Billy O’Shea
Slogmåkane Sjantikor
I'll sing you a song of the Blackball Line, boys
Resp: Haul down Me Billies,
That's the line I wasted me prime, boys,
Resp: Haul down Billy O'Shea.
Chorus:
Haul down, haul down, haul down Me Billies,
Haul down, haul down, in Dublin City,
Haul down Billy O'Shea.
There was tinkers and tailors and fakers all, boys
Then we signed as Abs on the Blackball, boys
St. Patrick was a Roman sailor
He had a Pater and a mater
Well he sailed around the Gloucester Diamond
And he drove the snakes all out of Ireland.
Well we all got drunk in Dublin City
Then we signed as ABs on the Blackball
Well I’ll sing ya song about the Blackball line Boys
Now that’s a line where I wasted me prime boys
Blood Red Roses
Our boots and clothes are all in pawn
Resp: Go down, you blood red roses, Go down!
And it’s mighty drafty ’round Cape Horn,
Resp: Go down, you blood red roses, Go down!
CHORUS
Oh, you pinks and posies!
Go down, you blood red roses, Go down!
Our boots and clothes is all in pawn
And it’s bloody drafty ‘round Cape Horn
You’ve spent your money, to see you must go
For that is where the whalefish blow
‘Round the Cape in heavy gales
And it’s all for the catchin’ of them whales
My dear old mother, she wrote to me
My darlin’ son/child come home from sea
Just one more turn, and that will do
And we’re the boys/ones to kick her through
Blow Boys, Blow
Halyard shanty
A Yankee ship came down the river
Resp: Blow, boys, blow!
Her masts and spars they shone like silver
Resp: Blow my bully boys blow!
How do you know she's a Yankee liner?
The Stars and Stripes float out behind her.
How do you know she's a Yankee packet?
They fired a gun, I heard the racket
And who d'you think is the captain of her?
Why, Bully Hayes is the captain of her.
Oh, Bully Hayes, he loves us sailors;
Yes, he does like hell and blazes!
And who d'you think is the mate aboard her:
Santander James is the mate aboard her.
Santander James, he's a rocket from hell, boys,
He'll ride you down as you ride the spanker.
And what d'you think they've got for dinner?
Pickled eels' feet and bullock's liver.
Then blow, my bullies, all together,
Blow, my boys, for better weather.
Blow, boys, blow, the sun's drawing water;
Three cheers for tlhe cook and one for his daughter.
A Yankee ship on the Congo River,
Her masts they bend and her sails they shiver.
Blow the Man Down
Traditional halyard shanty
As I was out walkin' down paradise street
Resp: To me way, hey, blow the man down
A pretty young damsel I chanced for to meet
Resp: Give me some time to blow the man down
She was round in the counter and bluff in the bow
So I took in all sail and cried, "Way hold up now."
I tossed out a flipper and took her in tow
And yard arm to yard arm, away we did go.
Says she to me coyly “will you stand the treat
Delighted says I for a charmer so sweet.
She drank down a pint and I stowed away a quart
She listed to starboard and I listed to port.
Twas up in her quarters, she piped me aboard
And there on the bed I cut loose with my sword.
I rolled in her scuppers I battered her stern
And down in her galley I was done to a turn.
And just as my cutter was a-forgin’ ahead
“My husband” she hollered and jumped out of bed.
He was 7 foot tall with a chest like a horse
And straight for my jawbone he plotted his course.
He shattered my rudder, he loosened my stays
And I flew down the steps like a shop on the ways.
Well, seven days later I got a surprise
She was only a fireship rigged up in disguise.
So I’ll give you this warnin’ before I belay
Don’t ever pay heed to what pretty gals say.
Bold Riley
Traditional hauling shanty
Chorus:
Goodbye, me darlin’, goodbye, me dear-oh,
Bold Riley-oh, boom-a-lay,
Goodbye, me darlin’, goodbye, me dear-oh,
Bold Riley-oh, gone away.
Well, our anchor's on aweigh and our sails are all set,
Resp: Bold Riley-oh, boom-a- lay!
The folks we are leaving, we'll never forget,
Resp: Bold Riley-oh, gone away!
Wake up Mary Ellen, and don't look so glum,
By Whitestocking time, you'll be drinking hard rum.
Well, the rain it is raining all the day long,
And the northerly wind, it does blow so strong.
We're outward and bound for Bengal Bay,
Get bendin’, me boys, it's a hell of a way.
Bones in the Ocean
Oh, I bid farewell to the port and the land
And I paddle away from brave England's white sands
To search for my long ago forgotten friends
To search for the place I hear all sailors end
As the souls of the dead fill the space of my mind
I'll search without sleeping 'til peace I can find
I fear not the weather, I fear not the sea
I remember the fallen, do they think of me?
