Video
The Chantey "Billy O'Shea"
Transcript
Hello, my name is Peter Kasin, a park ranger at San Francisco Maritime National Historical Park, and here is another sheltered-in chantey. This one is called “Billy O’Shea. It’s an example of what is most likely a modern song, composed in the early 1960s, that has come into tradition. This is sung all over the world, and it’s origins are a little clouded here. Some say that it was learned from an old seaman in Dublin. I’ve also read that it was composed in the early 1960s by a man named Iain MacCarthaigh and it was brought into the An Goilin Singers Club in Dublin, and from there it spread among singers and is now treated as tradition. I first heard this sung by Dan Milner, of New York, but there are different variants of this songs, so this is not exactly how Dan sings it.
You’ll hear in the verses a reference to the “cat;” “and for a start here’s a dose of the cat”. The cat refers to the cat o’ nine tails, the whip used to punish sailors. You’ll also hear about the quay, the Rogerson’s quay. Quay, spelled Q-U-A-Y, is a natural-made dock for ships. Not necessarily built by people, but natural, and the quay is the term that’s used for it in Ireland and in the United Kingdom. You’ll also hear “to Davy Jones with a stitch through his nose.” Davy Jones is sailors’ hell, as opposed to Fiddler’s Green, which is sailors’ heaven. And “a stitch through his nose”, well when a sailor died, the sailmaker would stitch up the sailor in canvas sail, and the very last stitch, just to be sure that this sailor is a actually dead, was run right through the sailor’s nose. Here we go. Billy O’Shea. Feel free to sing right along on the chorus.
We all got drunk in Dublin City Chorus: Fall Down me Billy We all got drunk and oh, what a pity Chorus: Fall down Billy O’Shea
Extended chorus: Fall down, fall down, fall down me Billy We’re bound away for Americay Fall down Billy O’Shay
We all got drunk on the Rogerson’s Quay Chorus: Fall down me Billy And when we awoke we were all at sea Chorus: Fall down Billy O’Shea
Extended chorus: Fall down, fall down, fall down me Billy We’re bound away for Americay Fall down Billy O’Shea
We’re no sailors, Captain Drew Chorus: Fall down me Billy And a bit unhappy to work for you Chorus: Fall down Billy O’Shea
Extended chorus: Fall down, fall down, fall down me Billy We’re bound away for Americay Fall down Billy O’Shay
The captain said “I’ve a cure for that.” Chorus: Fall down me Billy And for a start, here’s a dose of the cat Chorus: Fall down Billy O’Shea
Extended chorus: Fall down, fall down, fall down me Billy We’re bound away for Americay Fall down Billy O’Shea
They sent him up to the topmost yard Chorus: Fall down me Billy And when he fell, he fell down hard Chorus: Fall down Billy O’Shea
Extended chorus: Fall down, fall down, fall down me Billy We’re bound away for Americay Fall down Billy O’Shea
We wrapped him up in a canvas sail Chorus: Fall down me Billy And lowered him gently over the rai Chorus: Fall down Billy O’Shea
Extended chorus: Fall down, fall down, fall down me Billy We’re bound away for Americay Fall down Billy O’Shea
Over the side and down he goes Chorus: Fall down me Billy To Davy Jones with a stitch through his nose Chorus: Fall down Billy O’Shea
Extended chorus: Fall down, fall down, fall down me Billy We’re bound away for Americay Fall down Billy O’Shea
And there you have it. Stay safe everyone, and see you at the next sheltered-in chantey.
Description
“Billy O’Shea" is an example of what is most likely a modern song, composed in the early 1960s, that has come into tradition.
Duration
5 minutes, 2 seconds
Credit
Peter Kasin
Date Created
09/15/2020
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