Sea Shanties: Homeward Bound
In sailing-ship days this song was a prime favourite and was sung all the world over.
From: Unknown To: 1913 C.E.
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In sailing-ship days this song was a prime favourite and was sung all the world over. In American ships you might hear it begun with:—
"To Pensacola town I'll bid adieu,
To my lovely Kate and pretty Sue."
Homeward Bound. Images from book, by Veronica Whall.
Sunderland "Jamie" would sing—
"At the Sunderland docks I'll bid adieu,"
and so on round all our seaports.
The version here given is the London one. The "Dog and Bell" is probably legendary, for it appears in most versions; but whereas the American sang of "Mother Langley," the Londoner sang of "Old Grouse," a celebrity unknown to me; possibly he, too was legendary, for "grouse" (to growl) was a common sea word in those days, as it still is in the army. Malabar is evidently chosen for the sake of the rhyme; any foreign port would have done as well.
Songs Harmonized by R. H. Whall.
The wind it blows from the East-North-East,
Our ship she sails nine knots at least,
Our roaring guns we'll well supply,
And while we have powder never say die.
And say we're outward bound, etc.
And when we get to Malabar,
Or some other port not quite so far,
Our captain will our wants supply,
And while we've grub we'll never say die.
And say we're outward bound, etc.
Then at last our captain comes on board,
Our sails are bent, we're manned and stored,
The Peter's hoisted at the fore,
Good-bye to the girls we'll see no more.
For we are homeward bound, etc.
One day the man on the look-out,
Proclaims a sail with a joyful shout.
Can you make her out? I think I can,
She's a pilot standing out from the land.
Hurrah, we're homeward bound, etc.
Now when we get. to the Blackwall Docks,
The pretty young girls come down in flocks;
One to the other you'll hear them say,
"O, here comes Jack with his ten months' pay.
For I see you're homeward bound, etc.
And when we get to the Dog and Bell,
It's there they've got good liquor to sell,
In comes old Grouse with a smile,
Saying, "Drink, my boys, it's worth your while."
For I see you're homeward bound, etc.
But when the money's all gone and spent,
And there's none to be borrowed and none to be lent,
In comes old Grouse with a frown,
Saying, "Get up, Jack, let John sit down."
For I see you're outward bound, etc.
Then poor old Jack must understand
There's ships in docks all wanting hands;
So he goes on board as he did before,
And bids adieu to his native shore.
For he is outward bound, etc.
Whall, W. B. Ships, Sea Songs and Shanties. James Brown & Son, 1913.
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