Lyr Add: Crack It On You Bullies (Tom Manners)

Subject: Lyr Add: Crack It On You Bullies (Tom Manners)
From: Charley Noble
Date: 03 Nov 12 - 02:27 PM

Here's an old sailor poet's poem that I've adapted for singing. Bob Zentz suggested that I might be interested in his work (copy and paste into WORD/TIMES/12 to line up the chords); sing at a brisk pace:

By Tom E. Manners
From Songs of Seas and Tall Ships, Murray & Gee, Hollywood, CA, © 1942, pp. 43-45
Adapted for singing by Charles Ipcar, 10/28/12

Crack It On You Bullies

Dm-----------------G-----C------G-Dm
Now we're home-ward bound at last, me boys,
---------------G---Dm
Haul away, and make some noise!
Dm--G-Dm---G-------Dm
With a steady hand a-steering,
---------G---------------------Dm
There's no sea we need be fearing –
C-----G-Dm------G-----------------Dm
Crack it on, you bullies! Crack it on!

For this hooker's swift and cunning,
Wise she is to where we're running;
Watch the spindrift breaking, drifting,
"Keep those weather leeches lifting!" –
Crack it on, you bullies! Crack it on!

Though the gales should lash and harry,
Pile on all the rags she'll carry;
Up and down the "Old Man" paces,
"Keep the padlocks on those braces!" –
Crack it on, you bullies! Crack it on!

Though the gales should rip and tear you,
And the toil and strife should wear you;
Though you're less than any slave is,
And you're ready for old Davey's –
Crack it on, you bullies! Crack it on!

'Spite of Hell or heavy weather,
Heave her! – Bust her! – All together!
Leap and jump, you deep sea rovers,
As she sends those green waves over –
Crack it on, you bullies! Crack it on!

Can't you see old Ratcliffe Highway?
Fav'rite haunt and pleasant by-way;
Far from tough Mate's crazy notions,
Far from here out on the ocean –
Crack it on, you bullies! Crack it on!

For there's gin-mills filled with liquor,
Dames with eyes that smile and flicker;
Aye! She'll love and rob you, brother;
Heave you out to love another –
Crack it on, you bullies! Crack it on!

Willing hands to wear and steer her,
Getting near and ever nearer;
The tug will take the hawser towing,
Up the Themes we'll soon be going –
Crack it on, you bullies! Crack it on!

We'll be done with ships – we'll show them,
When we furl these sails and stow them;
We'll forget the Cape Horn fever,
Singing, "Leave her Johnny Leave Her" –
Crack it on, you bullies! Crack it on!

But 'twill be the same old story,
When our pay's all shot to glory;
Drunk or starved, and past all caring,
We'll sign on for more sea-faring –
Crack it on, you bullies! Crack it on!

Here's the original poem:

By Tom E. Manners
From Songs of Seas and Tall Ships, Murray & Gee, Hollywood, CA, © 1942, pp. 43-45

Crack It On You Bullies

Aye! We're heading back for Home, men,
Drive the ship through wrack and foam then,
Crack it on! Crack it on!
With a steady hand a-helming,
Trampling down the seas o'er whelming,
Crack it on, you bullies! Crack it on!
For there's someone home to meet you,
There are anxious wives a-waiting, when port is won,
There'll be land-lights winkling, beaming,
There'll be gold coins clinking, gleaming,
So crack it on, you bullies! Crack it on!

For our craft is swift and cunning,
Wise she is to where we're running,
Crack it on! Crack it on!
Watch the spindrift breaking, drifting,
"Keep those weather leeches lifting!"
Crack it on, you bullies! Crack it on!
There'll be those to hear worth hearing,
There'll be clothes to wear worth wearing,
For we're weary, homeward bounders, every mother's son,
There'll be things worth going after –
Food and song and lights and laughter,
So crack it on, you bullies! Crack it on!

What of lightning's fingers livid,
Teeth of storm dogs, bared and vivid,
Crack it on! Crack it on!
Through the skies should split asunder,
With the dooming drums of thunder,
Crack it on, you bullies! Crack it on!
Though the gales should lash and harry,
Pile on all the rags she'll carry,
Listen to the reef-points drum, and tautened back-stays drone;
Up and down the "Old Man" paces,
"Keep the padlocks on those braces!" –
So keep them on, you bullies – keep them on!

