Origins: Blow the Man Down

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Blow the man down (?)
From: Mrrzy
Date: 22 Jul 02 - 12:37 PM

(I'll bite) If you blow most men, they do go down, don't they?

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Blow the man down (?)
From:
Date: 22 Jul 02 - 10:24 AM

It's one of the best occupational songs, by the standard of productivity -- a couple of verses are pretty standard, but then there's a world of variation you never get to the end of. It's for somebody else to judge whether it's legitimate for somebody who's not a sailor, let alone a Black Baller, to compose additional verses. I believe "blow the man down" meant to lower the main sails ("mains'l" or "muns'l"), a complicated and potentially dangerous task requiring a lot of coopreation and coordination. But I don't know what kind of vessel we'd be talking about, or how many main sails it would have.

Best,

Adam

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Blow the man down (?)
From: Charley Noble
Date: 22 Jul 02 - 10:06 AM

My brother and I used to have visions of sailors and such "blowing one another down" via lung power, until some well-intentioned and informed adult told us that fists, belaying pins, and other sundry objects were the more likely delivery mode. Just a memory!;~)

Cheerily,
Charley Noble

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Blow the man down (?)
From: Dicho (Frank Staplin)
Date: 21 Jul 02 - 11:32 PM

Six versions in the DT, including one slightly variant to the one posted by Wincing Devil, "Blow the Man Down (6)". Enter 'blow the man' or 'blow the man down' and all of them come up. Use upper case on 'Blow ...' and only version 3 comes up.

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Blow the man down (?)
From: GUEST
Date: 21 Jul 02 - 11:11 PM

There are three versions in Colcord's 'American Seas Songs and Shanties' called "Black Ball Line", "Blow the Man Down I", and "Blow the Man Down II". I learned a version on Puget Sound, 1943-44 (when Black Ball still ran the ferries), and it was called "Blck Ball Line".

Subject: Lyr Add: BLOW THE MAN DOWN
From: Wincing Devil
Date: 21 Jul 02 - 10:53 PM

BLOW THE MAN DOWN

I'm a Flying Fish sailor, just home from Hong Kong!"
To me way, hey, blow the man down,
Just give me some whiskey and I'll sing you's a song!
Give me some time to blow the man down.


As I was a-walking down Paradise Street,
A hansome young policeman I chanced for to meet,

Says he, "You're a Black Baller from the cut of your hair;
I can tell by those high red-topped sea boots you wear.

Mister Oh Mister, you does me great wrong,
I'm a Flying Fish sailor, just home from Hong Kong!"

So I spat in his face, and I stove in his jaw;
Says he then, "Young feller, you're breaking the law!"

They gave me six months down in old Walton town,
For kicking and punching and blowing him down.

Oh listen young fellers, and heed what I say!
Steer clear of fat policemen, you'll find it'll pay!

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

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Blow the man down (?)
From: Dicho (Frank Staplin)
Date: 21 Jul 02 - 08:50 PM

Type blow the man in the DT and forum search and up come several versions plus discussions in the threads. All chanty-shanty singers are eccentric.

Subject: Blow the man down (?)
From: Celtic.Relics.com
Date: 21 Jul 02 - 08:09 PM

I'm now looking for a old shanty type song, with a chorus something like this...

"Blow the man down laddie, blow the man down. You'll heave and hoe till ya blow her down."

It was a song my grandfather sang. He was a fisherman on the Bay. Was this a full actual song or just a creation from my eccentric grandfather? What's the background on this song, if any? Anyways, I am sure my fellow Mudcatters will come through once again. Many thanks!