what be ye favorite sea shanty eh?

[Master Gunner L. SilverTongue]

this one be mine please feel free to post up the full lyrics of ye own as well,

yo ho ho an' a bottle O rum

15 men on a dead mans chest

yo ho ho an' a bottle O rum

drink and the devil had done fer the rest

yo ho ho and a bottle O rum

the mate twas fixed by the bosun's pike
the bosun brained with the marlinspike
an' cooky throat twas marked belike
it been gripped by fingers 10
an' there they lay all good dead men
like break o day in a boozing ken

yo ho ho an' a bottle O rum

15 men on the whole ship's list

yo ho ho an' a bottle O rum

dead an' be damned an' gone with the whist
the skipper lay with his nob in gore
where the scullion's axe in his cheek had shore
an' the scullion stabbed four times four
an' there they lay, an' the soggy skies
dripped all day in upstaring eyes
at murk sunset, an' at foul sunrise

yo ho ho an' a bottle O rum

15 men o 'em stiff an' stark

yo ho ho an' a bottle O rum

10 o the crew had the murder mark
there was cutless swipe, an' ounce O lead
or a yawing hole in a battered head
an' the scuppers run glut with a'rotting red
an' there they lay
AYE!
damn me eyes
all lookouts clapped on paradise
all souls bound just contrarywise

yo ho ho an' a bottle O rum

15 men o'em good an' true

yo ho ho an' a bottle O rum

ev'ry man jack could 'ave sailed with ole Pew

yo ho ho an' a bottle O rum

there was chest on chest O spanish gold
with a ton O plate in middle hold
an' the cabin's riot O stuff untold
an' they lay what took the plum
with sightless glare, an' their lips struck dumb
while we shared all by rule O thumb

yo ho ho an' a bottle O rum

15 men on a dead mans chest

yo ho ho an' a bottle O rum

drink an the devil had done with the rest

yo ho ho an' a bottle O rum

we wrapped'em all in a mains'l all tight
with twice ten turns O a hawsers bight
an' we heaved'em ov'r an' out O sight
with a yo heave ho an' a fair thee well
an' a sudden plunge in a swollen swell
10 fathoms deep on the road to hell

yo ho ho an' a bottle O rum!

[Renee Spahr]

To really enjoy this wonderful music go buy a C.D. from Meg Davis.http://megdavis.tripod.com/


SWING THE CAT……………….WORDS AND MUSIC BY MEG DAVIS © 1985

ALL RIGHTS RESERVED



CHORUS:


SWING IT HIGH, SWING IT LOW

IF IT HOLLERS LET IT GO,

IF IT’S DROWNED THERE’S ONLY ONE WAY TO TAKE CARE OF THAT:

YOU MUST GRAB IT BY ITS FEET, SWING IT HIGH AND SWING IT NEAT,

(FOR) YOU MIGHT SAVE A LIFE AT THAT IF YOU CAN SWING THE CAT !

VERSES:
1.

IT WAS JUST AFTER MIDNIGHT WHEN I HEARD THE CAPTAIN SHOUT,

“ CURSE THE DEVIL BELOW BUT THERE ARE RATS ABOUT !”

THEY WERE STREAMING CROSS THE GANGPLANKS,

THEY WERE TEARING UP THE SHEETS,

EVERY SAILOR HAD A HUNDRED SNAPPING AT HIS FEET.

2.

“WHAT CAN WE DO ?!”, CRIED THE SAILORS AS THE RATS BEGAN TO DANCE,

“IT’S A HOPELESS SITUATION, BUT WE HAVE ONE CHANCE.

EVERY MAN GO ASHORE, SEARCH THIS WAY AND THAT,

DON’T DARE TO SHOW YOUR FACES ‘TILL YOU FIND A CAT !”

3.

WELL, WE LEAPT TO THE DOCKS AND WE BOLTED THROUGH THE TOWN

EVERY YOUNG MAN AND OLD MAN SEARCHING UP AND DOWN.

THREE-HUNDRED SAILORS ON THE LOOSE, WHAT DO YOU THINK OF THAT ?

AND EVERY SAUCY SAILOR SURE HE FOUND A CAT !

4.

BACK TO THE SHIP WE WENT RUNNING WITH OUR PRIZES

THERE WERE CATS OF MANY COLORS, THERE WERE CATS OF MANY SIZES,

WHEN THE RATS SAW US COMING SURE THEY ALL BEGAN TO SHOUT,

“CURSE THE DEVIL BELOW BUT THERE ARE CATS ABOUT !”

CHORUS

5.

