Another excellent chanty in this kind is the following: The Chanty-man. Louis was the King of France afore the Revoluti-on. The Sailors. Away, haul away, boys; haul away toge-e-ther; The Chanty-man. But Louis got his head cut off, which spoiled his consti-tu-ti-on. The Sailors. Away, haul away, boys; haul away O. The chanty is the invention of the merchant service. In the navy they have what is called the silent routine, and the men fall back upon their ropes in silence, “like a lot of soldiers," when the boatswain pipes. It must be very horrible to witness. In the merchant service, where the ships are invariably undermanned, one sings whenever a rope is cast off the pin. You haul a brace to the cry of "O, bunt him a bo,” “O rouse him, boys,” “Oho, Jew,” "O ho ro, my boys," and similar phrases. You clew up a sail to the quick "Lee-ay," "Lee-ay," "Ho ro," "Ho," "Aha," uttered in a tone of disquiet or alarm. You furl a course to the chant of "Paddy Doyle and his Boots." Without these cries and without the chanties you would never get the work done. "A song is ten men on the rope." In foul weather off the Horn it is as comforting as a pot of hot drink. A wash and a song are the sailor's two luxuries. 66 Those who wish to obtain the music of the commoner chanties will find Miss Laura Smith's Music of the Waters and the anthology of Dr. Ferris Tozer of use to them. Several may be found in the songbook of the Guild of Handicraft. I have also seen a collection of them published (I believe) by Messrs. Metzler. The files of the Boy's Own Paper, The Cadet, and the publications of the Folk-Song Society may also be consulted with advantage. In the following pages I have included only a few of the chanties in general use. Many familiar chanties have been excluded owing to lack of space. LOWLANDS (HALLIARD CHANTY) I DREAMT a dream the other night, I dreamt I saw my own true love, He was green and wet with weeds so cold, "I am drowned in the Lowland seas," he said, "I shall never kiss you again," he said, Lowlands, Lowlands, hurrah, my John; "I shall never kiss you again," he said, My Lowlands a-ray. I will cut my breasts until they bleed, I will cut away my bonny hair, My Lowlands a-ray. No other man shall think me fair, O my love lies drowned in the windy Lowlands, Lowlands, Lowlands, hurrah, my John; O my love lies drowned in the windy Lowlands, My Lowlands a-ray. STORM ALONG (HALLIARDS) OLD STORMY he was a good old man, Old Stormy he is dead and gone, Come along, get along. Storm along, John. Old Stormy died, and we dug his grave, In sailor town up Mobile Bay, To me way hay; storm along, John; In sailor town up Mobile Bay, Come along, get along. Storm along, John. WHISKEY! JOHNNY! (HALLIARDS) O WHISKEY is the life of man, O whiskey is the life of man, I drink it out of an old tin can, I drink it out of an old tin can, I drink whiskey when I can, I drink whiskey when I can, I drink it hot, I drink it cold, I drink it hot, I drink it cold, I drink it new, I drink it old, I drink it new, I drink it old, Whiskey killed my poor old dad, Whiskey killed my poor old dad, Whiskey for my Johnny. Whiskey makes me pawn my clothes, Whiskey! Johnny! Whiskey makes me pawn my clothes, Whiskey for my Johnny. Whiskey makes me scratch my toes (gout?), Whiskey makes me scratch my toes, O fisherman, have you just come from sea? O fisherman, have you just come from sea? O yes, sir, I have just come from sea, O yes, sir, I have just come from sea, Then have you any crab-fish that you can sell to me? Whiskey! Johnny! Then have you any crab-fish that you can sell to me? Whiskey for my Johnny. O yes, sir, I have crab-fish one, two, three, O yes, sir, I have crab-fish one, two, three, JOHN FRANÇOIS (HALLIARDS) BONEY was a warrior, Boney was a warrior, 1 At this point the ballad becomes a little gross. The curious will find the remainder of the tale in a discreet little book published by the Percy Society, from the relics of Bishop Percy's collection. The ballad dates from the sixteenth century. It is still very popular at sea. |