Lyr Add: Mother Rackett's (Oscar Brand)

Subject: RE: Lyr Add: Mother Rackett's (Oscar Brand)
From: Lighter
Date: 27 May 20 - 04:29 PM

Brand was a facile lyricist and wit and the stanzas are in his style.

Subject: RE: Lyr Add: Mother Rackett's (Oscar Brand)
From: cnd
Date: 27 May 20 - 02:34 PM

It certainly appears to be made up by him. I haven't found any evidence it relates to the Civil War, as the dates and military references seem to allude.

Most information I've found write that Mother Rackett's was probably a bar in Hong Kong around 1875; though it could be possible Brand simply combined two songs with similar themes/rhythms, the complete lack of any evidence makes it hard to accept as genuine.

Subject: RE: Lyr Add: Mother Rackett's (Oscar Brand)
From: Lighter
Date: 25 May 20 - 08:20 PM

Doerflinger collected the chorus only.

Brand evidently wrote the rest.

Subject: Lyr Add: MOTHER RACKETT'S (Oscar Brand)
From: cnd
Date: 22 Aug 15 - 12:30 AM

Off of the 1956 LP, "American Drinking Songs" (Riverside RLP 12-630) by Oscar Brand, with Erik Darling, is the song "Mother Rackett's." The back liner offers the following insight about the song:

"6. MOTHER RACKETT'S: Early Americans of the post-Indian variety brought the "Sailor's Hornpipe" along with them for dancing purposes. In the manner of the day, some sea-legged singer added words to the hasty melody. Mother Rackett's was probably one of the hostelries along the English docks which supplied bed and bawd for bell-bottomed tars."

Interestingly enough, the name "Mother Rackett's" is mentioned in both ROLLING DOWN TO SAILORTOWN and SAILOR'S HORNPIPE. It also shares the same chorus as SAILOR'S HORNPIPE.

MOTHER RACKETT'S
(Traditional)

In '61 we was near to done when we run aground in a blindin' sun
The ship was saved while the captain raved; he blasted her off with a Gatling gun

We'll have another drink before the boat shoves off, we'll have another drink before the boat shoves off
We'll go to Mother Rackett's and we'll pawn our monkey jackets
And we'll have another drink before the boat shoves

Now '62 we was near to through for the mainsail went, and the mizzen, too
So we sowed our pants to the top topgallant, we made it to home as good as new

We'll have another drink before the boat shoves off, we'll have another drink before the boat shoves off
We'll go to Mother Rackett's and we'll pawn our monkey jackets
And we'll have another drink before the boat shoves

Now in '63 for the company, we was loaded down with cans 'a tea
We said it may be grand for the lovers on the land, But it's good old grog for the boys at sea

We'll have another drink before the boat shoves off, we'll have another drink before the boat shoves off
We'll go to Mother Rackett's and we'll pawn our monkey jackets
And we'll have another drink before the boat shoves