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13 Oct 99 - 06:12 PM (#123569) Subject: Lyrics required: The Capstan Bar From: radriano Hello, everybody! Anyone have lyrics to a sea shanty called THE CAPSTAN BAR? There's no reference to it in the digital tradition database. The first line of the shanty is:
I've heard a version sung by the group SALT OF THE EARTH with only three verses. I'm getting tired of singing those three verses over and over again. Regards, radriano |
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13 Oct 99 - 07:03 PM (#123593) Subject: RE: Lyrics required: The Capstan Bar From: funky town |
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15 Oct 99 - 01:55 AM (#124116) Subject: Lyr Add: HEAVE, BOYS, AWAY (from W Pint & F Dale) From: Jonathan Lay William Pint & Felicia Dale (Seattle, WA) recorded a song on their "Port of Dreams" CD, which they call "Heave, Boys, Away." Here are the lyrics they use: HEAVE, BOYS, AWAY Walk her 'round for we're rollin' homeward Heave me boys together The bully old ship is a lyin' windward Heave me boys away We're taut and trim and the wind is blowin' Snug up aloft and the ship she's goin Heave her, and we'll break her, For the old ship's a-rollin home Oh sing and heave and heave and sing Heave me boys together Oh heave and make the capstan spring It's blow you winds to London town-o Heave me boys away Where the girls are dressed so fine-o Heave her, and we'll break her, For the old ship's a-rollin' home Oh the sail's trimmed taut and the ship she's goin' Heave me boys together Oh move her around for the winds are blowin' Heave me boys away So goodbye gals were bound to leave you Goodbye sally and goodbye Lulu Heave her, and we'll break her, For the old ship's a-rollin home |
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15 Oct 99 - 05:02 PM (#124374) Subject: Lyr Add: THE CAPSTAN BAR (from Salt of the Earth) From: radriano Jonathan: Thanks for posting those lyrics. I finally got a copy of Salt of the Earth's CD. Here is their version of the song: THE CAPSTAN BAR -homeward bound capstan (as recorded by Salt of the Earth) Walk her round for we're rolling homeward. Heave, me boys, together The old bully ship is a-lying wind'ard. Heave, me boys, away She's taut and trim and the wind's a-blowin' Snug up aloft and the ship's a-goin' Heave her, or we'll strand her For the old ship's rolling home Sing and heave and heave and sing, boys Heave, me boys, together Heave and make that capstan spring, boys Heave, me boys, away It's blow, ye winds, for London town-o Where them gals are dressed so fine-o Heave her, or we'll strand her For the old ship's rolling home Sails trimmed taught and the ship's a-goin' Heave, me boys, together Move her round for the wind's a-blowin' Heave, me boys, away It's goodbye gals; we're bound to leave ya Goodbye Sally and goodbye Lulu Heave her, or we'll strand her For the old ship's rolling home Walk her round for we're rolling homeward Heave, me boys, together The old bully ship is a-lyin' wind'ard Heave, me boys, away She's taught and trim and the wind's a-blowin' Snug up aloft and the ship's a-going Heave her, or we'll strand her For the old ship's rolling home Regards, radriano |
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18 Oct 99 - 03:37 AM (#125071) Subject: RE: Lyrics required: The Capstan Bar From: Stewie I have it on an LP by Jim Mageean: 'The Capstan Bar' Dingles Records DIN 303 (1978). I transcibed the lyrics, but they are almost identical to those above, so I won't post them. However, you may be interested in Jim's note and source: 'A beautiful homeward-bounder used at the capstan. This does not appear in many of the shanty collections and seems to be an English variant of a Scandinavian shanty. This version is from a book called 'Old Sea Shanties' (1904) by J.Bradford and A.Fagge. Cheers, Stewie. |
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18 Oct 99 - 12:09 PM (#125175) Subject: RE: Lyrics required: The Capstan Bar From: radriano Stewie: If you don't mind, I'd be very interested in seeing the version from the Bradford and Fagge collection. You can post them directly to me at: radriano@consrv.ca.gov Thanks so much! radriano |
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18 Oct 99 - 12:13 PM (#125178) Subject: RE: Lyrics required: The Capstan Bar From: radriano Stewie: Sorry, you can disregard my last message. I just reread your message and I get it now. Regards, radriano |
