Haul Away Joe

A short-drag shanty so ubiquitous that its name is almost synonymous with the very term "sea shanty". While its first commercial recording was a performance by Huddie "Leadbelly" Ledbetter in the 1940s, written references exist dating back to 1859, placing its likely origin in the mid-19th century.

This song has been performed by nearly every folk singer in the last century; the variations in lyrics and arrangement are positively staggering. It appears as the opening track on Between Wind and Water, and was also released as a live recording on the physical copy of the album Bones in the Ocean.

## Factoids

The word "constitution" in the verse about King Louis is a synonym for "health"; it is a joke of understatement, as getting one's head cut off would certainly ruin one's health. France at the time very notably did *not* have a constitution (hence the decapitations).

## Lyrics

These lyrics are based on the version performed by the Longest Johns on their album *Between Wind and Water*.

>
> When I was just a little lad or so me mammy told me
>
> (Away haul away, we'll haul away Joe)
>
> That if I didn't kiss the girls me lips would grow a-moldy
>
> (Away haul away, we'll haul away Joe) [continues throughout]
>
>
>
> {Chorus}
>
> Away (Ho!) haul away! we'll haul away together!
>
> Away haul away, we'll haul away Joe.
>
> Away (Ho!) haul away! we'll haul for better weather.
>
> Away haul away, we'll haul away Joe.
>
>
>
> I used to have an Irish girl, but she got fat and lazy
>
> But now I've got a Bristol girl, and she just drives me crazy
>
>
>
> {Chorus}
>
>
>
> Old Louis was the king of France before the revolut-i-on
>
> But then he got his head chopped off an' it spoiled his constitut-i-on
>
>
>
> {Chorus}
>
>
>
> You call yourself a second mate, you cannae tie a bowline
>
> You can't even stand up straight, when the packet she's a rollin'
>
>
>
> {Chorus}
>
>
>
> Well now can't you see the black clouds a-gatherin'
>
> Well now can't you see the storm clouds a-risin'
>
>
>
> {Chorus}
>
>
>
>

## Recordings

#### Streaming/Purchase

* Amazon Music (Between Wind and Water version)
* Amazon Music (Commodore 1864 version)
* Apple Music/iTunes (Between Wind and Water version)
* Apple Music/iTunes (Commodore 1864 version)
* Bandcamp (Between Wind and Water version)
* Deezer (Between Wind and Water version)
* Deezer (Commodore 1864 version)
* Pandora (Between Wind and Water version)
* Pandora (Commodore 1864 version)
* Spotify (Between Wind and Water version)
* Spotify (Commodore 1864 version)

#### YouTube Videos

* Between Wind and Water version
* Commodore 1864 version
* A Pirates Life for Us | Open Crewsing in Sea of Thieves
* Music Video (in the kitchen)
* 100k Subscriber Special, filmed on the SS Great Britain
* Happy New Year!

#### Gig Videos

* XXXIX Międzynarodowy Festiwal Piosenki Żeglarskiej (23 Feb 2020)
* Shrewsbury Folk Festival (28 Aug 2021)
* 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 and Friends, El Pony Pisador! (12 Aug 2018)
* Surviving the first month of 2019 with The Longest Johns!!! (New donation system) (30 Jan 2019)
* Singing Live Stream and Special Announcement... (7 Aug 2019)
* Welcome to a New Decade with The Longest Johns (22 Jan 2020)
* Lockdown Lullabies and Rousing Renditions (15 Apr 2020)
* 100k Subscriber Thank You Stream (19 Aug 2020)
* Be Stream And Not Heard (6 Oct 2021) - "Jo(sephine) version", led by Lucy Humphris
* Music Video and First Single of Smoke & Oakum Afterparty (20 Oct 2021)
* Strème de Menthe (27 Jul 2022) - "Jo(sephine) version", led by Lucy Humphris

#### Chill Streams

* JD & Andy Chilltime - 13/01/2020 Stream Full VOD
* JD & Andy Chilltime - 27/01/2020