Though the gales should rip and tear you,
And the toil and moil should wear you,
Crack it on! Crack it on!
Though you're less than any slave is,
And you're ready for old Davey's,
Crack it on, you bullies! Crack it on!
'Spite of Hell or heavy weather,
Heave her! – Bust her! – All together!
And we'll show the Lapland Sorceress how things are done,
Leap and jump and dash for cover,
When she sends those green ones over,
So crack it on, you bullies! Crack it on!

Haul and strain and sweat, my hearties,
Sailing back to where your heart is,
Crack it on! Crack it on!
Though you're famined, fagged and windtost,
Devil plague and take the hindmost,
Crack it on, you bullies! Crack it on!
For there's gin-mills filled with liquor,
Dames with eyes that smile and flicker
And who swear to God above, she loves but you alone,
Aye! She'll love and rob you, brother,
Then heave you out to love another,
So crack it on, you bullies! Crack it on!

Sons of sin and sons of no hope,
Homeland ladies have the tow-rope,
Crack it on! Crack it on!
Through with ocean's wet and watches,
Far from sea-boils, cuts, and blotches,
Crack it on, you bullies! Crack it on!
Can't you see old Ratcliffe Highway,
Fav'rite haunt and pleasant by-way,
Oh, for a dry and cozy bed to lie and laze upon,
Far from tough Mate's crazy notions,
Far from things that are the ocean's,
So crack it on, you bullies! Crack it on!

Dipping flags to laden far sails,
Deep with horns, bones, hides and parcels,
Crack it on! Crack it on!
We will be back home before you,
And we'll tell them where we saw you;
Crack it on, you bullies! Crack it on!
Willing hands to wear and steer her,
Getting near and ever nearer,
We'll beat against the breath of bold Euroclydon;
Up through the Channel quickly homing,
They will telegraph our coming,
So crack it on, you bullies! Crack it on!

We'll be done with ships – we'll show them,
When we furl those sails and stow them,
Crack it on! Crack it on!
We'll forget the Cape Horn fever,
Singing, "Leave her Johnny Leave Her,"
Crack it on, you bullies! Crack it on!
But 'twill be the same old story,
With our pay all shot to glory;
We'll be in the hands of "runners," before we're done,
Drunk or starved, and past all caring,
Come down broke for more sea-faring –
So crack it on, and keep on, cracking on!

I'll post a link to a MP3 sample of how I sing it after I get caught up on several other projects.

Cheerily,
Charley Noble

Subject: RE: Lyr Add: Crack It On You Bullies (Tom Manners)
From: Charley Noble
Date: 04 Nov 12 - 09:17 AM

There isn't a lot of bio information that I've been able to find on Tom E. Manners:

"Tom E. Manners was born in New South Wales on July 15, 1891. Manners settled in Los Angeles in 1913. For several years he was an art director for Warner Brothers Studios. He died in Los Angeles on Dec. 16, 1959.

Member: Painters & Sculptors of LA.

Exh: Hollywood Architects League, 1927; Bark n' Rags (LA), 1931; Ebell Salon (LA), 1942.

Source:

Edan Hughes, "Artists in California, 1786-1940"
Ferdinand Perret Files; Death record; Los Angeles Times, 12-22-1959 (obituary)."

He evidently sailed in tall ships as an apprentice, along with film star Hobart Bosworth who wrote a short introduction to his book of sea poems, closing with "I am your old friend and fellow Cape Horner." His songbook includes his own fine illustrations, and is obviously a labor of love.

I would welcome additional information about Manners.

Cheerily,
Charley Noble

Subject: RE: Lyr Add: Crack It On You Bullies (Tom Manners)
From: GUEST
Date: 04 Nov 12 - 05:17 PM

Looking forward to that MP3 sample Charley - love the
song!

YIU
gecko

Subject: RE: Lyr Add: Crack It On You Bullies (Tom Manners)
From: Charley Noble
Date: 04 Nov 12 - 08:01 PM

gecko-

So am I! The first two lines begin something like the melody for "Whup Jamboree" but then it shifts into a B-part for the last three lines. Have fun puzzling it out!

Bob Zentz has a nice setting for another Manners' poem "The Accordion of Paddy O'Shane."

Cheerily,
Charley Noble