“Leave her, Johnny, Leave Her”, by Stan Rogers
Songs like this used to be a sort of performance review. The crew would sing them as a way to blow off steam, after returning to port, with people contributing verses as they were able and singing them during work or nights out at the pub.
I kind of like this idea.
So, come all you fine young fellars who’ve been beat into the ground/This western life’s no paradise/But it’s better than lyin’ down
Rolling Down to Old Maui - (trad.) Stan Rogers
Before his untimely death in a 1983 plane crash, Stan Rogers was a bright light in Canadian folk music. Historically aware and musically gifted, he was one of the best acts to emerge from the folk revival of the mid-20th century.
had to hear it again, even if I’ve banned myself from watching the finale for a very long time. <3 :’s
Stan Rogers — Northwest Passage
Oh, the year was 1778, HOW I WISH I WAS IN SHERBROOKE NOW!
A letter of marque come from the king,
To the scummiest vessel I’d ever seen,
God damn them all!chorus
I was told we’d cruise the seas for American gold
We’d fire no guns-shed no tears
Now I’m a broken man on a Halifax pier
The last of Barrett’s Privateers.Oh, Elcid Barrett cried the town, HOW I WISH I WAS IN SHERBROOKE NOW!
For twenty brave men all fishermen who
Would make for him the Antelope’s crew
God damn them all!chorus
The Antelope sloop was a sickening sight, HOW I WISH I WAS IN SHERBROOKE NOW!
She’d a list to the port and and her sails in rags
And the cook in scuppers with the staggers and the jags
God damn them all!chorus
On the King’s birthday we put to sea, HOW I WISH I WAS IN SHERBROOKE NOW!
We were 91 days to Montego Bay
Pumping like madmen all the way
God damn them all!chorus
On the 96th day we sailed again, HOW I WISH I WAS IN SHERBROOKE NOW!
When a bloody great Yankee hove in sight
With our cracked four pounders we made to fight
God damn them all!chorus
The Yankee lay low down with gold, HOW I WISH I WAS IN SHERBROOKE NOW!
She was broad and fat and loose in the stays
But to catch her took the Antelope two whole days
God damn them all!chorus
Then at length we stood two cables away, HOW I WISH I WAS IN SHERBROOKE NOW!
Our cracked four pounders made an awful din
But with one fat ball the Yank stove us in
God damn them all!chorus
The Antelope shook and pitched on her side, HOW I WISH I WAS IN SHERBROOKE NOW!
Barrett was smashed like a bowl of eggs
And the Main trunk carried off both me legs
God damn them all!chorus
So here I lay in my 23rd year, HOW I WISH I WAS IN SHERBROOKE NOW!
It’s been 6 years since we sailed away
And I just made Halifax yesterday
God damn them all!chorus
“Leave Her, Johnny, Leave Her” - Stan Rogers
Nice depressing sea shanty to get you through the day…
Besides, Stan Roger’s voice is positively angelic.
“I thought I heard the old man say,
Leave her, Johnny, leave her.
It’s a long hard pull to the next payday,
And it’s time for us to leave her…For the voyage is done and the winds don’t blow
And it’s time for us to leave her…There was rotten meat and moldy bread,
Leave her, Johnny, leave her,
You’d eat it or you’d starve to death…Well, it’s time for us to say goodbye,
Leave her, Johnny, leave her,
For now those pumps are all pumped dry,
And it’s time for us to leave her…”
(Source: my-ear-trumpet)
The Idiot by Stan Rogers
Jesse Ferguson — Barrett’s Privateers
(Source: youtube.com)
