties that Sharp/Terry published from John Short, which were not in other publications, Stan almost invariably a his own version either from 'Harding the Barbadian' or 'picked up in the West Indies'. Makes you wonder!"

The next passage, which begins a theory of the origins of worksongs, includes a phrase matching what Harlow later included as a sing outs.
//
…A simple way of securing this end was explained to me by a practical seaman, who told me that on such occasions he would recite, slowly and impressively and to the following rhythm, this sentence,

[musical score w/ lyrics:]
I sell brooms, squeegees and swabs.

instructing the men to make their effort on the word swabs….
//

On the nature of lyrics, and how the present collection treats them:
//
In most chanteys, e.g. " Ranzo," it is one line only in each stanza that has to be improvised, so that the demands made upon the singer's powers of invention are not overwhelming. Every chanteyman, too, has a number of stock lines, or "tags," stored up in his memory, such as

"Up aloft this yard must go," "I think I heard the old man (i.e. the captain) say"

upon which he can always draw when inspiration fails him. The
paucity of singable words vitiates to some extent the practical
value of a Collection such as this; on the other hand it should not be difficult for the amateur to emulate the chanteyman and invent words of his own. It should, perhaps, be added that the words in the text are those that were actually sung to me. I have not "edited" them in any way beyond excising a few lines and softening two or three expressions.
//
So, he bowdlerized a bit.

On singing style—possibly reflects how his aged informants were singing to him:
//
Traditionally, the chantey is sung very slowly and deliberately and the
tune embellished especially by the chanteyman himself with numberless
trills and graces, with every now and again a curious catch in the voice (a
kind of hiccough), and numerous falsetto notes. These embellishments are highly characteristic, but they are very difficult, and the amateur would be well advised not to attempt to imitate them. He must remember, however, to sing the chanteys slowly and impressively and, the majority of them at any rate, without accompaniment. Accompaniments, it is true, are given in the text, but this is only that the melodies may, if required, be played as instrumental airs.
//

Origins again, and Sharp's assumptions about the inherently English nature of chanties, or the essentialized English sailor.
//
The origin of the chantey-tune is a question beset with difficulty. A great many of the airs I should be inclined to say a majority of them must originally have been drawn from the stock of peasant-tunes with which the memory of every country-bred sailor would naturally be stored. In most cases these have, in the process of adaptation, undergone many changes, although there are instances where the folk-ballad has been "lifted " bodily into the service of the chantey without any alteration whatever, as for example "Blow away the Morning Dew " (Whall, p. 35) and "Sweet Nightingale " (Songs of the West, No. 15). The latter was given me as a capstan-chantey by Mr. Short who told me that he had himself converted it into a chantey, and that it had always become a favourite with the crews he had sailed with. Very often too for the sailors' taste is comprehensive rather than particular popular street-songs were added to the sailors' repertory of chanteys, e.g. " Champagne Charlie," "Doo-dah-day," etc. Another source, too, from which the chantey seems to have been replenished is the hymn-book ; at any rate there are many chanteys that have hymn-tune characteristics, e.g. "Leave her Johnny" (No. 3), etc.
The resemblance may be adventitious, i.e. the short, concise phrases peculiar to the chantey may have led naturally to the construction of tunes of this character ; or, on the other hand, as the sailor is a great singer of hymn-tunes of the more emotional type, it may be that he has consciously or unconsciously introduced some of the phrases of his favourite tunes into the chantey.

Lastly, there is the vexed question of negro influence. Mr. Arnold, the musical editor of Mr. Bullen's Collection, holds that " the majority of the chanteys are negroid in origin." I cannot subscribe to this opinion, although I admit that the negro has undoubtedly left his impress upon a certain number of chantey-tunes. The technical peculiarities of negroid music are not easy to define with precision. Mr. A. H. Fox Strangways has, however, drawn my attention to the prevalence in negro music of the "melodic-third," i.e. of a shape of melody which implies a preference for harmonising in thirds, instead of the fourth, which is, of course, the basic interval of European folk-song … Then there is that characteristic form of syncopated rhythm, popularly known as "rag-time," which, however, although undoubtedly negro in origin, is found very rarely, if at all, in the chantey. … That the chantey should have been affected by the negro is not surprising when we remember that sailing-ships, engaged in the Anglo-American trade, commonly carried " chequered " crews, i.e. one watch of coloured men and one of white. It is necessary, however, to distinguish between music of negroid origin and European music that has been modified by the negro.
…However, I do not wish to be dogmatic. Sufficient material has not yet
been amassed upon which to found a sound theory of the origin of the chantey-tune ; and it may be that when further evidence is available the somewhat speculative opinions above expressed will need material modification.
//

Subject: RE: The Advent and Development of Chanties
From: Gibb Sahib
Date: 06 Jul 11 - 07:48 PM

Here's the last of the chanty articles by the Folk-Song Society crew, that I know of, to be discussed.

1916        Sharp, Cecil J., A.G. Gilchrist, Lucy E. Broadwood, Frank Kidson, and Harry E. Piggott. 1916. "Sailors' Chanties." _Journal of the Folk-Song Society_ 5(20):297-315.

Another batch of chanties, collected by Cecil J. Sharp and Harry E. Piggott.

[JAMBOREE], for capstan. Sung by Harry Perrey (age 61) in 1915. Perrey was a American who spent 40+ years in sailing ships. So, his songs may go back to the 1870s.
//
Whip Jamboree.

First version.

O now, my boys, we'll give three cheers,
For the Irish coast is drawing near;
Tomorrow we will sight Cape Clear,
O Jenny, get your oat cake done.
O Jamboree, whip Jamboree,
O you long-tailed black man step it up behind me,
O Jamboree, whip Jamboree,
O Jenny, get your oatcake done.

Now my boys, we're off Holyhead,
No more salt beef, no more salt bread,
One man in the chains for to heave the lead,
O Jenny get your oat-cake done.
O Jamboree, etc.
//

"Southern Ladies" is a song I've never seen elsewhere (except in Hugill's reprint). (Incidentally, I used it as the tune for my chanty dedicated to Barry Finn). Given as a capstan chantey, sung by Perrey in 1915.
//
19. Southern Ladies.

What will you fetch your Julia?
Way-ay-ay-ay,
What will you fetch your Julia?
She's a southern lady…all the day.

One bottle of Floridy water.
Way-ay-ay-ay.
One bottle of Floridy water,
She's a southern lady all the day.

This is a negro labour-song of the cotton stations of the Southern States which, like many others of a similar character, has been commandeered by the sailor.
-C. J. S.
//

[BANKS OF NEWFOUNDLAND] appears here, for the first time, I think, as a capstan chanty.
//
20. The Banks of Newfoundland.

You rambling boys of Liverpool, I'll have you to beware,
When you go a-packet sailing No dungarees don't wear;
But have a monkey jacket All unto your command,
For there blows some cold nor'westers On the banks of Newfoundland.
We'll wash her and we'll scrub her down, With holy stones and sand.
And we'll bid adieu to the Virgin Rocks On the banks of Newfoundland.

We had one Lynch from Balla na Lynch,
Jimmy Murphy and Mike Moor;
It was in the winter of sixty-two
Those sea-boys suffered sore.
They pawned their clothes in Liverpool
And sold them out of hand,
Not thinking of the cold nor'-westers
On the banks of Newfoundland.

We had one lady passenger on board,
Bridget Riley was her name;
To her I promised marriage
And on me she had a claim.
She tore up her flannel petticoats
To make mittens for our hands,
For she couldn't see the sea-boys frozen
On the banks of Newfoundland.

Now my boys, we're off Sandy Hook
And the land's all covered with snow;
The tug-boat will take our hawser
And for New York we will tow;
And when we arrive at the Black Ball dock
The boys and girls there will stand;
We'll bid adieu to packet-sailing
And the banks of Newfoundland.
//

Also here for the first time as a capstan chanty is [LIVERPOOL GIRLS].
//
21. Row, Bullies, Row.
[The Liverpool Girls.]

From Liverpool to 'Frisco a-roving I went,
For to stay in that country it was my intent;
But drinking strong whiskey, like other damned fools.
I was very soon shanghai'd back to Liverpool.
Singing row…row, bullies, row,
Those Liverpool girls they have got us in tow.

One day off Cape Horn, sure I ne'er will forget,
O it's O don't I sigh when I think on it yet;
The mate was knocked out and the sails was all wet
And she was running twelve knots with her main sky-sail set.
Singing row, row, etc.

O it's now we are sailing down on to the line,
When I think over it yet, sure we had a hard time;
The sailors was pulling the yards all around,
Trying to beat that flash clipper called the Thacka McGowan.
Singing row, row, etc.

O it's now we're arrived in Bramley-Moor Dock,
Where the fair maids and lasses around us will flock.
The barley's run dry and sixty dollars advance,
I think it's high time to get up and " dust." [i.e. " strike out for another
country."]
//

[SHALLOW BROWN], a "pulling" chanty.
//
Shallow Brown.
[I'm Going Away to Leave You.]

I'm going away to leave you,
Shallow, O Shallow Brown.
I'm going away to leave you,
Shallow, O Shallow Brown.

Get my clothes in order.

The steam-boat sails to-morrow.

I'm bound away for Georgia.

No more work on plantation.
I'll cross the wide Atlantic.

I'll cross the Chili mountains.

To pump them silver fountains. [i.e. work the silver mines.]
//

[FIRE DOWN BELOW] for capstan.
//
23. Fire! Fire!

First version.

Fire! Fire! Fire! My boys, Don't you kick up any noise,
To my way-ay-ay-ay-ay.
O it's fire in the foretop and in the hole below,
It's fire down below.
The Captain's on the poop with his spyglass in his hand,
To my way-ay-ay-ay-ay.
The mate is on the focosle head a-looking out for land,
O it's fire down below.
//

[JAMBOREE] sung by George Conway (age 70) in 1914. This melody in major mode.
//
Whip Jamboree. Second Version.

O Jamboree, O Jamboree,
Long time a-coming that pretty, little yaller girl,
O Jamboree, O Jamboree,
O Jenny get your oat-cake done.
//

[FIRE DOWN BELOW]
//
Second Version.

Fire up the middle door, Fire down below,
O Fire in the maintop, Fire down below.
[cho.] Fire! Fire! Fire! O here's an awful go!
Let's hope that we shall never see fire down below.

Fire in the mizen top.

Fire in the fore-top.
//

[HANDY MY BOYS], a "pulling" chanty, sung by Robert Ellison (age 78) in 1914.
//
O handy, my boys, we're bound away,
So handy, my boys, so handy,
O handy, my boys, we're bound away,
So handy, my boys, so handy.

I thought I heard the Captain say.

At daylight, boys, we're bound away.

Bound away for Botany (Hobson's) Bay.

Whenever you go to Playhouse Square.

Gipsy Pole she do live there.
//

A pulling chanty. Sure, it's similar to "Sally Brown," but not necessarily any more so than other chanties. My quick rendition:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MsHHHbnY9Vc
//
25. What is in the Pot A-boiling?

What is in the pot a-boiling?
O row, heave and go.
Two sheep's spunks and an apple dumpling,
O row, heave and go.
//

[RIO GRANDE] for windlass, sung by John Rerring in 1912.
//
26. Rio Grande.

I thought I heard our Captain say,
Oh Rio
I thought I heard our Captain say
"We are off to Rio Rande"
Then away Rio…Away Rio,
So fare you well my bonny young girl,
We are off to Rio Grande.

So heave up your anchor and let us away.

We've a jolly goo(I ship and a jolly good crew.
A jolly good mate and a good captain too.

So set all your sails, 'tis a favouring wind;
Say good-bye to the lass you are leaving behind.

For twelve long months we'll be away.
And then return with our twelve months' pay,
//

[HEAVE AWAY MY JOHNNIES] for windlass.
//
27. Heave Away, My Johnny.

As I was walking Liverpool streets a-wearing out my shoes,
Heave away, my Johnny, heave away…
I stepped into a shipping office, just to hear the news.
Heave away, my jolly boys, we're all bound to go.

"Good Morning, Shipping Master," " Good Morning, Jack," says he.
"O have you got a fine ship to carry me over the sea "

"Oh yes, I have a fine ship, a ship of noted fame;
She's lying in the Canning Dock, the Annie is her name.

The wages are a pound a month, and half a month's advance;
And whilst you haven't got a ship, you'd better take the chance."

So I went on board the Annie and I sailed to a foreign clime;
But I'll ne'er forget the girl I loved and left in tears behind.
//

[HEAVE AWAY CHEERILY] "hauling"
//
Off to the South'ard We'll Go.

Oh our ship is refitted, we are going for a trip,
Cheer'ly my lads, let her go
We're a jolly fine crew and a jolly fine ship,
As off to the south'ard we'll go.

So set all your sails, it's a favouring wind,
Say good-bye to the friends you are leaving behind,

We shall soon clear the Channel and be well off the land;
Then the steward will serve out the grog to each man.

