Lyr Req: john's gone to hilo

Subject: John's Gone To Hilo
From: GUEST,Maurice Pemble
Date: 27 May 00 - 12:22 PM

Some time ago I was on a guitar workshop with Martin Simpson and he sang a song which seemed to be called John's Gone To Hilo - the chorus goes: 'Who's been here since I've been gone?,Great big man with a derby on, John's gone to Hilo, poor old John.'

Does anyone know where I can get the full lyrics, please? - it's a great song!

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: john's gone to hilo
From: Uncle_DaveO
Date: 27 May 00 - 01:14 PM

Sounds very similar but not quite the same as "Johnny Come Down to Hilo".

Some of the words of that one, as I recall:
Was you ever down in Mobile Bay
Where they screws the cotton on a hot summer day?

Johnny come down to Hilo, poor old man.

Have you searched the DT for "Hilo"? Really ought to be there, seems to me.

Dave Oesterreich

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: john's gone to hilo
From: Uncle_DaveO
Date: 27 May 00 - 01:16 PM

Yes, Johnny Come Down to Hilo is in the DT.

Dave Oesterreich

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: john's gone to hilo
From: zander (inactive)
Date: 27 May 00 - 03:41 PM

Try looking in Shanty's from the Seven Seas by Stan Hugill They're all in it [ nearly ] Shiver me timbers, dave

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: john's gone to hilo
From: Mark Cohen
Date: 28 May 00 - 03:02 AM

Yes, Hugill has a whole chapter on Hilo songs. My favorite is Tom's (or John's) Gone to Hilo, a topsail halyard shanty that Hugill says was too slow to work by if it was sung well!

Tommy's gone, what shall I do?
Away, you Hilo
Oh, Tommy's gone and I'll go too
Tom's gone to Hilo

When I first moved to Hilo (Hawaii), I was thrilled to think I was living by the same bay that all those whalers and shantymen had anchored in. Then I found out that the "Hilo" of the shanties was actually "Ilo", on the coast of Peru. Oh, well...

Maurice, the fragment you quoted seems to have ties to at least three shanties: The Hog-Eye Man, John's Gone to Hilo (a different version), and The Dead Horse. That's not surprising, since there was much borrowing of verses and tunes among shanty singers. You might try following up on the other two and see if you find something that's close to what you heard. If you live near a coastal city, there's a good chance you can find a group of shanty singers who can help you out. If not, you're in a good place here at the Mudcat. Welcome.

Aloha,
Mark

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: john's gone to hilo
From: Mark Cohen
Date: 28 May 00 - 03:05 AM

Oops, I know, there's probably shanty singing groups far from the coast too. Sorry!

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: john's gone to hilo
From: GUEST,Maurice Pemble
Date: 28 May 00 - 06:04 PM

Thanks to all those who posted suggestions as to how i might find these lyrics - I have been able to get them through the DT under Johnny Come Down To Hilo - it's exactly the same Tune as Martin Simpson's version : John's Gone to Hilo.

This was my first experience of using the Mudcat and I was really impressed with the friendly and helpful response - what a great way to communicate.

The Stan Hugill book sounds really interesting. Thanks to Mark for the alternative shanty possibilities.Martin S had said this was a shanty but I didn't know it was a topsail halyard shanty!

For any guitarists Martin Simpson plays a nice accompaniment in an altered tuning he calls Gsus4 over 4 -CGDGCD from the 6th string to the 1st string.

Many thanks, Maurice, London, England