| Play/Download Music File Lesley Nelson |
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| This song (as evidenced by the title) was a pumping shanty. When wooden ships were replaced by iron ships, the shanty was used for the capstan. Hugill states it was one of the last shanties sung aboard a British squarerigger. He was the shantyman who sang it on the four masted barque Garthpool just before it wrecked on Ponta Reef, Cape Verde Islands in October 1929.* Hugill gives three different tunes for the shanty. Beefkid = small wooden tub in which beef salt is served. scouse = mixture of salt beef and crushed biscuit. orlop = the name of a lower deck. |
Fire in the galley, fire in the house, Fire in the beef kid, scorching the scouse. Fire, fire, fire down below, Fetch a bucket of water, Fire down below. Fire in the cabin, fire in the hold, Fire in the strong room melting the gold. Fire, fire, fire down below, Fetch a bucket of water, Fire down below. Fire round the capstan, fire on the mast, Fire on the main deck, burning it fast. Fire, fire, fire down below, Fetch a bucket of water, Fire down below. Fire in the lifeboat, fire in the gig, Fire in the pig-stye roasting the pig. Fire, fire, fire down below, Fetch a bucket of water, Fire down below. Fire in the store room spoiling the food, Fire on the orlop burning the wood. Fire, fire, fire down below, Fetch a bucket of water, Fire down below. Fire on the waters, fire high above, Fire in our hearts for the friends that we love. Fire, fire, fire down below, Fetch a bucket of water, Fire down below. |
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| From
Fifty Sailor's Songs or Chanties and *Shanties from the Seven Seas See Bibliography for full information. |
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