Welcome to In Medio’s Sea Change: Shanty Night! Please feel free to sing along during the refrains. Thank you for joining us tonight and supporting the choir. We hope to see you next Friday, June 9th at the full concert. Tickets are available HERE.
Here’s A Health To The Company
Trad. arr, Alexander Johnson
Kind friends and companions, come join me in rhyme
Come lift up your voices in chorus with mine
Come lift up your voices all grief to refrain
For we may or might never all meet here again
(Refrain)
Here's a health to the company and one to my lass
We'll drink and be merry all out of one glass
We'll drink and be merry, from grief we'll refrain
For we know not when we will all meet again
Here's a health to the dear lass that I love so well
For her style and her beauty, sure none can excel
There's a smile on her countenance as she sits on my knee
There's no man in this wide world as happy as me
(Refrain)
Our ship lies at anchor, she's ready to dock
I wish her safe landing, without any shock
If ever I should meet you by land or by sea
I will always remember your kindness to me
(Refrain)
Roll the Old Chariot Along
Trad. arr. Alexander Johnson
Oh, we'd be alright if the wind was in our sails
And we'll all hang on behind
(Refrain)
And we'll roll the old chariot along
We'll roll the old chariot along
We'll roll the old chariot along
And we'll all hang on behind
Oh, we'd be alright if we make it around the horn
And we'll all hang on behind
(Refrain)
Well, a drop of Nelson's blood wouldn't do us any harm
And we'll all hang on behind
(Refrain)
Well, a night on the town wouldn't do us any harm
And we'll all hang on behind
(Refrain)
Don’t Forget Your Old Shipmate
Richard Creagh Saunders (1809-1886) Arr, The Longest Johns & Alexander Johnson
Safe and sound at home again, let the waters roar, Jack
Safe and sound at home again, let the waters roar, Jack
(Refrain)
Long we've tossed on the rolling main, now we're safe ashore, Jack
Don't forget your old shipmate
Faldee raldee raldee raldee rye-eye-doe!
Since we sailed from Plymouth Sound, four years gone, or nigh, Jack
Was there ever chummies now, such as you and I, Jack?
(Refrain)
We have worked the self-same gun, quarterdeck division
Sponger I and loader you, through the whole commission
(Refrain)
Oftentimes have we laid out, toil nor danger fearing
Tugging out the flapping sail to the weather earing
(Refrain)
When the middle watch was on, and the time went slow, boy
Who could choose a rousing stave, who like Jack or Joe, boy?
(Refrain)
There she swings, an empty hulk, not a soul below now
Number seven starboard mess misses Jack and Joe now
(Refrain)
But the best of friends must part, fair or foul the weather
Hand your flipper for a shake, now a drink together
(Refrain)
Barrett’s Privateers
Stan Rogers, arr. Ron Smail
Oh, the year was 1778,
How I wish I was in Sherbrooke now,
A letter of marque come from the king,
To the scummiest vessel I'd ever seen,
Refrain
Oh damn them all!
I was told we'd cruise the seas for American gold
We'd fire no guns-shed no tears
Now I'm a broken man on a Halifax pier
The last of Barrett's Privateers.
Oh, Elcid Barrett cried the town,
How I wish I was in Sherbrooke now,
For twenty brave men all fishermen who
Would make for him the Antelope's crew
Refrain
The Antelope sloop was a sickening sight,
How I wish I was in Sherbrooke now,
She'd a list to the port and and her sails in rags
And the cook in scuppers with the staggers and the jags
Refrain
On the King's birthday we put to sea,
How I wish I was in Sherbrooke now,
We were 91 days to Montego Bay
Pumping like madmen all the way
Refrain
On the 96th day we sailed again,
How I wish I was in Sherbrooke now,
When a bloody great Yankee hove in sight
With our cracked four pounders we made to fight
Refrain
The Yankee lay low down with gold,
How I wish I was in Sherbrooke now,
She was broad and fat and loose in the stays
But to catch her took the Antelope two whole days
Refrain
Then at length we stood two cables away,
How I wish I was in Sherbrooke now,
Our cracked four pounders made an awful din
But with one fat ball the Yank stove us in
Refrain
The Antelope shook and pitched on her side,
How I wish I was in Sherbrooke now,
Barrett was smashed like a bowl of eggs
And the Main trunk carried off both me legs
Refrain
So here I lay in my 23rd year,
How I wish I was in Sherbrooke now,
It's been 6 years since we sailed away
And I just made Halifax yesterday
Refrain
Leave Her, Johnny, Leave Her
Trad. Arr, Alexander Johnson
Oh, the times were hard and the wages are low,
(Leave her, Johnny, leave her!)
I guess it's time for us to go,
(And it's time for us to leave her!)
Beware these packet ships, I say!
They'll steal your stores and your clothes away
Refrain
Leave her, Johnny, leave her
Oh leave her, Johnny, leave her
For the voyage is done, and the winds don't blow
and it's time for us to leave her
There's Liverpool Pat in his tarpaulin hat
And Yankee John the pocket rat
She would not wear and she would not stay
She shipped great seas both night and day
Refrain
It's rotten beef and weevily bread
It was pump or drown the old man said
The sails all furled, our work is done
and now ashore we'll take our rum
Refrain x2
The Wellerman
Nathan Evans, arr. The Longest Johns
There once was a ship that put to sea
The name of the ship was the Billy O' Tea
The winds blew up, her bow dipped down
Oh blow, my bully boys, blow (huh)
Refrain
Soon may the Wellerman come
To bring us sugar and tea and rum
One day, when the tonguing is done
We'll take our leave and go
She'd not been two weeks from shore
When down on her a right whale bore
The captain called all hands and swore
He'd take that whale in tow (huh)
Refrain
The whale's tail came up and caught her
All hands to the side, harpooned and fought her
When she dived down low (huh)
Refrain
No line was cut, no whale was freed
The captain's mind was not of greed
And he belonged to the Whaleman's creed
She took that ship in tow (huh)
Refrain
For forty days or even more
The line went slack then tight once more
All boats were lost, there were only four
But still that whale did go (huh)
Refrain
As far as I've heard, the fight's still on
The line's not cut, and the whale's not gone
The Wellerman makes his regular call
To encourage the captain, crew and all (huh)
Refrain x2