Lyr Add: The Cliffs of Virginia

Subject: Lyr Add: The Cliffs of Virginia
From: *#1 PEASANT*
Date: 13 Jun 04 - 06:16 PM

The Cliffs of Virginia
Tune- "Drops of Brandy."

Some brave lads in their keel left the spout,
It blew a fresh breeze from the west;
Now happy they were without doubt,
And to Porvidence left all the rest.
The breeze seun increased to a gale,
The tide ran down rapid and rough,
For safety they teuk in the sail,
For by this time they's most had eneugh.

Rum it iddity, etc.

To stop her they now were not able,
Says the skipper, "We'll drive to the ocean,
Thraw ower the chain-anchor and cable,
For of sic a trip aw ha'ne notion."
The keel by this time was near swamp'd,
So they threw all the coals overboard;
The skipper he shouted and stamped,
And for the help of good Providence roar'd.

On the deck they could no longer stand,
So they pray'd both for succour and shelter,
Bid adieu to their awn native land,
And to the huddock they ran helter-skelter:
There they rattled and tumbled about,
They pray'd fortheir bairns and wives,
And if Providence spar'd, without doubt,
They surely wad mend all their lives.

This night spent in devotion and fasting,
They long'd for to see the sun rise;
Skipper swore his repentance was lasting,
If it wasn't the deil d--n his eyes.
The gale being entirely hush'd
And the sun was beginning to shine;
Up his heed then he carefully push'd,
And he says, "Lads , we'll ne'er see the Tyne."

The skipper roar'd out for Ben Mackey,
To see the high cliffs of Virgini,
Where they grow all the gren tea and baccy;
Ay, as sure as I'm living, my hinny.
The folks aw believe are all wild,
An' suyre they will some of us fry;
But now we're all meeklness and mild,
We needn't mind how seun we die.

A steamer seun cam within hail-
They ax'd skipper how he got there:
"We gat here during the last heavy gale;
If ye please, sur, what land is that there?"
"Wey divn't you knaw Tynemouth Cassell?"
"Od, smash me, a'tuek'd for Virgini's."
So they row'd hard an'strang for Newcassell,
And lang'd for a kiss o' their Hinnies.


-Anonymous, Shields Song book, 1826.