#### Gaming Streams

* The Longest Johns Play Sea of Thieves but the servers die and we sing anyway (20 Mar 2018)
* Ocean of Larcenists! - Sailing & Singing with Jd, Andy & Dave (21 Feb 2019)
* Party Boat with Krotukk! - 01/02/2020 (3 Feb 2020)
* Sail and Sing! Sea of Thieves Stream - 18/05/2020
* Sing and Sail 2: Damp Boogaloo - 25/05/2020
* Sing & Sail & Kegs me Skellyboys! - 15/06/2020
* Sea of Sings! Let's ride the waves like majestic manatees! - 17/07/2020
* Sea of Sings! Let's get boaty! - 20/07/2020
* Musical larceny on the big blue wet thing - 10/08/202
* It's Sea of Sings! Featuring Krotukk! Huzzah! - 28/08/2020
* Tunes and Topgallant Sails - 31/08/2020
* Musical larceny on the big blue wet thing - 14/09/2020
* Sing! Sail! Support friends! - 18/09/2020
* Sea of Sings? Sea of chaos! - 25/09/2020
* Yarr harr fiddley dee and all that. Sea of Sings! - 28/09/2020
* SHANT! - 02/10/2020
* Sea of Thieves? Singing? Splendid! - 09/10/2020
* Sea of Sings! Yarr and all that... - 16/10/2020
* Sailing, Wailing and Failing with Captain Falcore! - 19/10/2020
* Sea of Sings! Let's Shant! With Kharites & TeachCourage! - 23/10/2020
* [https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iyxtpljt8Bc&list=PLt4Ofcbsrwx-qht-0dvJf89CHqqy4wJbz&t=13065s Sea of Sings! 3 2 1 SHANT! - 26/10/2020
* Sea of Sings! with AsylumGC8! SHANT! - 31/10/2020
* Sea of Sings! with Spammals! SHANT! - 1/11/2020
* Sea of Sings! with Captain\_Falcore! SHANT! - 2/11/2020
* Sea of Sings! Welcome to the Shantydome! - 6/11/2020
* Sea of Sings! - 13/11/2020
* Full Friendship followed by Battle Royale! - 23/11/2020
* Sea of Joviality with KroTukk and KHARITES\_ - 28/11/2020
* Sea of Good Tidings - 30/11/2020
* Musical larceny on the big blue wet thing - 7/12/2020
* Let's do a sing and get in the sea !drops - 11/12/2020
* Let's get splashy - 14/12/2020
* Jingle Drops Jingle Drops - 15/12/2020
* Get in the sea! it's Sea of Sings! | - 6/01/2021
* Let's get piratical! Sea of sings! - 8/01/2021
* Sea of Sings in the morning! - 11/01/2021
* Sea of Sings! Pirate malarkey afoot! - 15/01/2021
* Boo! Surprise Sea of Sings! - 21/01/2021
* It's yarr time! Sea of Sings! Set sails to 100% - 22/01/2021
* Sea of Sings! Yarr? - 01/02/2021
* Game Dev stream! Yarrs for everyone! - 05/02/2021
* Sea of Sings with Azuki and HappyKrakenX - 08/02/2021
* Sea of Sings with Teachcourage and TheSneakyBeagle - 09/02/2021
* Sea of Sings - It's boat time - 22/02/2021
* It's Friday Funtimes! Let's get in the sea! - 26/02/2021
* Sea of Sings! With Dave, JD and @Krotukk - 05/03/2021
* Singing and Sailing in Sea of Thieves! With @RobRaven - 29/03/2021
* Sea of Sings! Lets hope the internet is fixed... - 19/07/2021
* Something something pirate pun - 26/07/2021
* Sing what you want 'cause a streamer is free, You Are A Streamer! - 02/08/2021
* \*\*Insert Stream Title Here\*\* - Sea of Sings with SneakyBeagle - 30/08/2021

1. ↑ https://www.fresnostate.edu/folklore/ballads/Doe004.html