The Pumping Chantey “Leave Her, Johnny"

Transcript

Transcript

Hello, my name is Peter Kasin, a Park Ranger at San Francisco Maritime National Historical Park, and it's time for another sheltered-in chantey. This one is called Leave Her, Johnny, and it was sang at the pumps, and at this particular time it was sang just before going ashore after a voyage while they were pumping the water out of the bilge for the last time.

Leave Her, Johnny

"Oh, the times wuz hard and the wages low (Chorus:) Leave her, Johnny, leave her But now once more ashore we'll go. (Chorus): And it's time for us to leave her

(Full chorus): Oh, leave her, Johnny, leave her Oh, leave her, Johnny, leave her For the voyage is done and the winds don't blow And it's time for us to leave her

Oh, the work wuz hard and the voyage wuz long (Chorus): Leave her, Johnny, leave her The seas ran high and the gales wuz strong Chorus: And it's time for us to leave her

(Full chorus): Leave her, Johnny, leave her Oh, leave her, Johnny, leave her For the voyage is done and the winds don't blow And it's time for us to leave her

The old man swears, and the mate swears too (Chorus): Leave her, Johnny, leave her The crew all swears and so would you Chorus: And it's time for us to leave her

(Full chorus): Leave her, Johnny, leave her Oh, leave her, Johnny, leave her For the voyage is done and the winds don't blow And it's time for us to leave her

We'd be better off in a nice clean jail (Chorus): Leave her, Johnny, leave her With all night in and plenty of ale (Chorus:) And it's time for us to leave her

(Full Chorus): Oh, leave her, Johnny, leave her Oh, leave her, Johnny, leave her For the voyage is done and the winds don't blow And it's time for us to leave her

The work wuz hard, all work, no pay (Chorus): Leave her, Johnny, leave her From Liverpool docks to Frisco Bay (Chorus:) And it's time for us to leave her

(Full chorus): Oh, leave her, Johnny, leave her Oh, leave her, Johnny, leave her For the voyage is done and the winds don't blow And it's time for us to leave her

I thought I heard the Old Man say (Chorus): Leave her, Johnny, leave her It's one more pump and then belay (Chorus): And it's time for us to leave her

(Full chorus): Oh, leave her, Johnny, leave her Oh, leave her, Johnny, leave her For the voyage is done and the winds don't blow And it's time for us to leave her

Description

Ranger Kasin performs “Leave Her, Johnny,” a chantey that was sung just before going ashore after a voyage, while pumping water out of the bilge for the last time.

Duration

4 minutes, 9 seconds

Credit

Peter Kasin

Date Created

06/19/2020

Copyright and Usage Info

View Usage Information Multimedia credited to NPS without any copyright symbol are public domain. Multimedia credited with a copyright symbol (indicating that the creator may maintain rights to the work) or credited to any entity other than NPS must not be presumed to be public domain; contact the host park or program to ascertain who owns the material. « Hide Usage Information