Drunken Sailor

Released both as a standalone single and the final track on Written in Salt, this is a Longest Johns arrangement of the traditional tune "Drunken Sailor". It uses the standard chorus from the traditional song, but the verses are original, written by Dave Robinson.

## Factoids

The original song is a stamp-and-go shanty, likely originating in the early 19th century. Such shanties were used on very large ships for hauling ropes while marching along the deck. By the mid-19th century, the advent of smaller merchant packet and clipper ships meant that such tasks became much less common and the usage of these shanties declined.

Capt. W. B. Whall, a veteran English sailor of the 1860s–70s, commented in his 1910 collection *Sea Songs and Shanties* that "Drunken Sailor" was one of only two shanties permitted in the British Royal Navy, where singing while at work was generally frowned upon.

The song shares a tune with the traditional Irish folk song "Óró sé do bheatha abhaile".

## Lyrics

>
> From Tortuga's port we put to sea and sailed for sixteen days
>
> In the biggest storm I'd ever seen, we almost lost our way
>
> When a call came from a deckhand: "Boys, I think she's going down"
>
> "But don't you fear, there's enough rum here
>
> (To drink until we drown!")
>
>
>
> {Chorus}
>
> Ho!
>
> What shall we do with a drunken sailor?
>
> What shall we do with a drunken sailor?
>
> What shall we do with a drunken sailor?
>
> Ear-ly in the morning
>
> Hoo-ray and up she rises (Hoo-ray)
>
> Hoo-ray and up she rises (Hoo-ray)
>
> Hoo-ray and up she rises (Hoo-ray)
>
> Ear-ly in the morning
>
>
>
> So each deckhand grabbed a barrel, broke the seal and took a swig
>
> And soon their screams turned into songs, their panicked work turned into jigs
>
> The first mate bellowed orders, ever trying to save their skins
>
> "Any drunken wretch the captain catch:
>
> (He'll beat all limb from limb!")
>
>
>
> {Chorus}
>
>
>
> Every man continued drinking, all their duties long forgot
>
> They were deaf to every order, ‘til they heard a pistol shot
>
> The captain stood on fo'c'sle, swung the cat above his head
>
> "Back to yer post or by my ghost,
>
> (Ye'll wish that ye were dead!")
>
>
>
> {Chorus}
>
>
>
> Every drunk received a beating, some of the drunker managed two
>
> The captain kept an eye until he’d sobered up his crew
>
> He then retired to quarters, put the rum upon his shelf
>
> Sat in his seat, put up his feet
>
> (And drank the rest himself!)
>
>
>
> {Chorus}
>
>
>
> Put him in the longboat 'til he's sober
>
> Shave his belly with a rusty razor
>
> Throw him in the hold with the captain’s daughter
>
> Ear-ly in the morning
>
>
>
>
>

## Recordings

#### Streaming Platforms

* Amazon Music (Written in Salt version)
* Amazon Music (Commodore 1864 version)
* Apple Music/iTunes (Written in Salt version)
* Apple Music/iTunes (Commodore 1864 version)
* Bandcamp (single version)
* Bandcamp (Written in Salt version)
* Deezer (Written in Salt version)
* Deezer (Commodore 1864 version)
* Pandora (Written in Salt version)
* Pandora (Commodore 1864 version)
* Spotify (single version)
* Spotify (Written in Salt version)
* Spotify (Commodore 1864 version)

#### YouTube Videos

* Written in Salt version
* Commodore 1864 version

#### Gig Videos

* Gloucester Shanty Festival 2019
* XXXIX Międzynarodowy Festiwal Piosenki Żeglarskiej (23 Feb 2020)
* Old Songs (25 Feb 2022)
* Le Poisson Rouge, NYC (27 Feb 2022)
* Falmouth Sea Shanty Festival June 2022
* The Studio at the Factory - Dallas, TX (23 Nov 2022)
* Jimmy's - Liverpool (9 Dec 2022)
* Cursus Festival 2023

#### Full Band Streams

* The Longest Johns, Album Launch gig/party (19 Jun 2018)
* The Longest Johns and Friends, February Edition (New donation system) (27 Feb 2019)
* Singing Live Stream and Special Announcement... (7 Aug 2019)
* Live Stream, All aboard the Good Ship Valentine(ish) with The Longest Johns (19 Feb 2020)
* Sweet Streams are Made of This (In the Studio) (17 Mar 2021)
* THE SING ALONG! JINGLE JAM 2021 - DAY 6! w/ The Longest Johns (9 Dec 2021)
* Jingle Jam 2022 (10 Dec 2022)
* A Midsummer Nights Stream (5 Jul 2023)
* Jingle Jam 2023 | Day 4 (4 Dec 2023)

#### Gaming Streams

* The Longest Johns Play Sea of Thieves but the servers die and we sing anyway (20 Mar 2018)
* Party Boat with Krotukk! - 01/02/2020
* It's sail and sing with special guest KHARITES\_! - 01/06/2020
* Sail & Sing! Lets get damp and sing shanties! - 08/06/2020
* Sea of Thieves Tall Tales Marathon for Charity : Part 2 (29 Jun 2020)
* Sea of Sings on a Monday afternoon, oh what a splendid sight to see - 29/06/2020
* Sea of Sings: Sing harder! - 06/07/2020
* Musical larceny on the big blue wet thing - 14/09/2020
* Sing! Sail! Support friends! - 18/09/2020
* Sea of Sings! Let's Shant! With Kharites & TeachCourage! - 23/10/2020
* DROPS! Sea of Sings! with BehavingBeardly! SHANT! - 30/10/2020
* Sea of Sings! with KroTukk! SHANT! - 3/11/2020
* Virtual Pirate Concert with Krotukk - 16/01/2021
* Boo! Surprise Sea of Sings! - 21/01/2021
* Sea of Sings! Yarr? - 01/02/2021
* Sea of Sings! With Dave, JD and @Krotukk - 05/03/2021
* Singing and Sailing in Sea of Thieves! With @RobRaven - 29/03/2021
* Giveaway Giveaways on the Waves! - 12/04/2021
* Season 2 of Sings! - 19/04/2021
* It's Monday, Monday, Singing and Sailing on Monday! - 26/04/2021
* A Stream! Ho! Stream away, we'll Sea of Thieves together, with Kharites - 04/06/2021
* SING OF THIEVES! JINGLE JAM 2021 - DAY 14! - THE LONGEST JOHNS (17 Dec 2021)
* Sea of Sings for War Child - 30/05/2022