Video
The Cotton-Screwing Chantey "We're All Surrounded"
Transcript
Hello, my name is Peter Kasin, a Park Ranger at San Francisco Maritime National Historical Park, and here is another in a series of "sheltered-in chanteys." This is called called "We're All Surrounded." It's a cotton-screwing chantey, used by screwmen, who in the southern ports were men who used large jackscrews to stow cotton into the hold of ships. So, here we go:
Martha wept and Mary Cried Chorus: We're all surrounded That good old man has up and died Chorus: We're all surrounded
Grand chorus: Carry the news, carry the news to Mary. Carry the news that we're all surrounded.
Shake off your slumbers and arise Chorus: We're all surrounded The sun is shining in the skies Chorus: We're all surrounded
Grand chorus: Carry the news, carry the news to Mary Carry the news that we're all surrounded
The good old man we'll see no more Chorus: We're all surrounded He has gone to the happy shore Chorus: We're all surrounded
Grand chorus: Carry the news, carry the news to Mary Carry the news that we're all surrounded
He's gone and left us all alone Chorus: We're all surrounded And Gabriel's trumpet called him home Chorus: We're all surrounded
Grand chorus: Carry the news, carry the news to Mary Carry the news that we're all surrounded
Adam and Eve climbed up a tree Chorus: We're all surrounded Their lamb and master for to see Chorus: We're all surrounded
Grand chorus: Carry the news, carry the news to Mary Carry the news that we're all surrounded
Eve stole an apple from a tree Chorus: We're all surrounded And Adam was stung by a Bumblebee Chorus: We're all surrounded
Grand chorus: Carry the news, carry the news to Mary Carry the news that we're all surrounded
Description
Ranger Kasin presents "We're All Surrounded," a cotton-screwing chantey sung by “screwmen" who, in southern U.S. ports, labored to turn large jackscrews which were used to tightly pack bales of cotton into the holds of cargo vessels.
Duration
2 minutes, 31 seconds
Credit
Peter Kasin
Date Created
05/19/2020
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