Lyrics for “We’ll Haul and Sing Together”

Track 1, RULER KING:

South Australia is my native home

Heave away! Haul away!

Mountains rich in quartz and sand

I am bound for South Australia

Heave away! Heave away!

Heave away you Ruler King

I am bound for South Australia

Gold and wool brings ships to our shore

And our coal will load many more

Here’s a packet anchored off the pier

There’s a bar ashore with foaming beer

Heave, oh heave, and we’ll all go ashore

Where we will drink with girls galore

Glasses filled we’ll touch with a clink

Heave, bullies, heave, the girls want a drink

At the head of Sandridge Railroad pier

Straight to Mother Shilling’s we will steer

Julia slings the sheoak at the bar

And welcomes sailors from afar

In the dance hall then ye’ll pick your girl

With golden hair and teeth of pearl

She will drink you blind, while at the bar

And call you, “Dear, my own Jack Tar.”

She’ll waltz you round in a dizzy dance

While you’re half-drunk and in a trance

Then we’ll drink to Mother Shilling’s name

And drink again to the lovely dame

In the arms of the girls we’ll dance and sing

For sheoak will be Ruler King

Track 2: DIXIE’S ISLE

O, then Susie, lovely Susie, I can no longer stay

For the bugle sounds the warning that calls me far away

It calls me down to New Orleans, the enemy for to rile

And to fight the southern soldiers ‘way down on Dixie’s Isle

And to fight the southern soldiers ‘way down on Dixie’s Isle

The owners they gave orders, no women were to come

The captain likewise ordered that none of them should come

Their waists were much too slender and their figures not the style

For to fight the southern soldiers ‘way down on Dixie’s Isle

O, my curse attend those cruel wars and when they first began,

They robbed New York and Boston of many a noble young man

They robbed us of our sweethearts, our wives and brothers while

We went fighting the southern soldiers ‘way down on Dixie’s Isle.

Oh, then Susie lovely Susie, I can no longer stay

For the bugle sounds the warning, that calls me far away

It calls me down to New Orleans, the enemy for to rile

And to fight the southern soldiers, way down on Dixie’s isle

Track 3 - WAY DOWN LOW

Ev’ry day the sun goes down

Way, down low

Ev’ry day the sun goes down

Way, down low

O-o-oh you Liza Lee

Liza Lee she’s the gal for me

Liza Lee she promised me

She promised to get spliced to me

So I shipped away across the sea

Far away from my Liza Lee

I promised her a golden ring

I promised her that little thing

I promised I would make her mine

Oh, wouldn’t we have a jamboree fine?

Liza Lee she’s slighted me

Now she will not marry me

Oh, up aloft this yard must go

Up aloft from down below

Oh, stretch her, boys, and show her clew

We’re the boys to kick her through

JOHN BULLY:

Now travelling down for Nassau

O-my-O

Now travelling down for Nassau

John Bully by the way

Old Johnny had a vessel

Old Johnny had a vessel

Now he sellin’ them to the sponger

Now he sellin’ them two for a penny

Now I know one gal named Liza

Liza leave from Nassau

Now she travelin’ down to Andros

Travelin’ down to Andros

Now she’s talkin’ with those spongers

She’s talkin’ with those spongers

Now she sell them two for the penny

Liza sellin’ them two for a penny

Now I know one man named Rosa

Now but Rosa had a vessel

Now he bring them to the launchin’

Rosa bring her to the launchin’

Now we hire her for a penny

Rosa hire her for a penny

Now the white fellow give a penny

Now the white fellow give a penny

Now travelin’ down for Nassau

Now travelin’ down for Nassau

HERRING THE KING:

Of all the fish that roam the sea

The Herring alone our King shall be

So fill your cup, ye fishers strong

And drink his health full, deep and long

Sing Thugamar fein an samhrad linn

(Hugamar fein an sawra ling)

The storm is o’er, ‘tis calm again

And we have brought the summer in

In holding chase with Herring our King

I think with me you’ll all agree

We to our King should thankful be

He clothes us, feeds us, pays the rent

And cheers us in the time of Lent

Oh who would not a fisher be

And lead a life so wild and free

Grim care we leave upon the shore

To wait until our voyage is o’er

Then once more hearken unto me

The Herring alone our King shall be

So fill your cups, ye fishers strong

And drink his health full, deep and long

RATTLING WINCHES:

