Mingulay Boat Song

Composed and written by Sir Hugh Roberton of the Orpheus Choir of Glasgow, who also composed the famous *Westering Home* and *Mairi's Wedding*. It has become a folk standard, performed by a wide variety of musicians.

The Longest Johns' version appears as the fourth track on Between Wind and Water.

## Factoids

Mingulay is an island in the Outer Hebrides, in Scotland. It was home for a time to a small crofting and fishing community, but by 1912 was completely abandoned due to isolation, infertile land, lack of a proper landing place and absentee landlord problems. The song doesn't appear to have any actual connection to the island or its former inhabitants.

**The Minch** is the body of water separating the Outer Hebrides, including Mingulay, from the Inner Hebrides and the Scottish mainland. The water being white would indicate rough seas (lots of whitecaps and foam).

## Lyrics

These lyrics are based on the version performed by the Longest Johns on their album Between Wind and Water. The original lyrics can be found here.

>
> {Chorus}
>
> Heave 'er ho, boys; let her go, boys;
>
> Swing her head round, into the weather,
>
> Heave 'er ho, boys; let her go, boys;
>
> Sailing homeward to Mingulay
>
>
>
> What care we though, white the Minch is?
>
> What care we, boys, for windy weather?
>
> When we know that every inch is
>
> Sailing homeward to Mingulay
>
>
>
> {Chorus}
>
>
>
> Wives are waiting, by the pier head,
>
> Gazing seaward, from the heather;
>
> Bring her 'round, boys, then we'll anchor
>
> 'ere the sun sets on Mingulay.
>
>
>
> {Chorus}
>
>
>
> Ships return now, heavy laden
>
> Mothers holdin' bairns a-cryin'
>
> They'll return, yet, when the sun sets
>
> Sailing homeward to Mingulay.
>
>
>
> {Chorus 2x}
>
>
>
>
>

## Recordings

#### Streaming/Purchase

* Amazon Music
* Apple Music/iTunes
* Bandcamp
* Deezer
* Pandora
* Spotify

#### YouTube Videos

* Impromptu Music Video
* Between Wind and Water version

#### Gig Videos

* St Ives Sea Shanty Festival, Nov 2018
* Falmouth Sea Shanty Festival, 2019
* Bie Daip - Appingedam (24 Aug 2019)
* Todmorden-on-sea Shanty Festival, 2019

#### Full Band Streams

* The Longest Johns Impromptu Singing Stream! (17 Nov 2018)
* Surviving the first month of 2019 with The Longest Johns!!! (New donation system) (30 Jan 2019)
* The Longest Johns and Friends, March. w/Sam Brookes (22 Mar 2019)
* Live Stream, All aboard the Good Ship Valentine(ish) with The Longest Johns (19 Feb 2020)
* Last Stream Before Album Launch! (27 May 2020)
* It's hot! Stream was a bad choice... Or was it? (24 Jun 2020)
* (New Merch) I'm Goin' Off the Rails on a Crazy Stream (14 Oct 2020)
* Fancy Dress Social Media Live Stream Tour (31 Oct 2020)
* We're Going to Wellermania! (14 Apr 2021)
* Stream if You Wanna Go Faster (12 May 2021)
* Be Stream And Not Heard (6 Oct 2021)
* Stream America (15 Mar 2022)
* Stream me up Scotty! (23 Aug 2022)
* Sega Streamcast (15 Feb 2023)
* Do Androids Stream of Electric Sheep (3 Aug 2023)

#### Gaming Streams

* Anyone for a Shanty? | Sea of Thieves Singing Live Stream!! (Part 1) (23 Sep 2020)
* Ocean of Larcenists! - Sailing & Singing with Jd, Andy & Dave (21 Feb 2019)
* Sea of Sings on a Friday evening, oh what a salty sight to sea - 03/07/2020
* It's Sea of Sings! Featuring Krotukk! Huzzah! - 28/08/2020
* \*bangs table\* boat boat dogs vaults sing boat! - 11/09/2020
* All aboard the shant bus... I mean boat... I mean ship - 20/11/2020
* Sea of Good Tidings - 30/11/2020
* Musical larceny on the big blue wet thing - 7/12/2020
* Let's get splashy - 18/12/2020
* Boo! Surprise Sea of Sings! - 21/01/2021
* Sea of Sings LIVE (31 Mar 2021)
* Shanties?!?! On the sea?!?! Why yes it is... With Krotukk and Kharites\_ - 02/04/2021
* Sea of Sings LIVE
* SING OF THIEVES! JINGLE JAM 2021 - DAY 14! (17 Dec 2021)

1. ↑ https://mudcat.org/thread.cfm?threadid=9698#64585
2. ↑ https://mudcat.org/thread.cfm?threadid=9698#64585
3. ↑ https://mudcat.org/thread.cfm?threadid=9698#63391