Video
The Rowing Chantey “Blackbird, Get Up”
Transcript
Hello, my name is Peter Kasin, a park ranger at San Francisco Maritime National Historical Park, with another sheltered-in chantey, this one from the West Indies, used by whalemen who would go out in these 10-man crewed rowboats, and to the rhythm of the rowing they would sing this. It’s called “Blackbird, Get Up”, and I first heard this sung by Alison Kelley from The Johnson Girls, In New York, and later heard the Barrouallie Whalers, who were the last generation of the West Indies whalers, when they came to Mystic Seaport’s Sea Music Festival some years back. So, here is Blackbird, Get Up, and your part, your chorus, is simply “Aye-Yah!” So, here we go.
Oh, the Blackbird get up Chorus: Aye-Yah! She shake her tail Chorus: Aye-Yah! And the white bird get up Chorus: Aye-Yah! And she do the same Chorus: Aye-Yah! Oh, me Donna Chorus: Aye-Yah! Emmalina girl Chorus: Aye Yah! Oh, me Donna Chorus: Aye-Yah! Girl come home with me Chorus: Aye-Yah! Well, the captain cry out Chorus: Aye-Yah! Wet, messy wet Chorus: Aye-Yah! And the frontman cry out Chorus: Aye-Yah! And he do the same Chorus: Aye-Yah Oh, me Donna Chorus: Aye-Yah! Emmalina girl Chorus: Aye-Yah! Oh, me Donna Chorus: Aye-Yah! Girl come home with me Chorus: Aye-Yah! Wet, messy wet Chorus: Aye-Yah! Water feel the stick Chorus: Aye-Yah! Wet, messy wet Chorus: Aye-Yah! When the rain come down Chorus: Aye-Yah! Oh, me Donna Chorus: Aye-Yah! Emmalina girl Chorus: Aye-Yah! Oh, me Donna Chorus: Aye-Yah! Girl come home with me Chorus: Aye-Yah!
Description
The rowing chantey “Blackbird, Get Up” has an easy chorus! You'll be joining Ranger Kasin after a couple of verses.
Duration
2 minutes, 3 seconds
Credit
Peter Kasin
Date Created
08/10/2020
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