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21 Aug 09 - 06:26 PM (#2705754) Subject: RE: Lyr Req: The Capstan Bar From: Gibb Sahib Hope no one strongly objects to my reviving this thread for a sec. I'm always interested in trends of what songs get popular to sing at certain times. Jim Mageean done this chantey in 1978. But it seems like there was a little flurry of interest on record in the 90s maybe. There was Salt of the Earth's (1998 and 1999) and Pint 'n' Dale's (1991). After this 1999 thread, Radriano's version came out, but not on record until 2006, I believe. The New Scorpion Band had a non-chantey style version in 2004. I'm curious whether there's an appreciable number of people who are familiar with this chantey and if they've heard in sung much in live or informal settings. I've not; I only learned it very recently, purely from Stan Hugill's book. He called it "Heave, My Boys, Away," and having neglected to also search out "The Capstan Bar", I missed any recorded versions. Also, there seems to be a very high degree of correspondence between Bradford and Fagge's text version (the only other English text) and Hugill's. Though Hugill also cites an oral source (Scandinavian seaman "Big Skan"), I suspect he mainly culled it (as he did with most of these Scandinavian chanteys) from previous texts -- either that there was very little variation in this one (unusual). So I also wonder if, in reference to radriano's original posting, anyone has gotten past those "same three verses"! (Note: I've heard portions of radriano's version, but I can't confirm whether he added extra verses.) I'm pretty sure all the other recordings have the same 3 verses. So...just curious how this chantey may or may not have panned out in the last ten years since radriano's post. Gibb |
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21 Aug 09 - 07:00 PM (#2705772) Subject: ADD Version: The Capstan Bar From: ClaireBear I think this is how my band sings it (at least, it says so on our Web site, though our webmaster has been known to put up the wrong version). Most of it's the same, but I think the second and verses have some different bits -- not great poetry, and portmanteau material that seems to have migrated in from "One More Day," but different anyway. As usual, I don't know where we got it (that's the trouble when your band is 30+ years old), but I could maybe find out once bandmate Gary Keep is back from vacation: THE CAPSTAN BAR (as sung by the Dogwatch Nautical Band) Walk her round for we're rollin' homeward Heave me boys together! The old bully ship she's a-lying windward Heave me boys away For we're homeward bound with the wind a-blowin' Snug up aloft and the ships a-rollin' Chorus: Heave her, or we'll strand her, And the old ship's rolling home, And the old ship's rolling home. Now can't you hear the wind a howlin'? Heave me boys together! Can't you hear the bosun growlin'? Heave me boys away For we're taut and trim and the wind's a-blowin' Snug up aloft and the ship's a-rollin'. Chorus Can't you hear the mate a-bawlin'? Heave me boys, together! Can't you hear the girls a-callin'? Heave me boys away Farewell girls, we're bound to leave you. Goodbye, Sally, and farewell, Lulu! Chorus Repeat 1st verse and Chorus |
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21 Aug 09 - 07:21 PM (#2705783) Subject: RE: Lyr Req: The Capstan Bar From: Gibb Sahib COOL! Yes, those are the sort of "new" lyrics I was expecting to find. I thought it a little odd that most versions of the past took it the lyrics so literally. Then again, not too odd. I tend to take lyrics more literally when the song seems rare-ish, as if to 'preserve' what little is documented or whatever...or probably because the song is novel enough that the need for freshness isn't as strong...just random thoughts Claire, I wonder if Dogwatch was tipped off to the song round about the time Richard Adrianowicz was also working it up out in SF, during the chantey sings or whatever. |
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21 Aug 09 - 07:36 PM (#2705796) Subject: RE: Lyr Req: The Capstan Bar From: ClaireBear Probably earlier, but I couldn't say for sure without Gary's superior memory for sources. We have a band meeting Sunday to get started on planning for our first CD, at which time I'll ask if anyone else knows where we got it, but I doubt anyone will. We certainly used to hang out at chantey sings before we became afflicted with offspring, but we stopped being regulars well before 1999. Cheers, C |
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21 Aug 09 - 07:52 PM (#2705809) Subject: RE: Lyr Req: The Capstan Bar From: Gibb Sahib Very interesting, thanks! Well, here's the additional and changed verses I padded my interpretation with. Mostly standard chantey fare: Breast your bars and bend your backs, boys Heave me boys together! Heave and make your spareribs crack, boys Heave me boys away We're homeward bound to New York Bay Make your port and take your pay Sing and heave and heave and sing Heave and make the capstan spring Tis blow ya winds for New York Town-O Where them Bowery gals hang round-O When I was young and in my prime I courted once a fine-ass dime But now I'm old and getting grey They seem to look the other way |
