Four Hours

"Four Hours" is a TLJ original; it was written by Josh Bowker when he was still a member of the band, but not released until their 2020 album Cures What Ails Ya. It was first performed in the February 2019 livestream, led by Josh himself.

### Factoids

"Four Hours" refers to the way watches were kept aboard sailing vessels. Traditionally, ships at sea (particularly among the British navy) kept five four-hour watches per day, and two two-hour watches. Sailors were expected to rotate in four hour shifts, serving four hours of work and four hours of rest alternating. After the second work period they would be allowed some time to rest and recover before returning to work. In a two-division system, this meant rotating the port and starboard divisions to ensure that the ship was always staffed by equally fresh workers. As time went on, it progressed to a three-division system which, notably, forms part of the basis for modern eight-hour shift work.

For particularly troublesome sailors, there was also the four-on-four-off, or 'watch-and-watch', a punishment detail where the sailor serves repeated stretches of four hour intervals without a rest interval between. It was a notable and particular savagery, brutal for the fact that just as the person serving their time finds time to rest they are being roused to return to work.

## Lyrics

Lyrics submitted by *PDPGinsu* of the Longest Johns Discord, verified against the stream by Anathema Mask.

>
> Come me boys and heave with me
>
> Let's get off this curséd sea
>
> Let's be home to lovers and wives
>
> And leave behind these four hour lives
>
>
>
> {Chorus}
>
> (Four hours)
>
> Workin' on the swell﻿
>
> (Four hours)
>
> Sloggin' in the rain
>
> (Four hours)
>
> Workin' to the bell and
>
> (Four hours)
>
> 'Til it starts again
>
>
>
> Come me boys and heave with me
>
> The wind's my friend and my enemy
>
> It carries me home but it must be tamed
>
> Everything lost or everything gained
>
>
>
> {Chorus}
>
>
>
> Come me boys and heave with me
>
> Got scabrous hands and bloody knees
>
> But when the bell tolls, I'll go below
>
> My hands will callus and my strength will grow
>
>
>
> {Chorus}
>
>
>
> Come me boys and heave away
>
> Soaked and heavy heaving under the spray
>
> Will I ever shed this salt on my brow?
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> Better the dust from under my plow
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>
>
> {Chorus}
>
>
>
> When I'm back in Bristol town
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> I'll buy my love a silken gown
>
> We'll lie in each others' arms and rest
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> Until that bell sounds in my chest
>
>
>
> {Chorus}
>
>
>
> (Four Hours)
>
> Haulin' on the sheets
>
> (Four hours)
>
> Keepin' our feet!
>
> (Four hours)
>
> Wrap me in the shroud and
>
> (Four hours)
>
> Lay me in the ground
>
>
>
>

## Recordings

#### Streaming/Purchase

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

#### YouTube Videos

* Music Video
* Cures What Ails Ya version

#### Gig Videos

* Shrewsbury Folk Festival (27 Aug 2021)
* Old Songs (25 Feb 2022)
* Le Poisson Rouge, NYC (27 Feb 2022)
* Kraków, Poland (26 Feb 2023)

#### Full Band Streams

* The Longest Johns and Friends, February Edition (New donation system) (27 Feb 2019)
* Live Stream, All aboard the Good Ship Valentine(ish) with The Longest Johns (19 Feb 2020)
* The Longest Johns In Quarantine (after failed intro + love to @El Pony Pisador ) (18 Mar 2020)
* Last Stream Before Album Launch! (27 May 2020)
* Welcome to the Live Stream, We've got Fun and Sings! (22 Jul 2020)
* I Stream, You Stream, We all Scream for Live Stream (20 Jan 2021)
* Sweet Streams are Made of This (17 Mar 2021)
* Amazing Technicolor Stream-coat!! (7 Jul 2021)
* Ex-Stream Sports (15 Feb 2022)
* In Space No One Can Hear You Stream (19 Oct 2022)
* Stream Girls (27 Apr 2023)

#### Chill Streams

* Welcome to Chilltown! With Andy and JD - 23/03/2020
* Come on down to Chillbury Town! With Andy - 26/03/2020

#### Gaming Streams

* Sing & Sail & Kegs me Skellyboys! - 15/06/2020
* Sea of Sings on a Friday evening, oh what a salty sight to sea - 03/07/2020
* Sea of Sings: Sing harder! - 06/07/2020
* Sea of Sings! Let's get boaty! - 20/07/2020
* Sea of Sings, Arena edition! w/ KHARITES\_ & xSHUMBAx - 24/08/2020
* 4 Sloops 4 Furious - 04/09/2020
* \*bangs table\* boat boat dogs vaults sing boat! - 11/09/2020
* Sing! Sail! Support friends! - 18/09/2020
* Sea of Sings! 3 2 1 SHANT! - 26/10/2020
* Sea of Sings! with Spammals! SHANT! - 1/11/2020
* Sea of Sings! with Captain\_Falcore! SHANT! - 2/11/2020
* Shants on the sea! - 16/11/2020
* All aboard the shant bus... I mean boat... I mean ship - 20/11/2020
* Sea of Good Tidings - 30/11/2020
* Music and boats and stuff - 13/12/2020
* Sea of Sings! Pirate malarkey afoot! - 15/01/2021
* Virtual Pirate Concert with Krotukk - 16/01/2021
* It's yarr time! Sea of Sings! Set sails to 100% - 22/01/2021
* It's Friday Funtimes! Let's get in the sea! - 26/02/2021
* We give you drops, we give pirates treasure, we give you GIVEAWAYS! - 22/03/2021
* Season 2 of Sings! - 19/04/2021
* Let's get in the sea and do a music! - 14/05/2021
* Something something pirate pun - 26/07/2021
* \*\*Insert Stream Title Here\*\* - Sea of Sings with SneakyBeagle - 30/08/2021