Revels Sea Chantey Sing Song Sheet

January 29, 2024

WHUP JAMBOREE
Traditional Song

Chorus:
Whup jamboree, whup jamboree,
A long-tailed sailor man comin’ up behind!
Whup jamboree, whup jamboree,
Come an’ get your oats, me son!

SOON MAY THE WELLERMAN COME
Traditional Song

Chorus: 
Soon may the Wellerman come 
And bring us sugar and tea and rum. 
One day, when the tonguing is done, 
I'll take my leave and go. 



BLOW YE WINDS IN THE MORNING
Traditional Song

'Tis advertised in Boston, New York, and Buffalo:
Five hundred brave Americans a-whalin' for to go.

Chorus:
Blow ye winds in the morning,
Blow ye winds, heigh-ho!
Clear away your runnin' gear,
And blow, boys, blow!

They send you to Nantucket, that famous whaling port,
And give you to some land sharks to board and fit you out.

They tell you of the clipper ships a-runnin’ in and out,
And say you’ll take five hundred whales before you’re six months out.

And now we’re out at sea, my boys, the wind comes on to blow;
One-half the watch is sick on deck, the other half below.

The skipper’s on the quarterdeck a-squintin’ at the sails,
When up aloft the lookout spots a mighty school of whales.

Then lower down the boats, my boys, and after him we’ll travel,
But if you get too near the fluke, he’ll kick you to the Devil.

And now that he is ours, my boys, we’ll run him alongside,
Then over with our blubber-hooks and rob him of his hide.

When we get home, our ship made fast, and we get through our sailin’,
A brimming glass around we’ll pass, and damn this blubber whaling!



BAY OF SUVLA
by Nicholas Smyth

Chorus:
It’s away, Suvla Bay
Haulin’ away to the Suvla Bay
Fare thee well my pretty young maids
We’re bound for the Bay of Suvla



ROLLING DOWN TO OLD MAUI
Traditional Song

It’s a damn tough life full of toil and strife we whaler men undergo.
And we don’t give a damn when the gale is done, how hard the winds do blow.
We’re homeward bound, t’is a mighty fine sound with a good ship taut and free,
And we don’t give a damn when we drink our rum with the girls of old Maui.

Chorus:
Rolling down to old Maui me boys rolling down to old Maui.
We’re homeward bound from the Arctic ground, rolling down to old Maui.

Once more we sail with the northerly gale through the ice and wind and rain.
Them coconut fronds, them tropical lands, we soon shall see again.
Six hellish months have passed away on the cold Kamchatka sea,
But now we’re bound from the Arctic ground, rolling down to old Maui.

Chorus

Once more we sail with a favorable gale towards our island home.
Our main mast sprung, our whaling done, and we ain’t got far to roam.
Our stun’s’l bones got carried away, what care we for that sound,
A living gale is after us, thank God we’re homeward bound.

Chorus

How soft the breeze in them island trees, now the ice is far astern.
Them native maids in them tropical glades is a-waiting our return.
Even now their big brown eyes look out hoping some fine day to see,
Our baggy sails running ‘fore the gale, rolling down to old Maui.

Chorus


NORTHWEST PASSAGE
by Stan Rogers

Chorus:
Ah, for just one time I would take the Northwest Passage
To find the hand of Franklin reaching for the Beaufort Sea;
Tracing one warm line through a land so wild and savage
And make a Northwest Passage to the sea.


BARRETT'S PRIVATEERS
by Stan Rogers

Chorus:
God damn them all!
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.



DEAR OLD STAN
by Nick Smyth

Chorus:
Arise and be merry, and sing out while you can.
The world will never see the likes of dear old Stan.



FIDDLERS GREEN
by John Connelly

Chorus:
Wrap me up in me oilskin and jumper.
No more on the docks I'll be seen.
Just tell me old shipmates, I'm taking a trip mates,
And I'll see you someday on Fiddlers Green.



PLAINS OF MEXICO
Traditional Song

Chorus:
So heave her up and away we go Hooraw Santiano
Heave her up and away we go all along the plains of Mexico



LEAVING OF LIVERPOOL
Traditional Irish Song

Fare thee well Prince’s Landing Stage
River Merzey fare thee well.
I am bound for California,
a place that I know right well.

Chorus:
So fare thee well, my own true love,
when I return united we will be.
It’s not the leaving of Liverpool that grieves me,
but my darling when I think of thee.

I have shipped on a yankee clipper ship,
Davy Crockett is her name.
And her captain’s name it is Burgess,
and they say she’s a floating Hell.

Chorus

I sailed with Burgess once before,
and I think I know him well,
If a man’s a sailor he will get along,
if he’s not, then he’s sure in Hell.

Chorus

The ship is in the harbor, love,
and you know I can’t remain,
I know it will be a long, long time
before I see you again.

Chorus



SPANISH LADIES
Traditional English Song

Chorus:
We’ll rant and we’ll roar like true British Sailors
We’ll rant and we’ll roar all on the salt seas,
Until we strike soundings in the channel of Old England
From Ushant to Scilly is thirty-five leagues.