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21 Aug 09 - 07:54 PM (#2705811) Subject: RE: Lyr Req: The Capstan Bar From: ClaireBear I like that bit about the spare ribs cracking especially well, Gibb Sahib. |
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16 Jan 11 - 03:38 AM (#3075518) Subject: RE: Lyr Req: The Capstan Bar (chantey) From: GUEST "Capstan bars!", the mate is callin', Heave the anchor from the ground! Let me hear the clank of the capstan pawlin', Round the capstan, heave around! Once around, twice around the capstan stampin', Heave the anchor from the ground! Endless circles 'round the foredeck trampin', Round the capstan, heave around! One shot o' chain, we've got five more left, Heave the anchor from the ground! "Anchor up and down!", now work up a sweat, Round the capstan, heave around! Hose off the mud from Davy Jones' locker, Heave the anchor from the ground! Bend 'em down below to the old chain locker, Round the capstan, heave around! Astern our cares will all pass away, Heave the anchor from the ground! For today is our sailing day, Round the capstan, heave around! Cat tackle, fish tackle, soon we'll be leavin', Heave the anchor from the ground! Soon as the mate calls out, "Avast Heavin'!" Round the capstan, heave around! Round the capstan, heave around! |
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01 Sep 14 - 07:49 PM (#3655969) Subject: RE: Lyr Req: The Capstan Bar (chantey) From: GUEST,gary keep Hello, Better late than never? Just saw this old thread about Capstan Bar/Heave Me Boys Away. I learned it in the late 70s. I think it was from a record but it may have been from a book that someone in Dogwatch had. I think our former member Jerry Peterson worked it up for our first year at Dickens Fair in 1978. At times we also sang the Heave and Sing and Sing and Heave verse but we thought "too much heaving", sounds like everyone has Mal-De-Mere. Hope you see this eventually. Gary |
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19 Feb 24 - 09:39 PM (#4197563) Subject: RE: Lyr ADD: The Capstan Bar (chantey) From: RTim After a number of years ...another question. I heard this Chanty/Shanty tonight for the first time.. So exactly..What is it Origin...Hugill..?? Tim Radford |
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20 Feb 24 - 03:24 AM (#4197571) Subject: RE: Lyr ADD: The Capstan Bar (chantey) From: Gibb Sahib Tim, As far as I've gathered, it first appeared in the singable collection by Bradford and Fagge, 1904. By "singable," I mean: The editors made musical score arrangements so that "classical" performers and such could pick up the book, sing exactly what was presented... and have a piano accompanists. A recording studio-based classical vocal quartet, the Minster Singers, did just that in 1905. They recorded all 8 songs in the Bradford and Fagge book, verbatim, I suppose, on 4 gramophone records. The rest of Bradford and Fagge is standard chanty fare, looking to maybe have some borrowings in the arrangements from Davis and Tozer's collection (the only other singable collection at that time). The editors don't appear (to me) to have had any particular deep knowledge that would lend to them uncovering some "rare" chanty. It's quite possible that they simply made up "The Capstan Bar." The Gull's Way (1937), by English theatre actor Nancy Price, goes on to quote lyrics of "The Capstan Bar." Price claims to have worked to it on a ship, but, sorry, I have a hard time believing she didn't lift it from Bradford and Fagge. By the time we get to Hugill... grrr... I think he just grabbed it and took it at face value. Maybe someone can prove my suspicion wrong. But that was Hugill's M.O. for SfSS: Virtually *any* "shanty" he found mentioned somewhere, he popped it into the book. He didn't seem to have done any rigorous critique of where he was getting things from. Likewise, verses that were almost certainly made up by people like Davis and Tozer (who really make no claim to representing what sailors actually sang), Hugill popped in there. It's why Hugill's book is such a pain when it comes to wanting historical info. The quality of info ranges all the way from chanties that he sang himself at work down to random scraps of ideas from shoddy sources... but how to know exactly which is which? Hugill did little to "weigh" the info like, "So, I found this thing, but here's what the source is, so take it with a grain of salt." This allowed people to think (and whether or not Hugill bears any responsibility for this is debatable): "Hugill gave us this! The great sailor who speaks fluent Samoan [lol], has sailed the seven seas... has tattoos!...has a craggy voice!...saw a lot of whorehouses!... It (all) must be the real deal -- and who are YOU to question, hmm?" |