| Download Midi File Barry Taylor |
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| These are American lyrics to a variant of the tune Spanish Ladies. They were taken from Jeff Warner at a Philadelphia Folksong Society Shanties Workshop in January 1973.
There is no approximate age given for the tune. It is only listed as "famous old Naval song." Other variants can be found at:
I originally put these words to the tune Spanish Ladies (they fit), but have it on good authority that they belong to the Canadian variant instead! See below for related links. |
Farewell and adieu to you Spanish ladies Farewell and adieu to you ladies of Spain For we've received orders to sail from New England And we hope in a short time to see you again Chorus: We'll rant and we'll roar like true Yankee Whalermen We'll rant and we'll roar on deck and below Until we sight Gayhead off old Martha's Vineyard And straight up the channel to New Bedford we'll go. We hove our our ship to with the wind from the sou'west, boys. We hove our our ship to deep soundings to take 'Twas 45 fathoms with light sandy bottom We squared our main yard and up channel did make. Chorus I went to a dance one night in Tombaz. There were plenty of girls there as fine as you wish. There was one pretty maiden a chewin' tobacco Just like a young kitten a chewin' fresh fish. Chorus Then the signal was sent for the grand ship to anchor And all in the downs that night for to lie Let go your shank painter, let go your cat stopper Haul up your clew garnets, let tacks and sheets fly. Chorus |
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Related Links Whaling Gear (Photos from Mystic Seaport) South Sea Whale Fishery (Painting by William John Huggins (1781-1845, British) The Other End of A Whale (Painting by Charles Sidney Raleigh (1830-1925, British-born American) Concise Encarta Article on Whaling Whaling History History of Whaling Kendall Whaling Museum The Mother of All Maritime Links |
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| From One Hundred English Folksongs (For Medium Voice) Edited by Cecil J. Sharp, Dover Publications, Inc., New York 1916, 1944, 1975 Additional Information and Lyrics from Digital Tradition |
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