But the wind is increasing, we must reduce sail.
Take a reef in the topsails and weather the gale.

Under low canvas four days we have been.
Four passing ships homeward bound we have seen.

But now we will set all our sails again.
And think nothing more of the wind and the rain.

The chanty of this name in Tozer's Sailors' Songs is a modern production both tune and words-but seems to have been founded on something older…A.G.G.
//

[HANDY MY BOYS], "hauling"
//
A Handy Ship.

A handy ship and a handy crew,
So handy, my boys, so handy.
A handy ship and a handy crew,
So handy, my boys, so handy.

A handy mate to pull us through.
A handy mate to pull us through.

The mate will tell us when to belay.
I think that's just what he's going to say

So up aloft on this yard we must go.
So up aloft on the yard we must go.
//

Piggott gives a note to acknowledge improvisation and stock verses, as explained by his informant.
//
… In connection with this and the chanties which follow, it must be remembered that the words are extemporized and often trans-
ferred from one chanty to another. Mr. Perring said to me " Of course, I can't think of words to sing now. I am out of practice. Besides it is so different singing in a room. If I were on board, with all the fellows round me, I should know their names and all about them and I was a good hand at making up little rhymes which would fit in; I should think of the next verse while they were singing the chorus." He went on to explain how he had certain rhymes or jingles which he fell back upon when he could no longer think of topical verses, such as:
" The captain is a-growling,
The wind it is a-howling."
" Haul and pull together,
Haul for better weather."
//

[HAUL AWAY JOE], a "setting up" chanty
//
Haul Away, Joe.

Away haul away, Haul away together,
Away, haul away, haul away Joe!

Away, haul away,
The gale it is a-brewing;
Away, haul away,
Haul away, Joe!

Away, haul away,
Haul and pull together;
Away, haul away,
Haul away, Joe !

Away, haul away,
The captain is a-growling;
Away, haul away,
Haul away, Joe!

Away, haul away,
All for better weather;
Away, haul away,
Haul away, Joe!

The "setting up " or " sweating up " chanties were sung as a solo or by a few voices; all joining in with a shout on the last word, as they fell back on the rope.
-H. E. P.
//

[JOHNNY BOWKER] for "setting up"
//
Johnny Poker.

Oh, do my Johnny Poker, Oh! will you not give over?
Oh do, my Johnny Poker, Do!

This is sung in the same manner as the last, with impromptu variations to the second strain, such as :

"The captain is a-growlin'."
"The gale it is a howlin'."
"We'll either break or bend her."
"My sweetheart young and tender." -H. E. P
//

[BOWLINE] "setting up"
//
Haul on the Bowline.

Haul on the owline, the main to'gallant bowline.
Haul on the bowline, the bowline, Haul.

Haul on the bowline, the captain is a-growlin',
Haul on the bowline, the bowline, haul.

and so on, with such variations as:

" Our ship she is a-rolling."
" Haul for better weather."
" Haul and pull together."
"The wind it is a-howlin'." etc.

The last note is sometimes indicated simply as a shout. This is probably one of our oldest English chanties….-A. G. G.

This is apparently the opening phrase of a variant of the tune made famous by Tom Moore's arrangement as " The Song of Fionnuala" (" Silent, oh Moyle "). Moore took his air from Holden's Irish Tunes, where it appears as " Arah, my dear Evleen." Holden's version is spoilt by its sharpened seventh; Moore retained this, and Sir Charles Stanford has changed it to what he believes to be the old form (see below). The Irish tune " Savourneen Deelish " (used by Moore for his song "'Tis gone, gone for ever," and by Thomas Campbell for his poem " There came
to the beach a poor exile of Erin "), seems allied to " Arah, my dear Evleen." The opening phrases of the songs are given here for comparison, and very interesting notes on them are in Moffat and Kidson's Minslrelsy of Ireland, pp. 224, 262, and Appendix, p. 341.-L. E. B.
[with tunes given for comparison]
//

Gilchrist and Broadwood, above, were keen on connecting the last chanty to earlier English or Irish sources.

Subject: RE: The Advent and Development of Chanties
From: John Minear
Date: 06 Jul 11 - 08:26 AM

Let me say again, under my own name this time, that I'm glad to see you back at it, Gibb. This is some good work and I appreciate having it available like this. And I do hope you had a good 4th. J.

Subject: RE: The Advent and Development of Chanties
From: Gibb Sahib
Date: 06 Jul 11 - 05:56 AM

The following source contains several original versions or variations of chanties. Many of these were later reproduced by Stan Hugill. The notes in the chanties are not very insightful; I've mainly broken out the lyrics here.

1914        Sharp, Cecil J., A.G. Gilchrist, and Lucy R. Broadwood. "Sailors' Chanties." _Journal of the Folk-Song Society_ 5(18):31-44.

Several chanties collected by the authors, from individuals who presumably learned them in the 2nd half of the 19th century.

From Charles Robbins (age 66): [HAUL AWAY JOE], sung in 1908.
//
1. Haul Away, Joe.

Away, audle away, O audle away my rosy,
O away, audle away, O audle away Joe

O once I had a nigger girl
She had a nigger baby;
O away, audle away,
O audle away Joe.

O now I've got an English girl,
I treat her like a lady;
O away, etc.

We sailed away for the East Indies,
With spirits light and gay;
O away, etc.

We discharged our cargo there, my boys,
And we took it light and easy;
O away, etc.

We loaded for our homeward bound,
With our minds so free and easy;
O away, etc.

We squared our yards and away we ran,
With the music playing freely;
O away, etc.

Now up aloft this yard must go,
We'll pull her free and easy;
O away, etc.

Another pull and then belay,
We'll make it all so easy;
O away, etc.

Now when we landed in English Town,
We landed free and easy;
O away, etc.

We made her fast and made her run,
And made her free and easy;
O away, etc.
//

[SANTIANA] Sung in 1909
//
2. Santy Anna.

O Santy Anna gained the day,
O away O Santy Anna;
O Santy Anna gained the day,
Ordle on the plains of Mexico.

Mexico is a place of renown, etc.

We'll spread her wings and let her go, etc.
O up aloft this yard must go, etc.

We're homeward bound with a pleasant gale, etc.

We're bound away for Liverpool Town, etc.

We gave three cheers and away we ran, etc.

We sailed away with our spirits light and gay, etc.
//

[BLACKBALL LINE] as capstan chanty. Sung in 1908.
//
6. The Black Ball Line.

O the Black Ball Line I served my time,
Haul a way, Haul away O,
The Black Ball Line I served my time,
Then Hurrah! for the Black Ball Line.

O the Black Ball line is the line for to shine, etc.

We sailed away from Liverpool Bay, etc.

We sailed away with spirits light and gay, etc.

We sailed away for Mobile Bay, etc.

It was there we discharged our cargo, boys, etc.

And we loaded cotton for the homeward bound, etc.

We sailed away with spirits light and gay, etc.

Up aloft this yard must go, etc.

And when we arrived at Liverpool Docks, etc.

We ran our lines unto the pier, etc.

We have around with the same ordle (old) song, etc.

We made her fast all snug and taut, etc.

Now the skipper said, " Now that will do my boys," etc.
//

[REUBEN RANZO], topsail hailyards. Sung in 1908.
//
Ranzo.

O Ranzo was no sailor,
O Ranzo, boys, Ranzo;
O Ranzo was no sailor.
O Ranzo, boys, Ranzo.

He shipped on board of a sailer, etc.

They took him to the gangway, etc.

They gave him five and twenty, etc.

They sailed to Mobile Bay, etc.

It was there they discharged their cargo, etc.

They shipped another cargo, etc.

We are homeward bound to Liverpool, etc.

Now the captain he being a good man, etc.

He took him to the cabin, etc.

He learned him navigation, etc.

O that was the end of Ranzo, etc.
//

[RUN LET THE BULGINE RUN] sung in 1908. Capstan.
//
9. The Bullgine.

O the Bullgine ran in the morning,
O run, let the Bullgine run;
We-O, Away, Ha! Ha!
Run, let the Bullgine run.

We sailed away for Mobile Bay, etc.

We spread our sales with a favourable gale, etc.

Now up aloft this yard must go, etc.

We're homeward bound for Liverpool docks, etc.

Now we gave three cheers and away we went, etc.
//

[SALLY BROWN] sung in 1909. With chromatic or blue note sort of melody.
//
12. Sally Brown.

I shipped on board of a Liverpool liner,
Way-Ho, a rolling go,
And we shipped on board of a Liverpool liner,
For I spent my money 'long with Sally Brown.

Now up aloft this yard must go, etc.

And we spread her wings and we let her go free boys, etc.

Now we sailed three days when a storm arose boys, etc.

We screw in cotton by the day boys, etc. (i.e. screw it in bales).

O Sally Brown was a bright mulatter, etc.

Now we spread her wings and away we sail boys, etc.

O seven years I courted Sally, etc.

And now we're married and we're living nice and comfor'ble, etc.
//

[FISHES] Sung by Wm. Wooley (aged 84) in 1908.
//
3. Blow the Wind Wester.

First Version.

It's up jumps the sprat, the smallest of them all;
She jumped on the foredeck, well done, my lads all.
So blow the wind wester, blow the wind blow!
Our ship she's in full sail, how steady she goes.

Then up jumps the eel, with his slippery tail;
He jumped on the fore deck and glistened the sail.

Then up jumps the nirl-log, with his pretty spots;
He jumped on the fore deck and looked on the top.

Then up jumps the shark, with his rolling teeth;
He said: " Mr. Captain, shall I cook your beef ?"

Then up jumps the roter, the king of the sea;
He jumped on the fore deck and turned the key.
//

Second Version. Sung by Mrs. L. Hooper, 1904.
//
Up jumps the salmon, The largest of 'em all;
He jumps on our foredeck, Saying: Here's meat for all.
O blow the wind whistling, O blow the winds all!
Our ship is still-hearted boys, How steady she go!

Up jumps the shark, The largest of all;
He jumps on our fore-deck: You should die all!

Then up jumps the sprat, The smallest of all;
He jumps on our fore-deck, Saying: We shall be drowned all!
//

[TALLY] Sung by Mr. Rapsey (age 58) in 1906.
//
4. Tiddy I-O

O now you forbid us to bid you adieu,
Tiddy i-o io;
We're homeward bound to Bristol town,
Tiddy i-o i-o i-o.

We're homeward bound with sugar and rum,
Tidy i-o, i-o;
We're homeward bound with sugar and rum,
Tidy i-o, i-o.

When we arrive in the Bristol Docks
Tidy i-o, i-o;
Now the people come down in flocks,
Tidy i-o, i-o.
//

[LEAVE HER JOHNNY], a capstan chanty
//
Leave Her, Johnny.

The times is hard and the wages low,
Leave her, Johnny, leave her;
The bread is hard and the beef is salt,
But it's time for us to leave her.

O the mill to the pump is our relief
I thought I hear our captain say.

Ten long months on salt beef all
O now I hear our captain say.
//

[REUBEN RANZO] Attributed to "Sailors at Liverpool" Quite a different and unusual tune.
//
Oh, Ramso was no sailor!
Ramso, boys, Ramso!
Oh, Ramso was no saior!
Ramso, boys, Ramso!
He shipp'd on board a whaler,
Ramso, boys, Ramso!
He shipp'd on board a whaler,
Ramso, boys, Ramso!

But he could not do his duty, etc.
So they gave him six and thirty, etc.

Now the captain was a very good man, etc.
He taught him navigation, etc.

Now Ramso got so handy, etc.
That he drank all the captain's brandy, etc.
//

[RANZO RAY] marked as 'Capstan Chanty' Sung by W. Bolton, retired sailor (age 66) in 1905.
//
Ranzo.
I'm bound away to leave you, But I never will deceive you,
Ranzo, Ranzo, away, away;
We're bound to Giberaltar And our cargo's bricks and mortar,
Ranzo, Ranzo, 'way.
//

Another [RANZO RAY], capstan chanty, sung by James Saunders (age 77) in 1910.
//
8. The Bully Boat is Coming.

The bully boat is coming, Don't you hear her paddles roaring?
Ranzo, Ranzo, away
We've ploughed the ocean over, And we're all bound for Dover,
It's my Ranzo, Ranzo away.
//

[HOGEYE]. sung in 1910.
//
11. The Hog-eyed Man.

O a hog-eyed man is the man for me
O a long black beggar and you don't ride me.
With his hog eye,
And you rowed about the shore, Says the hog-eyed man.

[HOGEYE] Sung by John Allen (age 67), in 1909. A "warping" chanty.
//
O who's been here since I've been gone,
A Yankee boy with his sea boots on,
Ha! Ha!
Ha! Ha!
//

//
13. Shanadar.

O Shanadar I'll have your daughter;
Way-o, you rolling ruin;
I love her as I love the water,
Ha! Ha!
I'm bound away across the wild Missouri.