When their bones in the ocean forever will be
Plot a course to the night to a place I once knew
To a place where my hope died along with my crew
So I swallow my grief and face life's final test
To find promise of peace and the solace of rest
As the songs of the dead fill the space of my ears
Their laughter like children, their beckoning cheers
My heart longs to join them, sing songs of the sea
I remember the fallen, do they think of me?
When their bones in the ocean forever will be
When at last before my ghostly shipmates I stand
I shed a small tear for my home upon land
Though their eyes speak of depths filled with struggle and strife
Their smiles below say I don't owe them my life
As the souls of the dead fill the space of my eyes
And my boat listed over and tried to capsize
I'm this far from drowning, this far from the sea
I remember the living, do they think of me?
When my bones in the ocean forever will be
Now that I'm staring down at the darkest abyss
I'm not sure what I want, but I don't think it's this
As my comrades call to stand fast and forge on
I make sail for the dawn 'til the darkness has gone
As the souls of the dead live for'er in my mind
As I live all the years that they left me behind
I'll stay on the shore but still gaze at the sea
I remember the fallen and they think of me
For our souls in the ocean together will be
I remember the fallen and they think of me
For our souls in the ocean together will be
Boney was a Warrior
Halyard shanty
Boney was a warrior,
Resp: Way-hey-oh!
A warrior a terrier
Resp: John Fran-swaw!
Boney beat the Prussians
then he fought the Russians.
Boney went to school in France
Learned to make the Russians dance.
Boney marched to Moscow,
Lost his army in the snow.
We licked him in Trafalgar Bay,
Carried ‘is main topmast away.
Twas on the plains of Waterloo
He met the lad to kick him through.
He marched his army back again
Moscow was a-blazing then.
He met the Duke of Wellington
Then his downfall wuz begun.
Boney went a-cruisin’
Aboard the Billly-Ruffian.
They sent him into exile,
He died upon St. Helena’s Isle.
He wuz a rorty general
A rorty, snorty general.
Boney was a warrior,
A warrior, a warrior
He met the Duke of Wellington
Then his downfall was begone
The Bonny Ship the Diamond
Fo’scle shanty
The Diamond is a ship, me lads, for the Davis Strait she's bound,
And the quay it is all garnished with bonny lasses 'round.
Captain Thompson gives the order to sail the ocean wide,
Where the sun it never sets, my lads, no darkness dims the sky.
CHORUS
And it's cheer up my lads, let your hearts never fail,
For the bonny ship, the Diamond, goes a-fishing for the whale.
It’s on the quay at Peterhead, the lassies stand around,
Their shawls all wrapped around their head and salt tears running down.
Don't you weep, my bonnie lass, though you be left behind,
For the rose will grow on Greenland's shore before we change our mind.
Here's health to the Resolution, likewise the Eliza Swan,
Here's a health to the Battler of Montrose, and the Diamond, ship of fame.
We wear the jackets of the white, the trousers of the blue,
When we get back in Peterhead, we'll have sweethearts enoo
It'll be bright both day and night when the whaling lads come home,
With a ship that's full of oil, my boys, and money to their name.
They'll make the cradles for to rock, the blankets for to tear,
And all the girls in Peterhead say, “Hushabye, my dear.”
Botany Bay
Australian Folk Song
·
Farewell to Old England forever
Farewell to my old pals as well
Farewell to the well known Old Bailee
Where I once used to be such a swell
​
CHORUS
Singing too-rall, li-oo-rall, li-ad-di-ty,
Singing too-rall, li-oo-rall, li-ay,
Singing too-rall, li-oo-rall, li-ad-di-ty
Oh we are bound for Botany Bay
​
There's the captain as is our commandeer,
There's bo'sun and all the ship's crew
There's first and the second class passengers,
Knows what we poor convicts goes through
'Taint leaving Old England we cares about,
'Taint 'cos we mispells wot we knows
But becos all we light finger'd gentry
Hop's around with a log on our toes.
Oh had I the wings of a turtle-dove,
I'd soar on my pinions so high,
Slap bang to the arms of my Polly love,
And in her sweet presence I'd die
And in her sweet presence I'd die.
Now all my young Dookies and Duchesses,
Take warning from what I've to say,
Mind all is your own as you touch-es-es,
Or you'll find us in Botany Bay,
Or you'll find us in Botany Bay.
Bully in the Alley
Traditional halyard shanty
CHORUS
Help me, Bob, I'm bully in the alley,
Way, hey, bully in the alley!
Help me, Bob, I'm bully in the alley,
Bully down in shinbone al!
Sally is the girl down that I love dearly,
Resp: Way, hey, bully in the alley!
Sally is the girl that I spliced nearly.
Resp: Bully down in shinbone al!
Seven long years I courted pretty Sally,
But all she did was dilly-dally.
I bought her silks and I bought her laces
Took her out to all the best places.
I'll leave Sal and I'll become a sailor,
I'll leave Sal and ship aboard a whaler.
When I get home I'll marry pretty Sally
We'll have kids and count ‘em by the tally.