Sea Shanties of the 2023 Sailing Season

Sea Shanties of the 2023 Sailing Season

Thank you all for joining us here at Tall Ship Providence this past sailing season. If you haven’t had the chance to yet, we look forward to welcoming you this year. We have spent the month of January looking back at last year. One thing that we loved to share with you on #TallShipTuesday was our Sea Shanties. We sang quite a few this year. Shanties have their origins as far back as the 16th century coming from the french word “chanter” meaning to sing. This doesn’t mean that you need to be a singer to join in though. Our crew members are certainly not professional singers, but neither are most sailors that enjoy humming a shanty or two. We want to show you with our shanties that anyone can sing along.

Get on the Ship and Call it a Day

Somebody put the rat in their mouth
So get on the ship and call it a day
Somebody slipped and fell off the dock

so get on the ship and call it a day

Rats in the hold, snakes on the dock,
If you’re too rowdy then the deck will rock
Yo hoo

Buttons are falling off everyone’s pants
So get on the ship and call it a day
Who took the floor out of the hold
“It wasn’t me!”
So call it a day

Rats in the hold, snakes on the dock,
If you’re too rowdy then the deck will rock
Yo hoo

Dried meat and beans are fun to eat
So get on the ship and call it a day
Going on the yard is a scary thing
So get on the ship and call it a day

Rats in the hold, snakes on the dock,
If you’re too rowdy then the deck will rock
Yo hoo

Somebodies watch fell from aloft
So get on the ship and call it a day

We love our ship so we call it a day
Get on the ship and call it a day

Haul Away Joe

When I was just a little lad or so me mammy told me
Away haul away, we'll haul away Joe
That if I didn't kiss the girls me lips would grow all moldy
Away haul away, we'll haul away Joe
Away (hey!) Haul away, we'll haul away together
Away haul away, we'll haul away Joe
Away (hey!) Haul away, we'll haul for better weather
Away haul away, we'll haul away Joe
You call yourself a second mate, you cann'e tie a bowline
Away haul away, we'll haul away Joe
You can't even stand up straight, when the packet she's a rollin'
Away haul away, we'll haul away Joe
Away (hey!) Haul away, we'll haul away together
Away haul away, we'll haul away Joe
Away (hey!) Haul away, we'll haul for better weather
Away haul away, we'll haul away Joe
Well now can't you see the black clouds a-gatherin'?
Away haul away, we'll haul away Joe
Well now can't you see the storm clouds a-risin'?
Away haul away, we'll haul away Joe
Away (hey!) Haul away, we'll haul away together
Away haul away, we'll haul away Joe
Away (hey!) Haul away, we'll haul for better weather
Away haul away, we'll haul away Joe

Roll the Chariot

A drop of Nelson's Blood wouldn't do us any harm

A drop of Nelson's Blood wouldn't do us any harm

A drop of Nelson's Blood wouldn't do us any harm

And we all hang on behind
And we roll the old chariot along

We'll roll the old chariot along

We'll roll the old chariot along

And we all hang on behind
We'll be alright if the wind is in our sails

We'll be alright if the wind is in our sails

We'll be alright if the wind is in our sails

And we all hang on behind
And we roll the old chariot along

We'll roll the old chariot along

We'll roll the old chariot along

And we all hang on behind
We'll be alright if we make it round the horn

We'll be alright if we make it round the horn

We'll be alright if we make it round the horn

And we all hang on behind
And we roll the old chariot along

We'll roll the old chariot along

We'll roll the old chariot along

And we all hang on behind
A drop of Nelson's Blood wouldn't do us any harm

A drop of Nelson's Blood wouldn't do us any harm

A drop of Nelson's Blood wouldn't do us any harm

And we all hang on behind

The Mollymauk

Now the southern ocean is a lonely place
The storms are many and the shelter’s scarce
Down upon the southern ocean, sailing
Down below Cape Horn


Over troubled waters and the restless skies
You’ll see those mollymauks rise and dive
Down upon the southern ocean, sailing
Down below Cape Horn


Won’t you ride the wind and go, white seabird
Ride the wind and go, mollymauk
Down upon the southern ocean, sailing
Down below Cape Horn


Now the mollymauk glides on them great, white wings
And lord, what a lonesome song he sings
Down upon the southern ocean, sailing
Down below Cape Horn


He’s got no compass and he’s got no gear
And nobody knows where the mollymauk steers
Down upon the southern ocean, sailing
Down below Cape Horn


Won’t you ride the wind and go, white seabird
Ride the wind and go, mollymauk
Down upon the southern ocean, sailing
Down below Cape Horn


When I gets too old and can sail no more
Set me adrift far away from shore
Down upon the southern ocean, sailing
Down below Cape Horn


You can cast me loose, you can set me free
I’ll keep that big bird company
Down upon the southern ocean, sailing
Down below Cape Horn


Won’t you ride the wind and go, white seabird
Ride the wind and go, mollymauk
Down upon the southern ocean, sailing
Down below Cape Horn

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