O Shanadar what is the matter ?
Way O, you rolling ruin;
Your daughter's here and I am at her,
Ha ! ha!
I'm bound away across the wild Missouri.
//

Also quotes Whall's version of HOGEYE from his Yachting Monthly article. It's like his later collction, only says "rare old" instead of "railroad."

Subject: RE: The Advent and Development of Chanties
From: Gibb Sahib
Date: 05 Jul 11 - 09:49 PM

1936        Eisdell, J.W. _Back Country or the Cheerful Adventures of a bush parson in the eighties._ London: Oxford UP.

During a voyage to Melbourne 1882, on the SS NORTHUMBERLAND. Three chanties.

Haven't seen the book; getting this second hand through site of Warren Fahey, http://warrenfahey.com/maritime-3.htm.

[DEAD HORSE]
//
I came to a river but I couldn't get across
Chorus: And we say so & we hope so
Solo - so I gave ten bob for an old blind horse

Chorus: Oh poor man
[etc]
//

//
Old Dad

O my old Daddy, he went for a swim etc
Be hung his clothes on a hickory limb
Now there were some boys who thought it great fun etc
So they stole his clothes and away they did run etc
Now my old Mammy went fishing for chad etc
And the first thing she caught was my old dad etc
//

[BLOW THE MAN DOWN]

Subject: RE: The Advent and Development of Chanties
From: Gibb Sahib
Date: 05 Jul 11 - 09:15 PM

1902[April]        Parsons, W.D. "Charleston and the Exposition with Impressions of the South." _Inter-state Journal_ 4-5(6) (April 1902).        

Opinions/observations on Charleston at turn of century from a New Englander. Mentions stevedores singing, described as "peculiar."

//
The colored laborers do the manual toil in the South which the Dagoes and other European riff-raff do at the North, and a prominent wholesale merchant of Charleston expressed himself as unwilling to make an exchange if he could. Whatever we may say of him, the negro is not an Anarchist, nor a serious menace to society; the stevedores at the docks heave their loads to the accompaniment of a peculiar musical song or cry, and everywhere the negro is light-hearted and happy at his work; …
//

Subject: RE: The Advent and Development of Chanties
From: Gibb Sahib
Date: 05 Jul 11 - 07:33 PM

1911        Morrison, K.E. "For a Scout's Honor." _Boys' Life_ 1(4) (June 1911).

A Play in Four Acts, Presented by Troop 2, Norwich, Conn., Boy Scouts of America.

In the middle of the play, the scouts are instructed to sing a specially arranged medley.

It is indicated that it should be sung to the tune of "Australia". It seems like the CAPE COD GIRLS form. Pg40:
//
Old Norwich City is a great old town.
(Chorus) Heave away! Heave away!
With its streets and alleys up and down.
(Chorus) Heave away! Heave away!
(All) Heave away, my bonny, bonny boys. Heave away; Heave away. Heave away, my bonnie, bonnie boys. We're out in the country…
//
Followed by couplets about "Norwich scouts" and "Norwich coin", etc.

Subject: RE: The Advent and Development of Chanties
From: Gibb Sahib
Date: 05 Jul 11 - 06:07 PM

1908        Hubbard, W.L., ed. _History of American Music._ Toledo: Irving Squire.

This volume contains a chapter on "Patriotic and National Music" (i.e. of America). In the description of chanties, it's interesting to see, the authors have taken the view that they were mostly born of cotton-stowers' and Black work-songs. They seem to have used sources like RC Adams, Alden, and Davis/Tozer. The perspective, I suspect, is mainly coming from Alden. This would have been before the time, I argue, that voices were putting chanties as a mainly British product.

Pp133-135
//
Though not properly coming under the heading of patriotic and national music, a word relative to American sea songs in general may here be appended. These songs are an essential feature toward the performance of good concerted work, and they are common to the sailors of all maritime nations. Although they may vary with individual characteristics of nationality, the theme is much the same and they are all sung to the accompaniment of the "thrilling shrouds, the booming doublebass of the hollow topsails, and the multitudinous chorus of ocean."

Most of the songs or chanties — the name being derived from a corruption of the French chansons or chantees — of the American sailor of today are of negro origin, and were undoubtedly heard first in southern ports while the negroes were in engaged in stowing the holds of the vessels with bales of cotton, while some few of them may be traced back to old English tunes. They were of two kinds — pulling songs and windlass songs. The pulling songs were used as an incentive to the men to pull together. One can better understand this from the rhythmic flow of the following stanza, which has its counterpart in the sailor songs of varied nationalities:

Haul on the bowlin', the fore and maintop bowlin', 

Haul on the bowlin', the bowlin', Haul!

At the close of each stanza the word "Haul" is given with marked emphasis, and the tug on the rope necessarily becomes stronger. The song imparts a unity of spirit and purpose to the work at hand.

The windlass songs beguile the men into temporary forgetfulness while working the pumps or weighing the anchor. One man, from his power of voice and ingenuity at improvisation, is looked upon as the leader. He begins by singing the chorus, as an intimation to the men of the manner in which it is to be sung; then he sings his solo, very seldom more than one line, and the men, from his musical intonation of the last word, catch the words and pitch with the inspiration intended. One of the best of windlass songs, in which the melody rises and falls in a manner suggestive of the swell of the ocean, runs:

I'm bound away this very day,
    (Chorus) Oh, you Rio!

I'm bound away this very day,
    (Chorus) I'm bound for the Rio Grande! 
   
And away, you Rio, oh, you Rio!
I'm bound away this very day,
(Chorus) I'm bound for the Rio Grande!

A favorite windlass song is that known as "Shanandore," the title being a corruption of Shenandoah, upon which river the song undoubtedly originated with the negroes:

You, Shanandore, I long to hear you;
      (Chorus) Hurrah, hurrah you rollin' river! 

You Shanandore, I long to hear you,
(Chorus) Ah, ha, you Shanandore.

In the West and South the chanties still may be heard. You may catch their strains upon the sweeping Mississippi, whose forest environment first caught the chansons of the French voyageurs. Even now the boat songs and working songs of the sailors in the neighborhood of St. Louis and New Orleans are suggestive of French influence. Along the Ohio, too, and other water-ways, these melodies in form of a low, hoarse chant, are still reminiscent of the old chanties.

On the Atlantic coast the fisher fleets are perhaps the only vessels which still make use of these almost forgotten melodies, for the steam-worked windlass, the pumps, the clatter of the cog-wheels, the shrieking whistles and hissing steam are not conducive to song, and the sailor of the Twentieth Century, like the landsman, has caught the spirit of rush and speed, and no one dare attempt to revive the old chanty songs on board the steamships of today…
//

Subject: RE: The Advent and Development of Chanties
From: Gibb Sahib
Date: 05 Jul 11 - 05:24 PM

1864[1863]        Parton, James. _General Butler in New Orleans._ New York: Mason Brothers.

History of New Orleans before and leading up to the Civil War, describing earlier life (1850s and earlier), and specifically life at the time of the Union's Blockade in May 1861. Mentions cotton work and singing.

Pg255
//
The double blockade—blockade above and blockade below—struck death to the commerce of New Orleans, a city created and sustained by commerce alone. …Cotton ships, eight or ten deep; a forest of masts, denser than any but a tropical forest; steamboats in bewildering numbers, miles of them, puffing and hissing, arriving, departing, and threatening to depart, with great clangor of bells and scream of whistles; cotton-bales piled high along the levee, as far as the eye could reach; acres and acres covered with hogsheads of sugar; endless flotillas of flat-boats, market-boats, and timber-rafts; gangs of negroes at work upon every part of the levee, with loud chorus and outcry; and a constant crowd of clerks, merchants, sailors, and bandanna-crowned negro women selling coffee, cakes, and fruit. It was a spectacle without parallel on the globe, because the whole scene of the city's industry was presented in one view.
What a change was wrought by the mere announcement of the blockade! The cotton ships disappeared; the steamboats were laid away in convenient bayous, or departed up the river to return no more. The cotton mountains vanished; the sugar acres were cleared. The cheerful song of the negroes was seldom heard, and grass grew on the vacant levee. The commerce of the city was dead; and the forces hitherto expended in peaceful and victorious industry, were wholly given to waging war upon the power which had called that industry into being, defended it against the invader, protected and nourished it for sixty years, guiltless of wrong. The young men enlisted in the army, compelling the reluctant stevedores, impressing with violence the foreign born.
//

Subject: RE: The Advent and Development of Chanties
From: Gibb Sahib
Date: 05 Jul 11 - 04:54 PM

1913        Douglas, Charles Noel. _Uncle Charlie's Story Book._ Brooklyn, NY: Charles Noel Douglas.

A story in this collection, "Ghosts of the Mississippi," makes passing reference to the idea of singing whilst stowing cotton. The year given is 1888 and the place is St. Louis on the Mississippi. The story is fiction, but based in some reality (the boat checks out), even if the time isn't accurate. It sounds like this cotton-stowing, on steamboats, is to carry the cotton down river to port, so it is not necessarily the cotton "screwing" we are generally concerened with.

Pg49
//
(The story narrated by the pilot is one of actual facts, the author having merely tried to record the various incidents as they fell from the lips of one who participated in one of the many grim tragedies enacted on the turbid bosom of the great Father of Waters.)
It was in the fall of the year i888 that I was a passenger on board the Mississippi steamer, Annie P. Silver, which in those days plied between St. Louis and New Orleans….

I found myself standing on the lower deck of the huge phantom-like steamer, surrounded by perspiring negroes who were crooning snatches of song, quaint melodies peculiar to their race, as they busily stowed away countless bales of cotton consigned to New Orleans and the markets of the old world.
//

Subject: RE: The Advent and Development of Chanties
From: Gibb Sahib
Date: 05 Jul 11 - 04:16 PM

1843 [Dec.]        Unknown. "Sketches of East-Florida (Part Three)." _The Knickerbocker_ 22(6) (Dec. 1843). 560-567.

This section of these "sketches" is speaking generally about travel to St. Augustine, but from earlier parts one gets the sense that the author's experiences came from 1836, perhaps up through the publication date (1843).

There are references to Black workers singing while threshing, described as "sad and wild." In Savannah, the singing of cotton-stowers is mentioned. The author only mentions Black slave workers. In other words, the interaction with workers of other ethnicities, which might have led to the exchange giving birth to some chanties, is not there. One possible explanation is that Savannah was a different "scene" from the Gulf. However, another fascinating, possible explanation is that non-Blacks had yet to join this work. When Gosse wrote about 1838, he didn't mention other ethnicities. The observations of C. Erskine and Nordhoff, where European sailors were taking part, did not come until at least 1845. Here, the author is talking about 1836-1843. So one speculate that it was the early 1840s when Euro/American workers began to join in cotton-stowing.

//
But we have forgotten St. Augustine.,,The pleasantest route is by way of Savannah, …
On the edge of the bluff, which looks down upon the rice-fields and the river, there is a small circular opening in the live-oaks; and standing about that circle, are fifty to a hundred blacks threshing out rice. There are old men and women, and young men and maidens, and all varieties of dress, …all with a head-dress of some kind, and all singing whatever happens to be the impromptu of the occasion The boys question and the girls answer in a kind of chant, and this is repeated opera-fashion once or twice, when the young and old all join in a regular break-down, and then the flails come down all as one, and exact as the bow-tip of an orchestra-leader. The young girl sings with a roguish cast of the eye, and a smile on her lip, but the old men, and the old hags of women, how frantic they look as they burst into the chorus! Here and there is an old African, who hardly knows what it all means, but with a guess at the subject, he joins in with his native lingo, and his notes are as well timed and unearthly as the best of them. The song may affect to be lively and joyous, but it is not so. There is something so sad and wild about it, that I defy any one who knows the tones of the heart, to look on and listen without something of a shudder. …and on the other side of the group is an old, blind, gray-headed negro sitting in the straw, …Occasionally he starts, as though he heard and understood the song of the threshers, and with a fling of his arms, as if there again at his old post, he breaks out with some old, forgotten ditty,…
In this lounging way a day or two passes pleasantly, during which the ship has drifted up to Savannah, …The wide street that opens to the south (every one knows how beautiful are the streets in Savannah) leads past a cemetery, where of course it is very still and solemn, but it is equally so in every other, save the one that skirts the river bank; and even there the cawing of the crows a mile distant over the river comes to the ear as distinctly as in the shut-up mountains of the Highlands. Fifty feet below are the outwardbound ships, stowing away their cotton for the East, and from their gloomy depths comes up the half-smothered, never-ending song of the negro slave. All day long you may hear the same monotonous, melancholy cry, a little exaggerated as the labor varies; …
//

Subject: RE: The Advent and Development of Chanties
From: Lighter
Date: 05 Jul 11 - 12:46 PM

Thanks for the clarification, Gibb. What I'd thought to be the 3rd appears actually to have been the 4th ed. (I got it on interlibrary loan many years ago, but that doesn't excuse the error.)

