Lyr Req: Sailor's Hornpipe

Subject: RE: lyrics to Sailors Hornpipe
From: Charley Noble
Date: 01 Aug 01 - 09:39 AM

By the way, any clue what the original reference for "Plimsol Line" is?

Subject: RE: lyrics to Sailors Hornpipe
From: Charley Noble
Date: 01 Aug 01 - 09:29 AM

Seems we're getting closer to the real thing. Keep digging and anyone who's queasy about where this thread might lead can shear off now!

Subject: RE: lyrics to Sailors Hornpipe
From: The Walrus
Date: 01 Aug 01 - 08:27 AM

Another of the (publically)less repeatable versions of the Sailors Hornpipe

Tiddleywinks, Old Man

Toddleywinks, old man
Find a woman if you can,
If you can't find a woman,
Do without, old man.
When the Rock of Gibraltar
Takes a flying leap at Malta
You'll never get your bollocks in a corned beef can.

"The text is slightly bowdlerised. This nonsense song is a pretty nasty scrap of folklore, and was sung chiefly by those who wished to show off their own toughness. Generall, the words stopped after the first line and the rest of the tune was whistled."
(From "The Long Trail- What the British Soldier sang and said in 1914-1918", John Brophy & Eric Partridge - 1965)

Regards

Walrus

Subject: RE: lyrics to Sailors Hornpipe
From: pavane
Date: 01 Aug 01 - 02:49 AM

Celtic Soul, Maybe there is a different tune also used for the song? Do you have details? An abc or MIDI file? It would be interesing to find out.

Subject: Lyr Add: SAILOR'S HORNPIPE
From: GUEST,PCW
Date: 31 Jul 01 - 02:21 PM

The words that I know to Jacky Tar/Jack's the Lad/Sailor's hornpipe are

He's a naval man. You can tell it when he walks.
He's a naval man. You can tell it when he talks.
And the drunken things he'll utter
When he's lying in the gutter,
You can bet your bread and butter
He’s a naval man.

He's a naval man of the ocean-going sort.
He’s a naval man with a girl in every port.
If you see him squeeze and hug her
When he gets aboard the lugger,
He’s a dirty rotten bosun
Of a naval man.

If he gets you in a row boat on the Serpentine,
And he tries to get he hands upon your Plimsol Line,
If he grabs you without warning,
You’ll be scuppered in the morning.
You can bet the skin you're born in
He’s a naval man.

Surprised you didn't know this version McGrath. I learned it from a guy at the old Hoddesdon Folk Club.

HTML line breaks added. --JoeClone, 20-Feb-02.

Subject: RE: lyrics to Sailors Hornpipe
From: GUEST,Frogmore
Date: 31 Jul 01 - 02:12 PM

On a Savannah Ga. TV station in the 50s there was a weather man named "Capt. Sandy." His theme song was to the tune of the first part of Sailor's Hornpipe. It went, "Yo Ho Ho, what's the weather gonna be? Here's the man who knows, just take a look and see. Here is Capt. Sandy with the weather he has found - for Savannah and for Chatham and the counties all around." A clam on the ocean floor would open his mouth and announce the tide schedule and a pelican would be lowered by a wire and tell the wind direction and velocity. I've been known to surprise my fellow pickers with a rendition of this at the end of the tune.

Subject: RE: lyrics to Sailors Hornpipe
From: GUEST,Celtic Soul
Date: 31 Jul 01 - 01:53 PM

From my understanding, "Do your Balls Hang Low" is a different piece of music from "Sailors Hornpipe". The words may fit, however. If so, what the hey! :D

Subject: RE: lyrics to Sailors Hornpipe
From: Uncle Jaque
Date: 31 Jul 01 - 10:41 AM

I'm waiting (& hoping) for Dave the Ancient Mariner to check in on this one; would not be surprised if he knows a thing or two about it.

Being from and representing Maine, of course the 3rd ME Regimental Field Music includes a version of this in our repitoire. The Drummers - especially our Bass (USN Ret'd.by the way) - do a real bang-up (or should we say "boom-up) job of it! We performed it during our recent Independance Day Parade in famous old Shipbuilding port of Bath, ME, where it was a big hit. Our public "premiere" of the piece was during "Opsail 2000" in Portland, next to the USCG "Eagle".

We do it in the key of "G" (1 #) on Bb Military Fife, starting on high-register "G" (for those familiar with the fife/whistle family).

Subject: RE: lyrics to Sailors Hornpipe
From: MMario
Date: 31 Jul 01 - 09:48 AM

JC's Tunefinder is an incredible resource. A VERY good place to bookmark...

Subject: That's Super Mario
From: GUEST,Nick
Date: 31 Jul 01 - 09:36 AM

Thanks for linking me up there

Subject: RE: lyrics to Sailors Hornpipe
From: MMario
Date: 31 Jul 01 - 09:28 AM

nick - JC's tunefinder

- select the "g" option for a gif of the music - the other options include abc, midi, postscript, etc....

Subject: ADD: lyrics to Sailors Hornpipe
From: Jacob B
Date: 31 Jul 01 - 09:23 AM

Do they hang below your knees?
Do they tear your BVDs?
Do they irritate
When you catch them on the gate?
Do they feel so nice
When they glide along the ice?
Do they hang too low in the morning?

