Shanty Net

Written by Gordon Bok 1982.   When she’s a tight old staver, Then do all you can to save her; When she drops her dear old transom, Time to pack your gear and leave her.   Chorus:             Ho-ro, the wind and snow             Flying o’er the Jericho             When the stormy winds do blow […]

As I roved out one evening fair It bein’ the summertime to take the air I spied a sailor and a lady gay And I stood to listen And I stood to listen to hear what they would say. He said “Fair lady, why do you roam For the day is spent and the night […]

Written by Archie Fisher in 2005, from his album Luminosity Now it’s three long years since we made her pay Sing haul away my laddie O And the owners say that she’s had her day And sing haul away my laddie O So heave away for the final trawl Sing haul away my laddie O It’s […]

When shearing comes lay down your drums Step on the board you brand new chums With a ra-dum ra-dum rub-a-dub-dub Send him home in a lime juice tub Chorus Here we are in New South Wales Shearing the sheep as big as whales With leather necks and daggy tails And hides as tough as rusty […]

When first I landed in Liverpool, I went upon a spree Me money alas I spent it fast, got drunk as drunk could be And when that me money was all gone, ’twas then I wanted more But a man must be blind to make up his mind to go to sea once more Once more, boys, once more, […]

Tim Finnegan lived in Walkin street, A gentleman Irish, mighty odd. He had a brogue both rich and sweet And to rise in the world he carried a hod. You see he’d a sort of a tipplin’ way With a love for the liquor he was born. And to help him on his way each […]

Oh, as I was a-walkin’ down London roadI came to Paddy West’s houseHe give me a feed of American hashAnd he called it Liverpool scouseHe said “There’s a ship that’s wantin’ handsAnd on her you’d quickly signHer mate is a bastard, her bo’sun’s worseBut she will suit you fine”Take off yer dungaree jacketsAnd give yerselves […]

The Diamond is a ship, my lads For the Davis Strait we’re bound The quay it is all garnished With bonnie lasses ’round Captain Thompson gives the order To sail the ocean wide Where the sun it never sets, my lads Nor darkness dims the sky Chorus: For it’s cheer up my lads Let your […]

Caviar comes from virgin sturgeon; Virgin sturgeon’s a very fine dish. Very few sturgeon are ever virgin, That’s why caviar’s a very rare dish. Caviar comes from virgin sturgeon; Virgin sturgeon’s a very fine fish. Virgin sturgeon needs no urgin’; That’s why caviar is my dish. I fed caviar to my girl-friend; She was a […]

Ewan McColl 1. I am an old seafaring man, I come from everywhere, Name any point on the compass you choose, You’re sure to find me there Born in a gale in the Roaring Forties, Entered in the log, Set up aloft to the upper t’gans’ls And christened in navy grog. 2. And all that […]