We're making money with this sound

Rattling winches oh

Soon we'll all be homeward bound

Rattling winches oh

Rattling down and stamp and go

Rattling down and stamp and go

In the hole this gear must go

For mister mate has told me so

Peter is our shantyman

He was always on the old rattan

When he was young and in his prime

He loved them yellow gals two at a time

But now he's getting old and gray

Them girls all look the other way

Just one more rattle then belay

We've rattled this gear enough today

GOOD MORNING LADIES ALL:

I thought I heard our captain say

Aye yeo, aye yeo

Oh, go onboard your pilot boat

And roll her down the bay

Aha, me yellow girls

Good morning ladies all

Our captain on the quarterdeck

Was looking very sad

He like a man was mad

Oh, ladies short and ladies tall

Oh, ladies short and ladies tall

Ladies I have had them all

Rock and roll her down the bay

Rock and roll her down the bay

We’re homeward bound to spend our pay

And when we get back to Bristol Town

When we get back to Bristol Town

We’ll make those flash girls waltz around

With Peg and Sal and Nancy too

With Peg and Sal and Nancy too

We’ll make a hullabaloo

I thought I heard the captain say

Oh, go onboard your pilot boat

And roll her down the bay

THE SANDY BOY:

When I went down the river in the old tobacco boat

The boat upset, away we went, right down the old shark’s throat

Do come along, my Sandy Boy

Do come along, oh, do!

What will Uncle Gabriel say?

Oh, Sally, can’t you too?

When I went down to Amiack to hear the people pray

I laid my head on another girl’s lap and my girl fainted away

When I went down to New Orleans to see the boatman row

I set myself down on a rock and played the old banjo

Then I went down to Alo, to buy a little goat

The ole shark came behind us and swallowed down the boat

Sally swam and so did I and thus to me did say

“You have lost my uncle’s boat, and for it you must pay”

I love the small girls and the tall, and I love all the rest

I love my gal very well but I love myself the best

Then I went down to New Virgie, to buy another boat

An ole shark came before us and the boat run down his throat

When I went to Uncle Gabriel, he asked me for the boat

I said, “Ole man, it’s all right, it’s down the ole shark’s throat”

THE LIMERICK SHANTY:

Oh, the elephants walk around

And the band begins to play

And all the girls in Bombay town

Were dressed up in the rig of the day.

Oh, there was a man of Tarentum

Who gnashed his teeth 'til he bent 'em

When asked what they coast and how much was his loss

He said, "I don't know, I just rent 'em."

Oh, an oyster from Kalamazoo

Confessed he was feeling quite blue

For he said as a rule when the weather is cool

He always gets thrown in a stew.

Oh, there as an old monk of Siberia

Whose life it grew drearier and drearier

Til he broke from his cell with a hell of a yell

And ran off with the Mother Superior.

Oh, there once was a woman from Hyde

Who ate a green apple and died

While her lover lamented, the apple fermented

And made cider inside her inside.

Oh, there once was a fisherman named Fisher

Who was fishing for fish in a fissure

When a cod with a grin pulled the fisherman in

Now they're fishing the fissure for fisher.

A young man named O'Dwyer

Well, he really liked playing with fire

One night in the dark, he swam with a shark

Now he has to sing two octaves higher.

A ship's cook named John Weiss

The crew all hated his spice

They cried even louder when they found in their chowder

An urchin, a frog and two mice.

There once was a man named Bill Beebe

Who was in love with a gal named Phoebe

He asked to see what the wedding fee be

Before Phoebe be Phoebe B. Beebe.

Chorus (twice)

POOR LITTLE LIZA:

I’m going up to London

I’ll marry little Liza

Poor little Liza

Don’t say no

Now Liza she’s a pretty gal

And everybody knows it

My Liza she’s a lady

She’s neither dark nor shady

But Liza she’s a flash one

She loves a salty sailor

As she went out to market

She met a handsome sailor

She met a handsome sailor

Just paid off from a whaler

Said pretty boy to Liza

Why don’t you two get married

But now he’s gone and left her

That man who was her keeper

He’s gone north in a whaler

Just like any sailor

But still she loves all sailors

She love’s ‘em neat and handy

Still she loves all sailors

She gives ‘em rum and baccy

I’ll see you boys, tomorrow

And oh, we’re gonna holler

I’ll see you boys, tomorrow

And you know what’ll follow

We’ll haul and spread your luff, boys

The haulin’s getting tough, boys

We’ll haul and sing together

We’ll haul for better weather

A LONG TIME AGO

I wish to God I’d never been born

To me way, hey, yah

To go rambling round and round Cape Horn

A long time ago

A long time ago, a long time ago

Oh, I wished to God I’ve never been born, A Long time ago

Around Cape Horn where the wild winds blow

Around Cape Horn through sleet and snow

Around Cape Horn in the month of May

Around Cape Horn through the cold salt spray

Oh, I put to sea to round Cape Horn

From around the fields of golden corn

A GREAT BIG SEA HOVE IN LONG BEACH:

A great big sea hove in Long Beach

Right-fol-lar-fa-diddle-diddle-di-do

A great big sea hove in Long Beach

And Granny Snooks, she lost her speech

To-me-right-fol-diddle-fol-dee

A great big sea hove in the harbour

A great big sea hove in the harbour

And hove right up in Kio’s parlour

O mother dear, I wants a sack

O mother dear, I wants a sack

With beads and buttons all down the back

Me foot is broke, me frock is tore

Me foot is broke, me frock is tore

And Georgie Snooks I do adore

O fish is low and flour is high

O fish is low and flour is high

So Georgie Snooks he can’t have I

But he will have me in the fall

And if he won’t I’ll h’ist my sail

And say goodbye to old Canaille

ALOUE:

Aloue, a fa la loo way,

Fa la loo way, fa la loo way

Aloue a fa la loo way

A fecamp nous allons rentrer

La nuit, le jour il faut tirer

La bellehotesse m’attends ce soie

Un mat de hune a lui guinder

Bouvons uncoup a sa santé

A ses bossoirs je vais m’amarres

Attrape encore a dehaler

Mon pauvre gar t’es condomne

POOR LUCY ANNA:

Oh, the mountain so high and the valley so low

Poor Lucy Anna

Louisiana, my darling, my Jane and Susana

We’re bound right over the mountain

We loaded our packet with sugar and rum

Goodbye to Jamaica, its gals, and its sun

We’ll roll him high and we’ll roll him low

We’ll heave him up and away we’ll go

Captain, O captain you told me so

Around Cape Horn we are bound for to go

Now we are ready to head for the Horn

Our boots and our clothes they are all in the pawn

Man the stout capstan and heave with a will

For soon we'll be drivin' her 'way down the hill

We’ll away down south around Cape Horn

You’ll wish to Christ that you’d never been born

Around Cape Horn where wild winds blow

Around Cape Horn through sleet and snow

Way down south where the cocks do crow

The gals they all dance to the old banjo

WILL WATCH:

One morn when the wind from the northward blew keenly

While sullenly roared the big waves of the main

A famed smuggler, Will Watch, kissed his Sue then serenely

Took helm and to sea boldly steered out again

Will had promised his Sue that this trip, if well ended

Should coil up his ropes and his anchor on shore

When his pockets were lined, why his life should be mended

The laws he had broken he’d never break more

His sea boat was trim – made her port – took her lading

Then Will stood to sea, reached the offing, and cried,

“This night, if I’ve luck, furls the sailing of my trading

In dock I can lay – serve a friend too beside.”

He lay to till night came on darksome and dreary

To crowd every sail then he piped up all hands

But a signal soon spied – ‘twas a prospect uncheerly

A signal that warned him to bear from the land

“The Philistines are out,” cries Will, “we’ll take no heed on’t,

Attached, who’s the man that will flinch from his gun?

Should my head be blown off I shall ne’er feel the need on’t

We’ll fight while we can; when we can’t, boys, we’ll run.”

Thro’ the haze of the night a bright flash now appearing

“Oh ho!” cried Will Watch, “the Philistines bear down

Bear a hand, my tight lads, ere we think about sheering

Our broadside pour in should we swim, boys, or drown.”

“But should I be popped off, you, my mates left behind me

Regard my last words, see ‘em kindly obeyed

Let no stone mark the spot, and, my friends, do you mind me

Near the beach is the grave where Will Watch should be laid.”