Subject: RE: The Advent and Development of Chanties
From: Q (Frank Staplin)
Date: 04 Jul 11 - 10:52 PM

Thanks, Lighter. Mine has the dates 1910, 1927, 1948 and 1963. The lists make it a copy of the 3rd edition, but I wasn't sure if the dates 1927, etc., were just reprint dates or more juggling had been done.

Subject: RE: The Advent and Development of Chanties
From: Gibb Sahib
Date: 04 Jul 11 - 10:35 PM

1909        Washington, Booker T. _The Story of the Negro._ Vol. 1. New York: Doubleday, Page & Co.

This contains a passage describing corn-sucking bees, and an example of lyrics. I presume this comes from Washington's experience, which would mean what is being desctibed pertains to a Virginia plantation in the early 1860s. The song lyrics quoted compare well with those in Fedric's "Slave Life in Virginia…"

Pp158-60
//
Hog-killing time was an annual festival, and the corn shucking was a joyous event which the whites and blacks, in their respective ways, took part in and enjoyed. These corn-shucking bees, or whatever they may be called, took place during the last of November or the first half of December. They were a sort of a prelude to the festivities of the Christmas season. Usually they were held upon one of the larger and wealthier plantations.

After all the corn had been gathered, thousands of bushels, sometimes, it would be piled up in the shape of a mound, often to the height of fifty or sixty feet. Invitations would be sent around by the master himself to the neighbouring planters, inviting their slaves on a certain night to attend. In response to these invitations as many as one or two hundred men, women, and children would come together.

When all were assembled around the pile of corn, some one individual, who had already gained a reputation as a leader in singing, would climb on top of the mound and begin at once, in clear, loud tones, a solo — a song of the corn-shucking season — a kind of singing which I am sorry to say has very largely passed from memory and practice. After leading off in this way, in clear, distinct tones, the chorus at the base of the mound would join in, some hundred voices strong. The words, which were largely improvised, were very simple and suited to the occasion, and more often than not they had the flavour of the camp-meeting rather than any more secular proceeding. Such singing I have never heard on any other occasion. There was something wild and weird about that music, such as I suspect will never again be heard in America.

One of these songs, as I remember, ran about as follows:
I.
Massa's niggers am slick and fat,
    Oh! Oh! Oh! 

Shine just like a new beaver hat,
    Oh! Oh! Oh!

Refrain:
Turn out here and shuck dis corn,
    Oh! Oh! Oh!
Biggest pile o' corn seen since I was born,
    Oh! Oh! Oh!

II.
Jones's niggers am lean an' po';
    Oh! Oh! Oh! 

Don't know whether dey get 'nough to eat or no,
    Oh! Oh! Oh!

Refrain:
Turn out here and shuck dis corn,
    Oh! Oh! Oh! 

Biggest pile o' corn seen since I was born,
    Oh! Oh! Oh!
//

Subject: RE: The Advent and Development of Chanties
From: Gibb Sahib
Date: 04 Jul 11 - 10:14 PM

Lighter--

Thanks for the contents of Whall's first ed.! That's very helpful.

I think we are mixed up on our third edition, however.

I am looking at the contents of the 3rd edition I have. After all the 1st edition songs, it adds:

Challo Brown
The Saucy Arethusa
Buffalo
So Handy, My Girls
Hanging Johnny
Whisky
We'll Ranzo Way!

Again, I'm guessing that these were the same songs that "enlarged" the 2nd edition.


The rest you mention, ...

The 24th of February
Jamboree
Nigger Songs (a section title)
Cawsand Bay
Dixie
St. Helena Soldier
O Fare-You-Well, My Bonny Young Girls!
Johnny Boker
Shakings (a section title)
A Hundred Years Ago
Dead Horse
Whisky
Black Ball Line

and,
The Banks of Sacramento
Clear de Track, Let de Bulgine Run
Run, Let the Bulgine Run

...Don't come until the 4th ed. La Pique/The Dreadnaught is there un the 3rd.

Here's an on-line version of 3rd ed.:
http://www.archive.org/stream/shipsseasongssha00whal#page/n17/mode/2up

Subject: RE: The Advent and Development of Chanties
From: Gibb Sahib
Date: 04 Jul 11 - 09:52 PM

1918        Burton, Natalie Curtis, rec. _Hampton Series Negro Folk-songs._ Book III. New York: Schirmer.

A cotton-stowing song from Savannah Georgia, as remembered, was recorded and reproduced in this early 20th century work. At first glance, it is exciting to see the musical transciption. However, the form and workings of this song seems like they were different from the 'chants' of Nordhoff's days. This song, which contains 'grunts' that coincide with exertions *between* singing, is more like, say, the worksongs of prisoners that Lomax recorded. Basically, they don't have a sing-along chorus. I suppose the singing style of cotton stowers changed quite a bit from the 1830s to the end of the century. It's also possibly that the style varied regionally. We've had reference to cotton stowers singing in Savannah, but not to lyrics/style.

Pg28ff
//
COTT'N-PACKIN' SONG
Recorded front the singing of 
JAMES E. SCOTT
From Georgia comes this chant of the black laborers at the docks, brought to Hampton by a young Negro, James Scott…
In old times the City of Savannah was a great place for the shipping of cotton, and the wharves hummed and rattled as the wheeled hand-trucks, heaped with cotton-bales, were whirled by running Negroes to the side of the vessels. Then a derrick from the ship let down a great hook and hoisted a bale on which knelt a Negro to balance the load. Up went the hook, while cotton and Negro moved slowly through the air; then down through the open hatch into the hold the bale was lowered, to be seized by the waiting packers and stowed away while the hook swung up and out again with the dangling Negro clinging to it. Bale after bale with its human ballast was thus lifted and dropped.
The black packers in the hold, in gangs of from five to ten men, stowed the cotton by means of iron "screws" which squeezed the bales tightly and compactly into the smallest possible space. Each gang was directed by a "header," or head-man, for the labor required precision and skill as well as strength.
To the Negro, to work in unison means to sing; so as the men strained at their task, a laboring chant arose whose fine-toned phrases were regularly cut by a sharp high cry, "heh!", which emphasized the powerful twisting of the screws by the rhythmic muscular movement of the singers. Verses without number were made up, and many were the cotton-packing chants of which the one here recorded is a typical example. Though a song of such rudimentary simplicity as this—mere vocalized rhythm—is often intoned in unison without harmony, yet sometimes a singer, musically inclined, would strike in with a tenor or bass part of his own, or add a little embellishing melodic curve to the block-like crudity of the phrases…

Screw di cott'n,
heh!
Screw di cott'n,
heh!
Screw di cott'n,
heh!
Screw it tight—
heh!

Screw di cott'n,
heh!
Screw di cott'n,
heh!
Screw di cott'n,
heh!
Wid all yo' might—
Heh!

Here we come, boys,
heh!
Here we come, boys,
heh!
Here we come, boys,
heh!
Do it right—
heh!

Don't get tired,
heh!
Don't get tired,
heh!
Don't get tired,
heh!
Time ain't long—
heh!

Keep on workin'
heh!
Keep on workin'
heh!
Keep on workin'
heh!
Sing dis song—
heh!

(These last two verses are modern) 

Pay-day here, boys,
heh!
Pay-day here, boys,
heh!
Pay-day here, boys,
heh!

I hear dem say—
heh!

We'll have money,
heh!
We'll have money,
heh!
We'll have money
heh!

Dis yere day—
heh!

[Followed by musical score]
//

This is followed by a "CORN-SHUCKIN' SONG" from Virginia, which really comes from memories of Booker T. Washington (and which I will post separately). Not sure where they got the tune from, however (Washington only gave lyrics).

Subject: RE: The Advent and Development of Chanties
From: Lighter
Date: 04 Jul 11 - 07:44 PM

Gibb,

Whall 1910 contains the following songs:

Shenandoah
Adieu to Maimuna
Homeward Bound
Rolling Home
La Pique
The Dreadnought
Doo Me Ama
Farewell and Adieu
Sling the Flowing Bowl
Blow, Ye Winds, in the Morning
Unmooring
Boston
The Female Smuggler
The Voice of Her I Love
Come, Loose Every Sail to the Breeze
Will Watch
Shannon and Chesapeake
Sally Brown
Can't You Dance the Polka
Across the Western Ocean
Goodbye, Fare You Well
John's Gone to Hilo
Bound for the Rio Grande
One More Day
We're All Bound to Go
Lowlands
A-Roving
Reuben Ranzo
Stand to Your Ground
Stormalong
Poor Paddy who Works on the Railway
The Plains of Mexico
Blow, Boys, Blow
Blow the Man Down
The Fishes
The Whale
Admiral Benbow
Early in the Morning
High Barbaree
Cheer'ly Man
Johnny Boker
Paddy Doyle
Boney
Haul Away, Jo
The Hog-Eye Man

By the 3rd Ed., both "La Pique" and "The Dreadnaught" are gone for some reason.

I haven't seen the 2nd Ed., which is said to be "enlarged." The 3rd, published in 1913 within a few months of the 2nd adds the following songs to the 1910 list (not in order):

The 24th of February
Hanging Johnny
Jamboree
Nigger Songs
Cawsand Bay
The Buffalo
So Handy, My Girls
Challo Brown
Dixie
St. Helena Soldier
O Fare-You-Well, My Bonny Young Girls!
Johnny Boker
Shakings
A Hundred Years Ago
Dead Horse
Whisky
Black Ball Line
We'll Ranzo Way!

In the 6th Ed. (1927) only the following have been added since the 3rd:

Boney
The Banks of Sacramento
Clear de Track, Let de Bulgine Run
Run, Let the Bulgine Run

Subject: RE: The Advent and Development of Chanties
From: Gibb Sahib
Date: 04 Jul 11 - 06:11 PM

Whall's 4th edition adds yet more songs. It seems as though in earlier editions he sought to include only songs he deemed worthy of value. Note that he is prejudiced against what he calls "nigger songs", though it is not clear to me exactly when he means minstrel songs or songs sung by Black chanteymen. He mentioned in the 3rd edition that he deliberatly omitted "Sacramento". In the 4th edition, he seems chagrined to admit he is compeled, due to popular demand, to include "Sacramento" and other "nigger songs," of which he says there were hundreds. Incidentally, if there really were "hundreds" and our survey of the 19th century has turned up less than 150 shanties, even though the latter doesn't represent *all* shanties, "hundreds" would imply the majority of shanties.

**1920        Whall, W.B. Fourth edition.**

There is a section inexplicably called "Shakings." Several were reproduced by Hugill under the rubric of "sing-outs." The first song is not labeled, and it appears like a ballad, and not a work song. It begins,

//
On the twenty-fourth November, boys,
'Twas in the Channel we lay…
//

Then, "timber droghers would sing,"
//
Was you ever in Quebec…
//

"The West Indiaman had":
//
Give me the gal can dance fandango…
//

"the Calashie whine of"
//
Kis ki ma doo day calasie… (heard in Calcutta)
//

Kanaka "good-bye song"
//
Good-bye, my flennie…
//

French shanty (words only) given him by an ambassador:
//
C'est le capitaine du "Mexico,"
Hurrah, my boys, hurrah!
Qui donne á boire á ses matelots
A grands coup d'anspect sur le dos,
Hurrah, my boys, hurrah!
//

And, untitled, something of {HOOKER JOHN]:
//
O my Mary, she's a blooming lass
To my Ooker John, my Oo-John
O my Mary, she's a blooming lass
To my Ooker John, my Oo-John
Way, fair lady
O way-ay-ay-ay-ay
My Mary's on the high land
O yonder's Mary—yonder.
//

Then a section on "Nigger Songs."

//
The white seaman in smart ships seldom condescended to sing "nigger" songs. Perhaps the only one which gained anything like general acceptance was "Run, let the Bulgine run," one of the poorest of all. …Nigger shanties there were by the hundred. Some were better than others, but nearly all were of a poor class. … In nigger singing appeared many falsetto appoggiaturas, and a sharp rise to a "grace" note a fifth up, thus: (a sort of yelp; I can think of no other word to express it)… Both these musical tricks were freely used by untutored English ballad singers of folk-songs and such, and are not soley negro….In previous editions I have only given one example of the purely nigger shanty—"Stand to your ground." But it seems to be the wish of some of my readers that I should go further afield.
//

[SACRAMENTO]
//
The Banks of Sacramento.

The Camptown ladies sing this song,
And a hoodah and a hoodah!
The Camptown race track's five miles long,
And a hoodah, hoodah day!
Blow, boys, blow, for California, O!
[etc]
//

[CLEAR THE TRACK]
//
Clear de Track, Let de Bulgine Run.

O de worl' was made in six days and ended on de seven;
Ah he! ah, ho! are you most done
But accordin' to de contrac' it orter been eleven,
So clear de track, let de bulgine run.
//

[JAMBOREE]
//
Jamboree.

