08 Jul 98 - 09:05 PM (#32117) Subject: Lyr Add: SALTPETER SHANTY^^ From: Barry Finn Saltpeter Shanty For the Spanish main we are bound away CH: Oh roll (or "Slav Ho") For the Spanish main we are bound away CH: Oh roll (or "Slav Ho") We are sailing away at the break of day where the swift bonniter (sp? it's a fish) & dolphin do play CH: Oh roll, rock her bars, heave'er hi-o rock'er roll. (or "Slav ho, slav viter, asay ya marita, slav ho" don't know what language or what it means)
To old Cally-o we are bound away
Old Pedro the crimp, boys we know him of old (2X)
Them putas (vulgar term for women) o' chili they'er hard to beat (2X)
When the order comes round for to sail away home(2X) The 1st verse I picked up off Ewan MacColl about 15 yrs ago as the shanty "Slav Ho", that's all he had. About 3 yrs back at a sing I caught David Perry doing it. From that I found the rest above version in Hugill's Shanties of the Seven Seas, except for the last verse, which came from the singing of Pint & Dale, who are the only ones I know that have it recorded. Also see J. Colcord (Slav Ho). This, says Stan, comes from the saltpeter & guano trades of the west coast of South America. Barry ^^ Different version from Barry in this message (click) |
09 Jul 98 - 08:56 PM (#32196) Subject: RE: ADD LYR Saltpeter Shanty From: Joe Offer That fish is bonito, Barry. Plural is bonitos. I always thought it was a kind of tuna, but my book says it's more like mackerel. Maybe somebody closer to water can enlighten us further. Great song - any chance you can get the tune to us? -Joe Offer- |
09 Jul 98 - 09:39 PM (#32205) Subject: RE: ADD LYR Saltpeter Shanty From: Barry Finn Thanks Joe for the spelling, I always thought they were good size flying fish & good eating. I have it as a type of tunny (their word, not mine) fish in one book & like a mackrel in another, the yellow fin tuna would be mahi mahi, we could be talking in different tounges though. Sorry Joe, I can't do tunes or read, in Hugill's Shanties from the Seven Seas, there's music (don't know about Colcord "Slav Ho). Pint & Dale do it on their "Port Of Dreams" CD but they've jazzed/rocked the chorus up a bit (very interesting, tasteful & nice) though. Song's got a lot of punch in ti. Barry |
19 Jul 98 - 12:39 PM (#32894) Subject: RE: ADD LYR Saltpeter Shanty From: Art Thieme I recall the old man in Hemingway's __Old Man And The Sea__ either wanting to use or using bonito as bait! bait = sushi !!! Art |
19 Jul 98 - 02:10 PM (#32902) Subject: RE: ADD LYR Saltpeter Shanty From: Barbara "Slav ho, slav viter", I'm not sure about, but "asay ya marita," could be 'Asi ya amorita' or 'Asi y amorita' Spanish. How do you say 'heave' or 'haul' in Spanish? I'll go look it up, and post. Blessings, Barbara |
19 Jul 98 - 10:29 PM (#32949) Subject: RE: ADD LYR Saltpeter Shanty From: rich r Bonito as bait, how sad. The common bonito (Sarda sarda) is a beautiful fish of the open sea, especially in the Gulf Stream of the Atlantic. The beautiful blue irridescent colors of the back fade as it flops on the deck. They can get to about 3 feet long & 12 pounds. Joe you were actually right on both counts. They belong to the Family Scrombridae a group of fast spindle shaped fish that includes the bonitos, the mackerels and the tunas. In shape the bonito much resembles a small bluefin tuna. All of the Scrombridae are considered good eatin by humans. I would add that the dolphins mentioned in connection with the bonito are likely to be the fish dolphin (Family Coryphaenidae) and not the mammalian cetacaen variety that ;most people usually think of. The dolphin fish is even more beautiful than the bonito with an irridescent blue green head and back, gold sides with blue dots and a golden tale. It, too, haunts the gulf stream and is a fast swimmer and great leaper. It can get up to about 6 feet in length. It is also good eatin. Flying fish are a favorite food of both species. I see I've let out a long line here. I better scale back on this fish tail. rich r |
20 Jul 98 - 03:19 PM (#33012) Subject: RE: ADD LYR Saltpeter Shanty From: Bo I'm glad someone made reference to how beautiful the fish look while alive, free and leaping. You did a great job thanx Rich. I've seen tuna rise to the bait in Prince Edward Island and was stunned by how beautiful they are. You did a far better job than I would have Rich. Bo. |
20 Sep 00 - 05:40 PM (#301694) Subject: Lyr Add: SALTPETER SHANTY / SALTPETRE SHANTY^^ From: radriano Hi Barry: Since you originally started this thread in 1998 you may have already come across this version of the "Saltpetre Shanty." In case you haven't, this is from an album by The Boarding Party titled Fair Winds and a Following Sea, Folk-Legacy Records, FSI-109, recorded in 1987. Saltpetre Shanty The Boarding Party - "Fair Winds and a Following Sea"
To old Callao we are bound away
-Joe Offer- |