Play/Download Music File Mark Johnson Barry Taylor |
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As I've noted before, my father was a Navy captain. This song has nothing to do with him, of course, but it was a song I heard often in my youth. According to the The Burl Ives Song Book the song is representative of capstan chanties.
The shanty was a tune designed to aid sailors in their work. Additional verses could be created as necessary until the job was completed. The capstan chanty was a moderate tune sung to raising the anchor. In order to raise the anchor bars were inserted into the capstan and sailors would walk around it, turning the capstan to raise the anchor. Sailors would stamp on the deck on the words "Way Hay and Up She Rises." |
Chorus Way, hay up she rises, Way, hay, up she rises, Way, hay, up she rises, Earlye in the morning! What will we do with the drunken sailor? What will we do with the drunken sailor? What will we do with the drunken sailor? Earlye in the morning? Put him in the scuppers with the hose pipe on him Hoist him aboard with a running bowline Put him in the brig until he's sober. Make him turn to at shining bright work. Other verses from The Book of Navy Songs (If the verse is the same I did not repeat it) Put him in a boat and row him over Hoist him up to the topsail yardarm Make him clean out all the spit-kids That's what you do with a drunken sailor (The last line of this verse is followed by "Amen") |
Information and first set of verses from: The Burl Ives Song Book Second set of verses from: The Book of Navy Songs See Bibliography for full information. |