The pilot he looks out ahead,
O a hand in the chains, O a heaving of the lead!
The Union Jack at our masthead,
O I wonder if my clothes are out of pawn!
O Jamboree, O Jamboree!
O its get away, you black man, don't you come a-nigh me!
Jamboree, O Jamboree!
O I wonder if my clothes are out of pawn!
//

[BLACKBALL LINE] for windlass.
//
The Black Ball Line.

In the Black Ball I served my time
To my way, hoo-ro-ya!
In the Black Ball I served my time
Hoorah for the Black Ball Line!
//

A hauling song, favourite in London ships
//
O Fare-you-well, My Bonny Young Girls!

O fare you well, my bonny young girls
Hurrah! sing fare you well!
O fare you well! I wish you well
Hurrah! sing fare you well!
//

[HUNDRED YEARS]
//
A Hundred Years Ago.

A hundred years is a very long time!
O, yes, O!
A hundred years is a very long time,
A hundred years ago!
//

"Cawsand Bay"

"The Twenty-fourth of February"

[RUN LET THE BULGINE RUN]
//
It had no set of words, but was popular. It is of a debased kind, and was quite unworthy of its popularity.

Run, Let the Bulgine Run.

O a bulgine once was a heaving
O run, let the bulgine run
Way, Ah, oh…
Run, let the bulgine run.

O, New York town is a-burning, &c.
//

Not a shanty.
//
The Dead Horse.

They say, old man, your horse will die!
And they say so and they hope so.
They say, old man, your horse will die!
Oh, poor old man!
[etc]
//

"Maryland" – a Civil War song used as a shanty
//
I hear the distant thunder hum,
Maryland, my Maryland.
//

A variation of the familiar Dixie song.
//
Dixie.

Im wish I was in the land of cotton
Cinnamon seed and a sandy bottom
In the land, in the land, in the land, in the land.
[etc]
//

[ST. HELENA SOLDIER]
St. Helena Soldier.

Subject: RE: The Advent and Development of Chanties
From: Gibb Sahib
Date: 04 Jul 11 - 05:42 PM

Here's an outline of the [chanty-focused] contents of Whall's 3rd edition.

1913        Whall, W.B. _Ships, Sea Songs and Shanties._ Third edition, enlarged. Glasgow: James Brown & Sons.

Intro:
Sea Songs are gone. Doesn't say that the ships are necessarily, gone, but that they are now manned by "Dutchmen and Dagos" and that the packet ships (and packet rats) are gone, and tha the current crop can't sing shanties that have no meaning for them.

Complaynt of Scotland, etc.

Mentions popularity of shanties (untimely) and books by Masefield, Christopher Stone, Navy Records Society

Obscenity and chanties:
//
xii) Now, seamen who spent their time in cargo-carrying sailing ships never heard a decent Shanty ; the words which sailor John put to them when unrestrained were the veriest filth. But another state of things obtained in passenger and troop ships; here sailor John was given to understand very forcibly that his words were to be decent or that he was not to shanty at all. (As a rule, when the passengers were landed and this prohibition was removed, the notorious "Hog-Eye Man" at once made its appearance.)
//

This passage suggests that all his chanties were learned in the 1860s-early 70s.
//
Going to sea then, in 1861, in the old passenger-carrying East Indiamen, these sailor Songs and Shanties struck me as worthy of preservation.
During my eleven years in those ships I took down the words and music of these songs as they were actually sung by sailors, so that what I present here may be relied upon as the real thing. Since 1872 I have not heard a Shanty or Song worth the name. Steam spoilt them. A younger generation of seamen took the place of the old sea dog. (In my
first year or two at sea I was shipmates with old men-of-war's men who had served at sea before 1815, the year of peace, and who were of the old school.) With the new generation true sea Songs and Shanties practically disappeared. Echoes of them, it is true, still exist, but that is all. The real thing has gone for ever.
//

Whall has strong biases that come through in the assumptions he makes about repertoire. Despite his vague claim that he did not consult chanty collections, his conclusions on a number of pieces (where, for example, he downgrades the role of America in the origination of chanties) seem to reflect the influence of reading. As a matter of fact, he might be the first author/collector (besides the English folklorists of a few years earlier) to try to explain origins and dating before presenting the song.

[SHENANDOAH] Whall claims to have heard sung in the late 1850s/early60s *on land*, and that it appeared in "old public school collections." It was originally a "song" before a chanty.
//
Shenandoah. [w/ score]
Missouri she's a mighty river.
Away you rolling river.
The redskins' camp lie on its borders.
Ah-ha I'm bound away 'cross the wide Missouri.
[etc]
//

After this, he notes that Dana supposedly quoted "Cheer up, Sam" as being used as a chanty—Though we have yet to locate this in Dana.

Next is supposedly in the same "class" as "Shenandoah," so I guess a capstan chanty?
//
ANOTHER of the same class as the preceding, which, down to quite a recent date, was a
favourite in American ships, was "Adieu to Maimuna," sung to an old German air,
" The Mill Wheel " :—

Adieu to Maimuna.

The boatmen shout, 'tis time to part,
No Longer can we stay;
'Twas then Maimuna taught my heart
How much a glance can say.
'Twas then Maimuna taught my heart
How much a glance can say.
[etc]
//

Discussion of [OUTWARD AND HOMEWARD BOUND] includes reference to "Pensacola town" (which appears elsewhere, some copying going on somewhere or other)
//
Homeward Bound.

At the Blackwall docks we bid adieu
To lovely Kate and pretty Sue;
Our anchor's weigh'd and our sails unfurl'd,
And we're bound to plow the wat'ry world,
And say we're outward bound,
Hurrah, we're outward bound.
//

[ROLLING HOME]
//
There are numerous versions both of words and music :
I have one such in an American book of sea songs dated 1876 ; Mr. Masefield gives another version in his "Garland"; two other versions appeared some time back in the Shipping Gazette; and I have still another. I have therefore—legitimately, I think—chosen from all these the lines common to all, and for the rest have taken those that seemed to me the best. The tune I give—out of several variants—is the one familiar to me, though, as I have said, there are others.

Rolling Home.

Call all hands to man the capstan,
See the cable run down clear,
Heave away, and with a will, boys
For old England we will steer;
And we'll sing in joyful chorus
In the watches of the night
And we'll sight the shores of England
When the grey dawn brings the light.
Rolling home, rolling home, rolling home across the sea;
Rolling home to dear old England, rolling home, dear land to thee.
//

[DREADNAUGHT] is given, but not indicated as a chanty. First Whall gives a "Dreadnaught" version, text only,
//
There's a saucy wild packet—a packet of fame—
She belongs to New York and the Dreadnought'''s her name,
She is bound to the westward where the strong winds do blow,
Bound away in the Dreadnought to the westward we'll go.
[etc]
//

Then comes "La Pique", with score.
//
O, 'tis of a fine frigate, La Pique was her name,
All in the West Indies she bore a great name;
For cruel bad usage of ev'ry degree,
Like slaves in the galley we ploughed the salt sea.
[etc]
//

"Doo Me Ama". Non-chanty.
//
Doo me Ama.
As Jack was walking thro' the square,
He met a lady and a squire.
Now Jack he heard the squire say,
Tonight with you I mean to stay.
Doo-me ama, Dinghy ama, Doo-me ama day.
[etc]
//

"Spanish Ladies", not presented as a chanty.
//
Farewell and Adieu.
Farewell and adieu unto you, Spanish ladies,…
…thirty-five leagues.
[etc]
//

//
Sling the Flowing Bowl.

Come, come, my jolly lads, the wind's abaft,
Brisk gales our sails shall crowd…
[etc]
//

[BLOW YE WINDS] as a "song of the midshipman's berth."
//
Blow Ye Winds, in the Morning.

As I walked out one sunny morn to view the meadows round,
I spied a pretty primrose lass come tripping o'er the ground,
Singing, Blow, ye winds, in the morning,
Blow, ye winds, Hi! Ho!
Brush away the morning dew.
Blow, ye winds, Hi! Ho!
[etc]
//

Supposedly this is a chanty (?) but no description is given.
//
THIS is an example of the purely professional song, dear to the old-time sailor, and full of
seamanship. It was a favourite with the prime old shellback, and was all the more
successful in that it had a good chorus about the girls.
Unmooring.
"All hands on board!" our boatswain cries…
…And we'll think on those girls when we're far, far away.
[etc]
//

"Boston" – "very popular between the years of 1860 and 1870":
//
Boston.

From Boston harbour we set sail,
When it was blowing a devil of a gale,
With our ringtail set all abaft the mizzen peak,
And our Rule Britannia ploughing up the deep.
With a big Bow-wow! Tow-row-row!
Fal de ral de ri do day!
[etc]
//

"The Female Smuggler"
//
O come, list awhile, and you soon shall hear,
By the rolling sea lived a maiden fair…
…Like a warlike hero that never was afraid.
[etc]
//

"The Voice of Her I Love."
"Come, Loose every Sail to the Breeze."
"Will Watch"
"Shannon" and "Chesapeake."

[SALLY BROWN]
//
THIS song is referred to by Marryat in his account of a visit to America in the '30's where he went as a passenger in a packet-ship. It was a great favourite when heaving up the anchor, but is not a hauling song. It has no regular story like some of the better shanties, and its musical range is rather large, so that the top notes were always yelled out fortissimo, while the second chorus was low down in the register. It is evidently of negro origin. The verses given are a fair specimen of those generally sung. What the "wild-goose nation" is I do not know ; the phrase occurs in other shanties. It is of a somewhat debased type, but that is to be
expected in a collection of songs used by rough uneducated men, as sailors were in the old days.

Sally Brown.

O Sally Brown she's a bright mullatta,
Way-ay, roll and go!
O she drinks rum and chews tobacca,
Bet my money on Sally Brown.
[etc]
//

[NEW YORK GIRLS] without description.
//
Can't you Dance the Polka?

As I walk'd down the Broadway, one ev'ning in July,
I met a maid who axed my trade, "A sailor John," says I;
And away you santee, my dear Annie.
O you New York girls, can't you dance the polka?
[etc]
//

[ACROSS THE WESTERN OCEAN] as a hauling song.
//
Across the Western Ocean.

O the times are hard, And the wages low,
Amelia, whar' you bound to?
The Rocky mountains is my home,
Across the Western Ocean.
[etc]
//

[LEAVE HER JOHNNY' is also acknowledged, with a few verses.
//
O, the times are hard and the wages low,
Leave her bullies, leave her;
I guess it's time for us to go,
It's time for us to leave her.
//

[GOODBYE FARE YOU WELL] for heaving anchor.
//
Good-bye, Fare You Well.

O, fare you well, I wish you well!
Good-bye, fare you well; good-bye, fare you well!
O, fare you well, my bonny young girls!
Hoorah, my boys, we're homeward bound!
[etc]
//

[TOMMY'S GONE], hauling song
//
John's Gone to Hilo.

O Johnny's gone; what shall I do?
Away you, Hee-lo.
O Johnny's gone; what shall I do?
John's gone to Hilo.
[etc]
//

[RIO GRANDE]
//
Bound for the Rio Grande.

O, say, was you ever in Rio Grande?
O, you Rio!
It's there that the river runs down golden sand,
For I'm bound to the Rio Grande.
And away, you Rio! O, you Rio!
Sing fare you well, my bonny yound girls,
For I'm bound to the Rio Grande.

Now, you Bowery ladies, we'd have you to know,
We're bound to the Southward, O Lord, let us go !

So it's pack up your donkey and get under way,
The girls we are leaving can take our half-pay.

We'll sell our salt cod for molasses and rum,
And get back again 'fore Thanksgiving has come.

And good-bye, fare-you-well, all you ladies of town,
We've left you enough for to buy a silk gown.
//

[ONE MORE DAY], a homeward bound shanty.
//
It has a plaintive, somewhat mournful melody, and is a windlass,
not a hauling, song.

One More Day.

Only one more day, my Johnny,
One more day!
Oh come rock and roll me over
One more day!
[etc]
//

[HEAVE AWAY MY JOHNNIES] for windlass and pumps.
//
We're All Bound to Go.

O, as I walked down the Landing Stage all on a Summer's morn,
Heave away…my Johnnies, heave away…ay
It's there I spied an irish gal a looking all forlorn,
And away, my Johnny boys, we're all bound to go.
[etc]
//

[LOWLANDS AWAY]
//
It is of American origin and comes from the cotton ports of the old Southern States.
This is, I think, certainly the first time it has been set in the least degree correctly to music.
I am aware of two previous attempts, both hopelessly in error.
It is also, like the previous song, a windlass shanty : and it was a favourite for pumping ship.

Lowlands.