WELL, WE LET OUR KITTIES LOOSE ON THAT UNSUSPECTING HOARD

AND THE RATS BY THE THOUSANDS SCRAMBLED OVERBOARD,

THEY WERE SWEPT OUT TO SEA, EVERY GERMY LITTLE TAIL,

(AND) WITH THE MORNING LIGHT UPON US SURE WE HOISTED SAIL.

6.

Some sunny day you might meet us as we’re out upon the sea,

We’ll be flying Jolly Roger on a tropical breeze.

(And) though we’re over run with kittens, don’t be scared of that

For we’ll welcome you aboard if you can Swing The Cat !

SWING THE CAT……..(CONTINUED)

NOW WE SAIL THE MIGHTY OCEAN (AND WE’RE SUCH A HAPPY CREW),

WITH OUR KITTIES HERE TO HELP US THERE IS NOTHING MUCH TO DO !

(FOR) IF A CAT CATCHES TWO FISH HE IS SURE TO GIVE YOU ONE,

AND HE’LL SING YOU OFF TO SLEEP WHEN YOUR DAY IS DONE.

*********************************************************************************************************************************
COMPOSER’S MESSAGE: THE TERM TO “SWING THE CAT” HARKENS BACK TO THE DAYS OF GALLEY SHIPS WHEN THE ROWERS WERE CHAINED BELOW DECKS. WHEN YOU HAD SO MANY MEN BELOW DECKS THAT THERE WAS NO ROOM TO MOVE IT WAS REFERRED TO AS ‘NOT ENOUGH ROOM TO SWING THE CAT’. THE ‘CAT’ WAS AN INSTRUMENT OF PUNISHMENT CONSISTING OF IRON NAILS KNOTTED INTO LENGTHS OF LEATHER THAT WERE THEN ATTACHED TO A LONG STIFF HANDLE. (ALSO KNOWN AS A ‘CAT O’ NINE TAILS’).

MY USE OF THE ‘SWING THE CAT’ IDEA REFERS TO SOMETHING ELSE ALTOGETHER. I HAVE READ IN SEVERAL VERY OLD MANUSCRIPTS THAT THERE WAS A WAY TO SAVE A DROWNED CAT’S LIFE BY HOLDING IT’S HIND LEGS AND SWINGING AROUND IN A CIRCLE. THUS, THE CENTRIFUGAL FORCE WOULD PULL THE WATER OUT OF THE CAT’S LUNGS.

I’VE PUT THESE IDEAS TOGETHER IN A SIMPLE, AND HOPEFULLY, WHIMSICAL WAY AS A PROCESS OF CREATIVE WORD USE. IN NO WAY DO I INTEND TO SUGGEST THAT ANYONE MANHANDLE A CAT OR TREAT IT IN ANYWAY BUT A KIND AND GENTLE MANNER !

MEG DAVIS 3/8/1999

[Renee Spahr]

http://www.tradebit.com/filedetail.php/2143062-simon-finn

to down load Meg Davis music in MP3 format

[Master Gunner L. SilverTongue]

again ye've mi'thanks mi'lady i'll go check her out anon fare thee be

[Renee Spahr]

I have added Swing the Cat and Polly Oliver to my music. Let me know if you can play the mp3's.

[Master Gunner L. SilverTongue]

will do and i can merci mi'lady

[Captain Gato Bajau]

Just sit right back and you'll hear a tale.
A tale of a fateful trip.
That started from this tropic port aboard this tiny ship.
The mate was a mighty sailing man,
the skipper brave and sure.
Five passengers set sail that day for a three hour tour.
A three hour tour.
The weather stared getting rough.
The tiny ship was tossed.
If not for the courage of the fearless crew,
the Minnow would be lost.
The Minnow would be lost.
The ship's aground on the shore of this uncharted desert isle.
With Gilligan, the skipper too, the millionaire and his wife,
The movie star and all the rest are here on Gilligan's Isle.

And of course the other classic

I'm Popeye the sailor man
I'm Popeye the sailor man
I'm strong to the finish
Cause I eats me spinach
I'm Popeye the sailor man.
I one tough Gazookus
which hates all Palookas
wots ain't on the up and square.
I biffs and buffs 'em and always out-roughs 'em
an none of 'em gits no where.
If anyone dasses to risk my fisk
It's Boff an' it's Wham, un'erstan?
So keep Good behav'or
that's your one life saver with Popeye the sailor man.

Probably the two most famous sea shanties around.

[Master Gunner L. SilverTongue]

and the 2 most responisble for Shanties to lose their different meanings and reasons behind them as well lol as shanties and other sailing songs were stress releavers and pulling or pushing songs to combine the whole strenght of the crew