“Haul Away Joe”

 

A short-haul shanty. Another popular shanty among modern shantymen. It contains, in my opinion, the best two lines of any shanty or sea song: “When I was a little boy my mother always told me…That if I did not kiss the girls, my lips would grow all moldy.” The rest of the song usually tells about the sailor’s adventures with women of different nationalities until he finds one that’s “just a daisy.” I hope you enjoy …

 

Naow whin Oi wuz a little boy an’ so me mother told me,
‘Way haul away, we’ll haul away Joe!
That if Oi didn’t kiss the gals me lips would all grow mouldy.
‘Way haul away, we’ll haul away Joe!

 

An’ Oi sailed the seas for many a year not knowin’ what Oi wuz missin’,
Then Oi sets me sails afore the gales an’ started in a-kissin’.

 

Oi got meself an Oirish gal an’ her name wuz Flannigan,
She stole me boots, she stole me clothes, she pinched me plate an’ pannikin.

 

Oi courted then a Frenchie gal, she took things free an’ aisy,
But naow Oi’ve got an English gal an’ sure she is a daisy.

 

Oh, King Louis wuz the King o’ France, afore the revolution,
But the people cut his big head orf an’ spoiled his constitution.

 

Oh, once Oi wuz in Oireland a-diggin’ turf an’ taties,
But naow Oi’m on a Limejuice ship an’ a-haulin’ on the braces.

 

Saint Patrick wuz a gintleman, an’ he come of daycent paypul,
He built a church in Dublin town an’ on it set a staypul.

 

From Oireland thin he druv the snakes, then drank up all the whisky,
This made him dance an’ sing an’ jig, he felt so fine an’ frisky.

Yiz call yerself a second mate an’ cannot tie a bowline,
Ye cannot even stand up straight when the packet she’s a-rollin’.