Lowlands, Lowlands, Away, my John,
O my old mother she wrote to me,
My dollar and a half a day.
She wrote to me to come home from sea,
Lowlands, Lowlands, Away, my John.
She wrote to me to come home from sea.
My dollar and a half a day.
[etc]
//

[A-ROVING]. Mentions the Heywood/"Lape of Lucrece" idea.
//
A-Roving.
In Amsterdam there liv'd a maid
Mark well what I do say,
In Amsterdam there liv'd a maid, And she was mistress of her trade.
I'll go no more a-roving with you fair maids.
[cho.] A-roving, a-roving, Since roving's been my ruin,
I'll go no more a-roving with you fair maids.
[etc]
//

[REUBEN RANZO]
//
In the days I speak of, the shanty was always sung to
the regulation words, and when the story was finished there was no attempt at improvisation ; the
text was, I suppose, considered sacred. I never heard any variation from the words here given.

Reuben Ranzo.

Oh, pity poor Reuben Ranzo!
Ranzo, boys, Ranzo!
Oh, poor old Reuben Ranzo!
Ranzo, boys, Ranzo!
[etc]
//

[STAND TO YOUR GROUND] without description
//
Stand to your Ground.

Sally am de gal dat I lub dearly.
Way, sing Sally;
O, Sally am de gal dat I lub dearly.
Hilo, John Brown, stand to your ground.
[etc]
//

[MR. STORMALONG] "…seldom was any attempt made at improvisation."
//
Stormalong.

O Stormy, he is dead and gone;
Tom my way you storm along.
O stormy was a good old man;
Ay, ay, ay, Mister Stormalong.
[etc]
//

[PADDY ON THE RAILWAY]
//
Poor Paddy Works on the Railway.

O in eighteen hundred and forty-one,
My corduroy breeches I put on….
[etc]
//

[SANTIANA]
//
The Plains of Mexico.

O Santy Anna gained the day,
Hooray, Santy Anna;
He gained the day at Monteray,
All on the plain of Mexico.
[etc]
//

[BLOW BOYS BLOW]
//
Blow, Boys, Blow.

Oh, blow, my boys, I long to hear you!
Blow, boys, blow!
Oh, blow, my boys, I long to hear you!
Blow, my bully boys, blow!
[etc]
//

[BLOW THE MAN DOWN]
//
THIS comes from the old Atlantic sailing packet ships. " Blow " in those days was equivalent to "knock." The third mate in those ships was endearingly termed the third "blower and striker," the second mate being the "greaser."

Blow the Man Down.

O blow the man down, bullies, blow the man down!
Way-ay, blow the man down,
O blow the man down in Liverpool town!
Give me some time to blow the man down.
[Paradise street, policeman, etc]
//
Also the "Black Ball" version is given.

[FISHES], but not as a shanty.
//
The Fishes.

Oh, a ship she was rigg'd, and ready for sea…
…Windy weather! Stormy weather!
When the wind blows we're all together.
[etc]
//

However, Whall says that the song was later used as a shanty to the chorus of "Blow the Man Down." In other words, not this song, but its couplets were utilized.

"The Whale" (= Greenland Whale Fishery)

"Admiral Benbow".

Of [DRUNKEN SAILOR], Whall states that it was, with "Cheer'ly" a shanty allowed sometimes in the Royal Navy.
//
…particularly in revenue cutters and similar craft, and sotto voce in larger vessels. Both songs were used in the old Indiamen of "John Company."

Early in the Morning.

Hoorah! And up she rises;…
What shall we do with a drunken sailor?...
Put him in the long-boat and make him bale her…
Put him in the guardroom till he gets sober.

These were the only two verses.

…It was the only song used for a "stamp and go," and when crews were reduced and it was no longer possible to " walk away" with anything, the song at once dropped out of use.
//

"High Barbaree", not as a shanty.

[CHEERLY], without notes.
//
Cheer'ly Man.

O Nancy Dawson, Hio!
Cheer'ly man;
She'd got a notion, Hio-o
Cheer'ly man;
For our old bo'sun, Hio!
Cheer'ly man,
O! Hauley, Hio-o!
Cheer'ly man.
[etc]
//

[JOHNNY BOWKER], for sweating up.
//
Johnny Boker.

O do my Johnny Boker, Come, rock or roll me over.
O do, my Johnny Boker, do!
[etc]
//

[PADDY DOYLE]
//
Paddy Doyle.

To my way-ay-ay ah!
We'll pay Paddy Doyle for his boots.
[gin, chin, etc]
//

[BONEY], for short pulls. 2 pulls indicated for each chorus.
//
Boney.
O Bony [sic] was a warrior,
Away-ay-ah
A warrior, a terr(i)or,
Jean Français.
[etc]
//

[HAUL AWAY JOE], "used as a last short pull for sweating up." Major mode melody.
//
Haul Away, Jo.

Away [/you], haul away, O haul away together.
[cho.] Away, haul away, O haul away, Jo!
[Irish gal/nigger one, King Louis, etc]
//

[HOGEYE]
//
The Hog-Eye Man.

Oh, go fetch me down my riding cane,
For I'm goin' to see my darlin' Jane!
And a hog-eye
Railroad nigger, with his hog-eye!
Row de boat ashore, and a hog-eye O!
She wants the hog-eye man.
[etc]

As nautical readers know, much of this shanty is unprintable ; but it was so very much in evidence in the days of shanties that a collection would be imperfect without it.
//

[SHALLOW BROWN]
//
Challo Brown.

O Challo, in the morning,
O Challo, O Challo Brown!
Just as the day was dawning,
O Challo, O Challo Brown!
She was a bright mulatta,
O Challo, O Challo Brown!
She hailed from Cincinatta,
O Challo, O Challo Brown!
[etc]
//

'The Saucy "Arethusa"' – "a shore manufactured sea song."

"The Buffalo"

[HANDY MY BOYS], without description.
//
So Handy, My Girls.

So handy, my girls, so handy!
Why can't you be so handy, O?
Handy, my girls, so handy!
For we are outward bound, you know,
Handy, my girls, so handy!
O up aloft that yard must go,
Handy, my girls, so handy!
[etc]
//

[HANGING JOHNNY] without description.
//
Hanging Johnny.

O! they call me Hanging Johnny,
Hooray!
Because I hang for money,
So hang, boys, hang!
[etc]
//

[WHISKEY JOHNNY] without description.
//
Whisky.

O, whisky is the life of man,
O whisky, Johnny!
I'll drink whisky when I can,
O, whisky for my Johnny!

Whisky is the life of man,
Whisky from an old tin can.
[etc]
//

[RANZO RAY] without description.
//
We'll Ranzo-Way.

O, the boys and the girls went a huckleberry hunting,
To my way,…Ah!
O, the girls began to cry, and the boys they stop'd hunting,
To my hilo, we'll ranzo-way.
[etc]
//

Subject: RE: The Advent and Development of Chanties
From: Gibb Sahib
Date: 04 Jul 11 - 05:37 PM

Looking at Whall's work here. I have not been able to see his earliest writings. However, with the exception of one or two songs, and with the exception of any bowdlerizing, I think his chanties represent what he heard during his time at sea, 1861-1872. His choice of what chanties to print, and what he says about them, does skew the overall impression, but that is a separate issue.

Whall first published chanties in two articles, neither of which I have seen. However, I presume that all the material from the articles was re-used for his later collection. The articles are:

1906        Whall, W.B. "Sea Melody." _The Nautical Magazine_ 76.

1906 [Whall, W.B.] "The Sea Shanty." _Yachting Monthly_ (October 1906).

The second article is reported to have contained 14 chanties. Among these were,

MR. STORMALONG
LOWLANDS AWAY
SANTIANA
"John's gone to Hilo"
HOGEYE
ACROSS THE WESTERN OCEAN
SHENANDOAH

I have not seen the first edition of Whall's collection,

1910        Whall, Captain W.B. Sea Songs and Shanties. Brown, Son and Ferguson.

Therefore, I cannot say whether he added any to those 14, though I assume there must have been a few more -- that is, more *chanties*. The addition of non-chanty songs is given.

The preface from this edition (Nov. 1910) stated that, he did not consult other texts, and these versions were as heard. Deliberate use of "shanty" spelling; doubting French origin. Songs were harmonised by Whall's brother, R.H. Whall (a trained musician).

The second edition, 1912, added more songs. The Preface, dated Feb 1912, mentioned the popularity of shanties among landsfolk as the reason for such a rapid reprint.

The third edition contains no new preface, and I gather it to be the same as the 2nd.

The 4th edition adds more material.

Subject: RE: The Advent and Development of Chanties
From: Gibb Sahib
Date: 04 Jul 11 - 03:29 PM

Hi, Charlie--

Wise or unwise, the decision I made way back was to restrict this list to "shanties" in the slightly more narrow but customary sense as songs for deep water sailing work. All of the related song references (cotton screwing, corn shucking, boat rowing, etc) are included in the more detailed "timeline", but not in these. "Maringo" didn't make the cut! :)

Gibb

Subject: RE: The Advent and Development of Chanties
From: Charley Noble
Date: 04 Jul 11 - 11:53 AM

Gibb-

I think you're missing one of my oldest favorites "Fire Maringo."

Cheerily,
Charley Noble

Subject: RE: The Advent and Development of Chanties
From: GUEST
Date: 04 Jul 11 - 07:14 AM

Thanks, Gibb. This really lays out the picture for us and is a good summary of the work so far. I'm glad to see you back at it. Happy 4th. J.

Subject: RE: The Advent and Development of Chanties
From: Gibb Sahib
Date: 04 Jul 11 - 02:41 AM

Hi All,

I am trying to return to this project a bit after an absence.

With most of the [conveniently accessible] 19th century references covered, I think, I am going to keep working on analyzing/comparing works from the early 20th. This still leaves most of the major well-known collections. The articles have mostly been covered, I think (except for a few in the Folk Song Society journal) and what references I have seen casually tend to be derivative. They don't add anything original, so there are many that I have ignored. Again, the main focus of mine will be on the published collections. (Eventually, that will be followed by audio-recorded works.)

I've finally gotten the recent references in this thread into my notes, and put the data in my lists. I won't post the "timeline" just now. However, it may be interesting to see the update of the repertoire lists.

The usual disclaimers apply. The lists are "for what they are worth", to provide a broad sketch.

Here's the list of attested repertoire by decade:

c.1800s-1820s

CHEERLY (2)
FIRE FIRE (1)
Oh Sally Brown, Sally Brown, oh!"

1830s

Black although she be"
BOTTLE O (1)
Captain gone ashore!"
CHEERLY (2)
Heave round hearty!"
Heave, to the girls!"
HIGHLAND (1)
Hurrah! hurrah! my hearty bullies!"
Jack Cross-tree,"
Nancy oh!"
Pull away now, my Nancy, O!"
ROUND THE CORNER (2)
SALLY BROWN (1)
TALLY (1)
Time for us to go!"

1840s

ACROSS THE WESTERN OCEAN (1)
BOTTLE O (1)
CHEERLY (3)
DRUNKEN SAILOR (1)
GROG TIME (1)
Hah, hah, rolling John" (1)
HAUL HER AWAY (1)
Heave her away"
Heave him up! O he yo!"
Ho, O, heave O"
HUNDRED YEARS (2)
LOWLANDS AWAY (1)
O ee roll & go"
O! hurrah my hearties O!"
PADDY DOYLE (1)
PADDY ON THE RAILWAY (1)
ROUND THE CORNER (1)
STORMY (1)
TALLY (1)
WHISKEY JOHNNY (1)

1850s

ACROSS THE WESTERN OCEAN (1)
BOWLINE (3)
BULLY IN ALLEY (1)
CHEERLY (4)
FIRE FIRE (1)
HAUL AWAY JOE (1)
Highland day and off she goes"
HILO BOYS (1)
Miranda Lee"
MOBILE BAY (1)
MONEY DOWN (1)
MR. STORMALONG (1)
Oh, fare you well, my own Mary Ann"
ONE MORE DAY (1)
OUTWARD AND HOMEWARD BOUND (1)
PADDY ON THE RAILWAY (1)
REUBEN RANZO (1)
RUN LET THE BULGINE RUN (1)
SANTIANA (2)
SHENANDOAH (1)
STORMALONG JOHN (1)
STORMY (6)
STORMY ALONG (1)
WHISKEY JOHNNY (1)
Whisky for Johnny!"