Any old storm
Any old port
Life is long
Love is short
Better get a woman, get a woman if you can
If you can't get a woman, get a clean old man

or, alternatively

Any old port
Any old storm
Life is short
Love is warm
Better get a woman, get a woman if you can
If you can't get a woman, get a clean old man

From the singing of Oscar Brand. Actually, one of the choruses above is the way Oscar Brand sang it, and the other is the way I found myself singing it, but I've forgotten now which is which.

And it seems to me that the melody is Turkey in the Straw rather than the Sailor's Hornpipe - but the two tunes are similar.

Subject: RE: lyrics to Sailors Hornpipe
From: GUEST,Murray on Saltspring
Date: 30 Jul 01 - 10:39 PM

I have the feeling I imparted this version to MC lang syne, but anyway--
Do your balls hang low?
Can you swing them to and fro?
Can you tie them oin a knot,
Can you tie them in a bow?
Can you swing them to the ceiling
With that free and easy feeling?
Did you ever catch your ballocks
In a rat-trap, oh?
- Learned in the Royal Navy, 1952, from a public school boy.

Subject: RE: lyrics to Sailors Hornpipe
From: Charley Noble
Date: 28 Jul 01 - 02:50 PM

I'm sure that someone has more verses in line with what Barry posted above, which I've only run across from Oscar Brand. I'd be curious if Mother Rackett was one of them Liverpool folk characters.

Subject: RE: lyrics to Sailors Hornpipe
From: pavane
Date: 27 Jul 01 - 06:08 PM

If you find a MIDI or ABC, it can easily be converted

Subject: RE: music to Sailors Hornpipe
From: GUEST,Nick
Date: 27 Jul 01 - 04:36 PM

I was looking for sheet music on the web for this w/o finding, any one know where to find Sailors Hornpipe Sheet Music in Cyberland?

Subject: RE: lyrics to Sailors Hornpipe
From: The Walrus
Date: 27 Jul 01 - 04:31 PM

"Do your Balls Hang Low" 2nd Verse

Do they itch when it's hot? Can you stick 'em in a pot?
Do they clink when you walk? Do they jingle when you talk?
Can you sling 'en on your shoulder, like a rotten bloody soldier?
Oh you'll never be a sailor/soldier/bugger (delete as appropriate)
If your balls hang low.

Walrus

Subject: RE: lyrics to Sailors Hornpipe
From: McGrath of Harlow
Date: 27 Jul 01 - 04:03 PM

Another indication of how the Mudcat doesn't really change that much. Without looking at the dates I never notice the join when these old threads get refreshed.

Subject: RE: lyrics to Sailors Hornpipe
From: MMario
Date: 27 Jul 01 - 03:30 PM

original request was from 97 - I refreshed it because someone was asking recently about words to the sailors hornpipe...it was in relation to the Popeye thread

Subject: RE: lyrics to Sailors Hornpipe
From: McGrath of Harlow
Date: 27 Jul 01 - 03:21 PM

As I recall it:

Do your balls hang low, can you swing 'em to & fro
Can you tie them in a knot, can you tie them in a bow
Do you get a funny feeling
when you catch them on the ceiling
Oh you'll never be a bugger
If your balls hang low.

I wouldn't think that'd go down too well in a school project though...

Subject: RE: lyrics to Sailors Hornpipe
From: MMario
Date: 27 Jul 01 - 03:02 PM

hmmmm- never realized that tune was the sailor's hornpipe! - I usually hear it with a more "hillbilly" sound - but it is remarkably similar if it isn't the same...isn't it?

Subject: RE: lyrics to Sailors Hornpipe
From: pavane
Date: 27 Jul 01 - 02:49 PM


Do your balls hang low, can you swing 'em to & fro
Can you tie them in a knot, can you tie them in a bow
Do you get a funny feeling when you bash them on the ceiling
{forgotten the next line)
Do your balls hang low

Sorry it's incomplete - someone will fill the gap tho!

Subject: RE: lyrics to Sailors Hornpipe
From: MMario
Date: 27 Jul 01 - 02:23 PM

refresh

Subject: RE: lyrics to Sailors Hornpipe
From: dick greenhaus
Date: 10 Mar 97 - 12:27 PM

Hi- The tune is usually listed in tune books as thge College Hornpipe.

Subject: Lyr Add: SAILOR'S HORNPIPE
From: Barry Finn
Date: 09 Mar 97 - 08:54 PM

If it's not My Bonnie Lies Over The Ocean and it is the Sailor's Hornpipe you’re looking for, I've only heard 1 verse I've added a couple of my own but here's the verse I have:

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

The Sailor's Hornpipe is also the only shipboard tune with it's own accompanying dance.

Subject: RE: lyrics to Sailors Hornpipe
From: Anne Cormack
Date: 26 Feb 97 - 10:49 PM

From the words you mention, it sounds like you might be looking for "My Bonnie Lies Over The Ocean" which is on the database. I found it by looking in the index under M.

Anne

Subject: lyrics to Sailors Hornpipe
From:
Date: 26 Feb 97 - 09:48 PM

I'm helping a friend with a school project. I'm looking for the lyrics to Sailors Hornpipe. I think the following words are in the song somewhere: Oh bring back, oh bring back, oh bring back my bonnie to me. Forgive me if I'm way of course, it's happenned before(too often)! Thanks!