Poor Will’s yarn was spun out – for a bullet next minute

Laid him low on the deck and he never spoke more

His bold crew fought the brig while a shot remained in it

Then sheered, and Will’s hulk to his Susan they bore

In the dead of the night his last wish was complied with

To few known his grave and to few known his end

He was borne to the earth by the crew that he died with

He’d the tears of his Susan, the prayers of each friend

Near his grave dash the billows, the winds loudly bellow

Yon ash struck with lightning points out the cold bed

Where Will Watch, the bold smuggler, that famed lawless fellow

Once feared – now forgot – sleeps in peace with the dead

ROW, MICHAEL, ROW:

Row, Michael, Row

Hallelujah

Row, Michael, Row

Hallelujah

Let’s row the boat ashore

Let’s row the boat ashore

Jump in the Jolly Boat

Jump in the Jolly Boat

Oh, see how we do row

Oh, see how we do row

Just give me a living chance

Just give me a living chance

Sister Mary, row your boat

Sister Mary, row your boat

Everybody try their chance

Everybody try their chance

Oh row, Michael, row

Oh row, Michael, row

Let’s row the boat ashore

Let’s row the boat ashore

Oh, see how we do row

Oh, see how we do row

Oh, give me a living chance

Oh, give me a living chance

Row, Michael, row

Row, Michael, row

Row, Michael, row

Row, Michael, row

FINE TIME O’DAY:

Hurrah my jolly boys,

Fine time o’ day

We pull for San Thomas, boys,

San Thomas have de fine girl,

Nancy Gibbs and Betsy Braid

Master come from London town

Master is a handsome man,

Master is a dandy man

Him have de dollar, plenty, too

Master love a pretty girl

Him love ‘em much, him love ‘em true

Him hunt ‘em round the guava bush

Him catch ‘em in the cane piece

SEBASTOPOL IS TAKEN:

The Crimea War is over now

Sebastopol is taken

The Crimea War is over now

Sebastopol is taken

Cheer, boys, cheer Sebastopol is taken

Cheer, boys, cheer

Old England gained the day

The Russians they’ve been put to flight

They no longer want to fight

How loud the cannon it did roar

Our men fought well, we ran them o’er

From Varna to Sebastopol

And then on to Tangenrod

Our soldiers they are homeward bound

The war is done, they’re coming home

We’ll drink a health to all our men

And a toast to those not coming home

TEXAS SAILOR COMING DOWN:

Texas sailor coming down, you will see them

See we marching down the road

We coming to gain friend all the prize

See we coming with the flag down the road

O, Laws we coming down the road

Is the biggest banner round the town

O laws, we are on parade

O laws, when you see we, you got to run

O laws, we in the street/ship coming down

O laws, with the flag coming down

We coming to gain the prize, down the road

ROLLING HOME BY THE SILVERY MOON:

Here’s to the good old whiskey, mop it down

Mop it down!

Here’s to the good old whiskey, mop it down

Mop it down!

Here’s to the good old whiskey that makes you feel so frisky

Here’s to the good old whiskey, mop it down!

Rolling home, rolling home

Rolling home, rolling home

By the light of the silvery moon

Happy is the sailor who has shipped aboard a whaler When she’s rolling, rolling, rolling, rolling home!

Here’s to the good old beer, mop it down

Here’s to the good old beer, mop it down

Here’s to the good old beer that makes you feel so queer

Here’s to the good old rum, mop it down

Here’s to the good old rum, mop it down

Here’s to the good old rum that can turn you into a bum

Here’s to the good old claret, mop it down

Here’s to the good old claret, mop it down

Here’s to the good old claret, it’s better than a ferret

Here’s to the good old cider, mop it down

Here’s to the good old cider, mop it down

Here’s to the good old cider, it makes you a good fighter

Here’s to the good old ale, mop it down

Here’s to the good old ale, mop it down

Here’s to the good old ale we drink straight out of the pail

Here’s to the good old brandy, mop it down

Here’s to the good old brandy, mop it down

Here’s to the good old brandy, it makes us feel so randy

Here’s to the good old stout, mop it down

Here’s to the good old stout, mop it down

Here’s to the good old stout that makes us run about

Here’s to the good merlot, mop it down

Here’s to the good merlot, mop it down

Here’s to the good merlot – This ship has got to go