1860s

And England's blue for ever"
BLACKBALL LINE (1)
BLOW BOYS BLOW (1)
BLOW THE MAN DOWN (2)
BLOW YE WINDS (1)
BONEY (3)
BOWLINE (3)
BUNCH OF ROSES (1)
Cheerily she goes"
CHEERLY (1)
CLEAR THE TRACK (1)
GOOD MORNING LADIES (1)
GOODBYE FARE YOU WELL (1)
Hand ober hand, O"
HANDY MY BOYS (1)
HANGING JOHNNY (1)
HAUL AWAY JOE (2)
Heave and she goes, stamp and she goes"
HEAVE AWAY MY JOHNNIES (2)
HIGHLAND (1)
HILO BOYS (1)
HOOKER JOHN (1)
JOHN CHEROKEE (1)
John, John Crow is a dandy, O"
JOHNNY BOWKER (1)
Johnny's gone"
Ladies, fare-ye-well"
Land ho"
LOWLANDS AWAY (2)
Nancy Bell"
Oceanida"
OH RILEY (1)
OUTWARD AND HOMEWARD BOUND (1)
PADDY LAY BACK (1)
PADDY ON THE RAILWAY (2)
REUBEN RANZO (1)
RIO GRANDE (2)
SACRAMENTO (1)
SAILOR FIREMAN (1)
SALLY BROWN (2)
Sally in the Alley"
SANTIANA (3)
SHENANDOAH (5)
SLAPANDER (1)
ST. HELENA SOLDIER (1)
STORMY (2)
TOMMY'S GONE (1)
WALKALONG SALLY (1)
WHISKEY JOHNNY (4)

1870s

ACROSS THE WESTERN OCEAN (1)
A Fal-De-Lal-Day"
A-ROVING (3)
BLACKBALL LINE (4)+3
BLOW BOYS BLOW (4)+3
BLOW THE MAN DOWN (5)+3
BLOW YE WINDS (1)
BONEY (5)+4
BOTTLE O (1)
BOWLINE (6)+3
CAN'T YOU HILO (1)
CHEERLY (1)
CLEAR THE TRACK (1)
DANCE THE BOATMAN (1)
DEAD HORSE (4)+3
DERBY RAM (1)
DONKEY RIDING (1)
DREADNAUGHT (1)
DRUNKEN SAILOR (2)
CHEERLY (1)
FIRE DOWN BELOW (2)
FISHES (1)
GALS OF CHILE (1)
GOLDEN VANITY (1)
GOODBYE FARE YOU WELL (6)+4
GOODBYE MY LOVE (1)
GOOD MORNING LADIES (1)
HANDY MY BOYS (3)+2
HANGING JOHNNY (3)
HAUL AWAY JOE (6)+3
Haul the Woodpile Down"
HEAVE AWAY CHEERILY (1)
HEAVE AWAY MY JOHNNIES (7)+4
HIGHLAND LADDIE (1)
HILO BOYS (1)
HOGEYE (2)
HUCKLEBERRY HUNTING (1)
HUNDRED YEARS (1)
I Love the Blue Mountains"
JAMBOREE (2)
JOHNNY BOWKER (5)+4
LEAVE HER JOHNNY (3)
LONDON JULIE (1)
LONG TIME AGO (2)
LOWLANDS AWAY (2)
MERMAID (1)
MR. STORMALONG (3)
NEW YORK GIRLS (3)
ONE MORE DAY (2)
OUTWARD AND HOMEWARD BOUND (2)
PADDY DOYLE (4)
PADDY LAY BACK (1)
PADDY ON THE RAILWAY (3)
RANDY DANDY (1)
RANZO RAY (1)
REUBEN RANZO (7)+4
RIO GRANDE (4)+3
ROLLING HOME (2)
ROLL THE COTTON DOWN (2)
ROLL THE OLD CHARIOT ALONG (1)
SACRAMENTO (3)
SAILOR'S ALPHABET (1)
SALLY BROWN (3)
SANTIANA (4)
SHALLOW BROWN (2)
SHENANDOAH (6)+4
SLAPANDER (1)
SLAV HO (1)
SOUTH AUSTRALIA (2)
STORMY (3)+2
STORMY ALONG JOHN (1)
TEN THOUSAND MILES AWAY (1)
TOMMY'S GONE (3)
WALKALONG SALLY (1)
Walk away" (1)
WHISKEY JOHNNY (8)+4

1880s

ACROSS THE WESTERN OCEAN (3)
A-ROVING (3)
Baltimore Bell"
BLACKBALL LINE (2)
BLOW BOYS BLOW (5)+2
BLOW THE MAN DOWN (8)+3
BONEY (5)+4
BOTTLE O (1)
BOWLINE (3)
California Gold"
CHEERLY (1)
CLEAR THE TRACK (1)
DEAD HORSE (2)
Dixie's Isle"
DREADNAUGHT (1)
DRUNKEN SAILOR (3)+2
FIRE DOWN BELOW (3)
GOLDEN VANITY (1)
GOODBYE FARE YOU WELL (6)+2
GOODBYE MY LOVE (1)
HAME DEARIE (1)
HANDY MY BOYS (1)
HANGING JOHNNY (3)
HAUL AWAY JOE (5)+2
HEAVE AWAY CHEERILY (1)
HEAVE AWAY MY JOHNNIES (4)+3
HOGEYE (3)+2
HIGHLAND (1)
HILONDAY (1)
HUCKLEBERRY HUNTING (1)
HUNDRED YEARS (1)
JOHN BROWN'S BODY (1)
JOHNNY BOWKER (3)+2
JOHNNY COME DOWN TO HILO (1)
Largy Kargy"
LEAVE HER JOHNNY (4)
LONG TIME AGO (1)
LOWLANDS AWAY (2)
MARCHING THROUGH GEORGIA (1)
MOBILE BAY (2)
MR. STORMALONG (7)
Nancy Rhee"
NEW YORK GIRLS (2)
ONE MORE DAY (1)
OUTWARD AND HOMEWARD BOUND (1)
PADDY DOYLE (4)
PADDY ON THE RAILWAY (2)
REUBEN RANZO (7)+3
RIO GRANDE (7)+3
ROLL THE COTTON DOWN (1)
RUN LET THE BULGINE RUN (2)
SACRAMENTO (5)+3
SALLY BROWN (6)+3
SANTIANA (7)+3
Saucy Sailor Boy"
SHALLOW BROWN (1)
SHENANDOAH (5)+2
SHINY O (1)
Sing, Sally, ho!"
SOUTH AUSTRALIA (3)+2
STORMY ALONG (1)
TEN THOUSAND MILES AWAY (1)
TOMMY'S GONE (4)+2
Up a Hill"
Way down low!"
WHISKEY JOHNNY (7)+3
YEO HEAVE HO (1)

1890s

A-ROVING (1)
BLACKBALL LINE (1)
BLOW BOYS BLOW (1)
BLOW THE MAN DOWN (2)
BONEY (1)
BOWLINE (3)
DEAD HORSE (2)
DRUNKEN SAILOR (1)
GALS OF DUBLIN TOWN (1)
GOODBYE FARE YOU WELL (2)
HAME DEARIE (1)
HANGING JOHNNY (1)
HAUL AWAY JOE (1)
HEAVE AWAY CHEERILY (1)
JOHN BROWN'S BODY (1)
LEAVE HER JOHNNY (2)
LONG TIME AGO (2)
LOWLANDS AWAY (2)
MR. STORMALONG (3)
PADDY DOYLE (2)
REUBEN RANZO (1)
RIO GRANDE (2)
ROLL THE COTTON DOWN (1)
SACRAMENTO (3)
SALLY BROWN (1)
SANTIANA (3)
SHALLOW BROWN (1)
SHENANDOAH (1)
TOMMY'S GONE (2)
WHISKEY JOHNNY (2)

1900s

Australian Girl, The"
BLACKBALL LINE (3)
BLOW BOYS BLOW (4)
BLOW THE MAN DOWN (3)
BONEY (2)
BOWLINE (2)
Capstan Bar, The"
CHEERLY (1)
COME ROLL ME OVER (1)
DEAD HORSE (4)
DREADNAUGHT (2)
GOODBYE FARE YOU WELL (1)
HANDY MY BOYS (2)
HAUL AWAY JOE (2)
HEAVE AWAY MY JOHNNIES (2)
HIGH BARBARY (1)
HUNDRED YEARS (1)
JOHN BROWN'S BODY (1)
JOHNNY BOWKER (1)
JOHNNY COME MARCHING HOME (1)
LEAVE HER JOHNNY (4)
LOWLANDS AWAY (4)
MR. STORMALONG (3)
PADDY DOYLE (2)
REUBEN RANZO (3)
RIO GRANDE (5)
ROLL ALABAMA ROLL (1)
ROLLING HOME (2)
ROLL THE COTTON DOWN (1)
ROLL THE OLD CHARIOT (1)
SACRAMENTO (4)
SALLY BROWN (5)
SANTIANA (2)
SEBASTOPOL (1)
SHENANDOAH (3)
SOUTH AUSTRALIA (1)
STORMY ALONG JOHN (1)
TOMMY'S GONE (2)
TOMMY'S ON THE TOPSAIL YARD (1)
TRAMP TRAMP TRAMP (1)
WHISKEY JOHNNY (4)
YANKEE MAN-O-WAR (1)

1910s

1920s

Along the Lowlands"
Barnacle Bill the Sailor"
Bos'uns's Story, The"
Married to a Mermaid"
Nancy Lee"
Priest and the Nuns, The"

The following list gives a sense of the cumulative repertoire through the 1880s, with the number of times each was cited. Lower case typeface means the song, for whatever reason and in my assessment, is less clearly established as an item of repertoire -- e.g. we don't know what exactly the song was or it was incidentally used.

Cumulative (through 80s)

ACROSS THE WESTERN OCEAN (6)
A Fal-De-Lal-Day"
And England's blue for ever"
A-ROVING (6)
Baltimore Bell"
Black although she be"
BLACKBALL LINE (7)
BLOW BOYS BLOW (10)
BLOW THE MAN DOWN (15)
BLOW YE WINDS (2)
BONEY (13)
BOTTLE O (4)
BOWLINE (14)
BULLY IN ALLEY (1)
BUNCH OF ROSES (1)
CAN'T YOU HILO (1)
California Gold"
Captain gone ashore!"
Cheerily she goes"
CHEERLY (15)
CLEAR THE TRACK (3)
DANCE THE BOATMAN (1)
DEAD HORSE (6)
DERBY RAM (1)
Dixie's Isle"
DONKEY RIDING (1)
DREADNAUGHT (2)
DRUNKEN SAILOR (6)
FIRE DOWN BELOW (5)
FIRE FIRE (2)
FISHES (1)
GALS OF CHILE (1)
GOLDEN VANITY (2)
GOOD MORNING LADIES (2)
GOODBYE FARE YOU WELL (13)
GOODBYE MY LOVE (2)
GROG TIME (1)
Hah, hah, rolling John" (1)
HAME DEARIE (1)
Hand ober hand, O"
HANDY MY BOYS (5)
HANGING JOHNNY (7)
HAUL AWAY JOE (13)
HAUL HER AWAY (1)
Haul the Woodpile Down"
Heave and she goes, stamp and she goes"
HEAVE AWAY CHEERILY (2)
HEAVE AWAY MY JOHNNIES (13)
Heave her away"
Heave him up! O he yo!"
Heave round hearty!"
Heave, to the girls!"
HIGHLAND (4)
Highland day and off she goes"
HILO BOYS (3)
HILONDAY (1)
HOGEYE (5)
Ho, O, heave O"
HOOKER JOHN (1)
HUCKLEBERRY HUNTING (2)
HUNDRED YEARS (4)
Hurrah! hurrah! my hearty bullies!"
I Love the Blue Mountains"
Jack Cross-tree,"
JAMBOREE (2)
JOHN BROWN'S BODY (1)
JOHN CHEROKEE (1)
John, John Crow is a dandy, O"
JOHNNY BOWKER (9)
JOHNNY COME DOWN TO HILO (1)
Johnny's gone"
Land ho"
Largy Kargy"
LEAVE HER JOHNNY (10)
LONDON JULIE (1)
LONG TIME AGO (1)
LOWLANDS AWAY (7)
MARCHING THROUGH GEORGIA (1)
MERMAID (1)
Miranda Lee"
MOBILE BAY (2)
MONEY DOWN (2)
MR. STORMALONG (11)
Nancy Bell"
Nancy oh!"
Nancy Rhee"
NEW YORK GIRLS (5)
O ee roll & go"
O! hurrah my hearties O!"
Oceanida"
Oh fare you well, my own Mary Anne"
OH RILEY (1)
Oh Sally Brown, Sally Brown, oh!"
ONE MORE DAY (4)
OUTWARD AND HOMEWARD BOUND (5)
PADDY DOYLE (9)
PADDY LAY BACK (2)
PADDY ON THE RAILWAY (9)
Pull away now, my Nancy, O!"
RANDY DANDY (1)
RANZO RAY (1)
REUBEN RANZO (16)
RIO GRANDE (13)
ROLLING HOME (2)
ROLL THE COTTON DOWN (3)
ROLL THE OLD CHARIOT ALONG (1)
ROUND THE CORNER (3)
RUN LET THE BULGINE RUN (3)
SACRAMENTO (9)
SAILOR FIREMAN (1)
SAILOR'S ALPHABET (1)
SALLY BROWN (12)
Sally in the Alley"
SANTIANA (16)
Saucy Sailor Boy"
SHALLOW BROWN (3)
SHENANDOAH (16)
SHINY O (1)
SLAPANDER (2)
SLAV HO (1)
Sing, Sally, ho!"
SOUTH AUSTRALIA (5)
ST. HELENA SOLDIER (1)
STORMALONG JOHN (1)
STORMY (12)
STORMY ALONG (3)
TALLY (2)
TEN THOUSAND MILES AWAY (2)
Time for us to go!"
TOMMY'S GONE (8)
Up a hill"
Walk away"
WALKALONG SALLY (2)
Way down low!"
When first we went a-waggoning"
WHISKEY JOHNNY (19)
Whisky for Johnny!"
YEO HEAVE HO (1)


The above includes 137 items of repertoire. 63 of the items were cited at least twice - I think that gives a better sense of the size of the regular repertoire. In terms of what the most commonly mentioned chanties were, through the 1880s, I have this set:

Top (through 1880s):

WHISKEY JOHNNY (19)
REUBEN RANZO (16), SANTIANA (16), SHENANDOAH (16)
BLOW THE MAN DOWN (15), CHEERLY (15)
BOWLINE (14)
BONEY (13), GOODBYE FARE YOU WELL (13), HAUL AWAY JOE (13), HEAVE AWAY MY JOHNNIES (13), RIO GRANDE (13)
SALLY BROWN (12), STORMY (12)
MR. STORMALONG (11)
***

A cumulative list, through the 1920s (tentative), looks like this:

Cumulative (through 1920s)

ACROSS THE WESTERN OCEAN (6)
A Fal-De-Lal-Day"
Along the Lowlands"
And England's blue for ever"
A-ROVING (7)
Australian Girl, The"
Baltimore Bell"
Barnacle Bill the Sailor"
Black although she be"
BLACKBALL LINE (11)
BLOW BOYS BLOW (15)
BLOW THE MAN DOWN (20)
BLOW YE WINDS (2)
BONEY (16)
Bos'uns's Story, The"
BOTTLE O (4)
BOWLINE (19)
BULLY IN ALLEY (1)
BUNCH OF ROSES (1)
CAN'T YOU HILO (1)
California Gold"
Capstan Bar"
Captain gone ashore!"
Cheerily she goes"
CHEERLY (16)
CLEAR THE TRACK (3)
COME ROLL ME OVER (1)
DANCE THE BOATMAN (1)
DEAD HORSE (12)
DERBY RAM (1)
Dixie's Isle"
DONKEY RIDING (1)
DREADNAUGHT (4)
DRUNKEN SAILOR (7)
FIRE DOWN BELOW (5)
FIRE FIRE (2)
FISHES (1)
GALS OF CHILE (1)
GALS OF DUBLIN TOWN (1)
GOLDEN VANITY (2)
GOOD MORNING LADIES (2)
GOODBYE FARE YOU WELL (16)
GOODBYE MY LOVE (2)
GROG TIME (1)
Hah, hah, rolling John" (1)
HAME DEARIE (2)
Hand ober hand, O"
HANDY MY BOYS (7)
HANGING JOHNNY (8)
HAUL AWAY JOE (16)
HAUL HER AWAY (1)
Haul the Woodpile Down"
Heave and she goes, stamp and she goes"
HEAVE AWAY CHEERILY (3)
HEAVE AWAY MY JOHNNIES (15)
Heave her away"
Heave him up! O he yo!"
Heave round hearty!"
Heave, to the girls!"
HIGH BARBARY (1)
HIGHLAND (4)
Highland day and off she goes"
HILO BOYS (3)
HILONDAY (1)
HOGEYE (5)
Ho, O, heave O"
HOOKER JOHN (1)
HUCKLEBERRY HUNTING (2)
HUNDRED YEARS (5)
Hurrah! hurrah! my hearty bullies!"
I Love the Blue Mountains"
Jack Cross-tree,"
JAMBOREE (2)
JOHN BROWN'S BODY (3)
JOHN CHEROKEE (1)
John, John Crow is a dandy, O"
JOHNNY BOWKER (10)
JOHNNY COME DOWN TO HILO (1)
JOHNNY COME MARCHING HOME (1)
Johnny's gone"
Land ho"
Largy Kargy"
LEAVE HER JOHNNY (16)
LONDON JULIE (1)
LONG TIME AGO (3)
LOWLANDS AWAY (13)
MARCHING THROUGH GEORGIA (1)
Married to a Mermaid"
MERMAID (1)
Miranda Lee"
MOBILE BAY (2)
MONEY DOWN (2)
MR. STORMALONG (17)
Nancy Bell"
Nancy Lee"
Nancy oh!"
Nancy Rhee"
NEW YORK GIRLS (5)
O ee roll & go"
O! hurrah my hearties O!"
Oceanida"
Oh fare you well, my own Mary Anne"
OH RILEY (1)
Oh Sally Brown, Sally Brown, oh!"
ONE MORE DAY (4)
OUTWARD AND HOMEWARD BOUND (5)
PADDY DOYLE (13)
PADDY LAY BACK (2)
PADDY ON THE RAILWAY (9)
Priest and the Nuns, The"
Pull away now, my Nancy, O!"
RANDY DANDY (1)
RANZO RAY (1)
REUBEN RANZO (20)
RIO GRANDE (20)
ROLL ALABAMA ROLL (1)
ROLLING HOME (4)
ROLL THE COTTON DOWN (5)
ROLL THE OLD CHARIOT ALONG (2)
ROUND THE CORNER (3)
RUN LET THE BULGINE RUN (3)
SACRAMENTO (16)
SAILOR FIREMAN (1)
SAILOR'S ALPHABET (1)
SALLY BROWN (18)
Sally in the Alley"
SANTIANA (21)
Saucy Sailor Boy"
SEBASTOPOL (1)
SHALLOW BROWN (4)
SHENANDOAH (20)
SHINY O (1)
SLAPANDER (2)
SLAV HO (1)
Sing, Sally, ho!"
SOUTH AUSTRALIA (6)
ST. HELENA SOLDIER (1)
STORMALONG JOHN (1)
STORMY (12)
STORMY ALONG (1)
TALLY (2)
TEN THOUSAND MILES AWAY (2)
Time for us to go!"
TOMMY'S GONE (12)
TOMMY'S ON THE TOPSAIL YARD (1)
TRAMP TRAMP TRAMP (1)
Up a hill"
Walk away"
WALKALONG SALLY (2)
Way down low!"
When first we went a-waggoning"
WHISKEY JOHNNY (25)
Whisky for Johnny!"
YANKEE MAN-O-WAR (1)
YEO HEAVE HO (1)

Top (through 1920s):

WHISKEY JOHNNY (25)
SANTIANA (21)
REUBEN RANZO (20) BLOW THE MAN DOWN (20), BOWLINE (19), RIO GRANDE (20), SHENANDOAH (20)
SALLY BROWN (18)
MR. STORMALONG (17), BONEY (16), CHEERLY (16), GOODBYE FARE YOU WELL (16), LEAVE HER JOHNNY (16), SACRAMENTO (16), HAUL AWAY JOE (16)
HEAVE AWAY MY JOHNNIES (15)

Subject: RE: The Advent and Development of Chanties
From: Gibb Sahib
Date: 28 Jun 11 - 12:17 AM

Here's a corn-shucking reference, to a JOHNNY COME DOWN TO HILO form and other chanty-like call-and-response forms, that I missed up until now.

1863        Fedric, Francis. _Slave Life in Virginia and Kentucky._ London: Wertheim, Macintosh, and Hunt.

Escaped slave Fedric(/Frederick) lived circa 1805-1882. This passage would seem to refer to circa 1820s to 1833. There seem to be 3 different corn songs, among more details of what corn-shucking competitions were like. The choruses don't seem to coordinate any work; they are just a feature of the genre, I guess.

Pg47-50:
//
In the autumn, about the 1st of November, the slaves commence gathering the Indian-corn, pulling it off the stalk, and throwing it into heaps. Then it is carted home, and thrown into heaps sixty or seventy yards long, seven or eight feet high, and about six or seven feet wide. Some of the masters make their slaves shuck the corn. All the slaves stand on one side of the heap, and throw the ears over, which are then cribbed. This is the time when the whole country far and wide resounds with the corn-songs. When they commence shucking the corn, the master will say, "Ain't you going to sing any to-night?" The slaves say, "Yers, Sir." One slave will begin:--

"Fare you well, Miss Lucy. 
                        
ALL. John come down de hollow."

The next song will be:--

"Fare you well, fare you well. 
                        
ALL. Weell ho. Weell ho. 
                        
CAPTAIN. Fare you well, young ladies all. 
                        
ALL. Weell. ho. Weell ho. 
                        
CAPTAIN. Fare you well, I'm going away. 
                        
ALL. Weell ho. Weell ho. 
                        
CAPTAIN. I'm going away to Canada. 
                        
ALL. Weell ho. Weell ho."

       One night Mr. Taylor, a large planter, had a corn shucking, a Bee it is called. The corn pile was 180 yards long. He sent his slaves on horseback with letters to the other planters around to ask them to allow their slaves to come and help. On a Thursday night, about 8 o'clock, the slaves were heard coming, the corn-songs ringing through the plantations. "Oh, they are coming, they are coming!" exclaimed Mr. Taylor, who had been anxiously listening some time for the songs. The slaves marched up in companies, headed by captains, who had in the crowns of their hats a short stick, with feathers tied to it, like a cockade. I myself was in one of the companies. Mr. Taylor shook hands with each captain as the companies arrived, and said the men were to have some brandy if they wished, a large jug of which was ready for them. Mr. Taylor ordered the corn-pile to be divided into two by a large pole laid across. Two men were chosen as captains; and the men, to the number of 300 or 400, were told off to each captain. One of the captains got Mr. Taylor on his side, who said he should not like his party to be beaten. "Don't throw the corn too far. Let some of it drop just over, and we'll shingle some, and get done first. I can make my slaves shuck what we shingle tomorrow," said Mr. Taylor, "for I hate to be beaten."
       The corn-songs now rang out merrily; all working willingly and gaily. Just before they had finished the heaps, Mr. Taylor went away into the house; then the slaves, on Mr. Taylor's side, by shingling, beat the other side; and his Captain, and all his men, rallied around the others, and took their hats in their hands, and cried out, "Oh, oh! fie! for shame!"
       It was two o'clock in the morning now, and they marched to Mr. Taylor's house; the Captain hollowing out, "Oh, where's Mr. Taylor? Oh, where's Mr. Taylor?" all the men answering, "Oh, oh, oh!"

Mr. Taylor walked, with all his family, on the verandah; and the Captain sang,

"I've just come to let you know. 
                        
MEN. Oh, oh, oh! 
                        
CAPTAIN. The upper end has beat. 
                        
MEN. Oh, oh, oh! 
                        
CAPTAIN. But isn't they sorry fellows? 
                        
MEN. Oh, oh, oh! 
                        
CAPTAIN. But isn't they sorry fellows? 
                        
MEN. Oh, oh, oh! 
                        
CAPTAIN. But I'm going back again, 
                        
MEN. Oh, oh, oh! 
                        
CAPTAIN. But I'm going back again. 
                        
MEN. Oh, oh, oh! 
                        
CAPTAIN. And where's Mr. Taylor? 
                        
MEN. Oh, oh, oh! 
                        
CAPTAIN. And where's Mr. Taylor? 
                        
MEN. Oh, oh, oh! 
                        
CAPTAIN. And where's Mrs. Taylor? 
                        
MEN. Oh, oh, oh! 
                        
CAPTAIN. I'll bid you, fare you well, 
                        
MEN. Oh, oh, oh! 
                        
CAPTAIN. For I'm going back again. 
                        
MEN. Oh, oh, oh! 
                        
CAPTAIN. I'll bid you, fare you well, 
                        
And a long fare you well. 
                        

MEN. Oh, oh, oh!
       They marched back, and finished the pile.

//

Subject: RE: The Advent and Development of Chanties
From: Gibb Sahib
Date: 27 Jun 11 - 09:01 PM

I always assumed that the chorus phrase was Malayan but the verses were translations and add-ons.

Yes, that's what I'm also assuming. But how would Burke translate? one wonders.

"Malayan" could refer to several different subjects, I suppose.

If Burke mentions it 4 times and calls it "Malayan," it seems odd there wouldn't be *some* kind of connection. Exoticizing I can understand, but why not just call it a "chanty" the other times? Why emphasize "Malayan" here, for instance?:

Pg252
Love, says an old Malayan chanty which I learned at West India Dock—Love is kind to the least of men. God will it so!

It seems to have become Burke's pet reference. Perhaps he was so struck by it that he asked someone the meaning when he heard it, and rendered it in his literary way.

Subject: RE: The Advent and Development of Chanties
From: Charley Noble
Date: 27 Jun 11 - 08:19 PM

Gibb-

Thanks for the additional notes on the "Malayan" shanty. I always assumed that the chorus phrase was Malayan but the verses were translations and add-ons.

I was hoping that someone would come up with Malayan words for the verses as well.

Charley Noble