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NOW THAT'S WHAT I CALL SEA SHANTIES Vol II

by Wellington Sea Shanty Society

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  • Full Digital Discography

    Get all 6 Wellington Sea Shanty Society releases available on Bandcamp and save 35%.

    Includes unlimited streaming via the free Bandcamp app, plus high-quality downloads of Sea Shanties of the 70s, 80s and Today!, Ahoy!, Now That's What I Call A Sea Shanty Podcast, NOW THAT'S WHAT I CALL SEA SHANTIES Vol II, NOW THAT'S WHAT I CALL SEA SHANTIES vol. 1, and The Cook Strait Demos. , and , .

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  • Limited Edition CD
    Compact Disc (CD) + Digital Album

    Classic jewel case CD with insert featuring the lyrics to the original shanties and how to play them on the guitar. PLUS a couple of WSSS tattoos! (while stocks last)

    Includes unlimited streaming of NOW THAT'S WHAT I CALL SEA SHANTIES Vol II via the free Bandcamp app, plus high-quality download in MP3, FLAC and more.

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1.
Dm The corsaire the grand coureur a vessel of disaster when the fleet leave the shore in pursuit of enemy F G C The wind, the waves, and the war G Am Dm turn against these men of sea D C'mon all hands hooray C'mon all hands hoorah! From Lorient to the great seas with good waves and good breeze it tacks to portside fast navigates the way with ease. But alas a gust strikes the mast Behold the state of our spars! We must repair for the race hoist the sails at a pace whilst we work with good cheer Look to the starboard, sail ho! And sure enough a great ship appears Carronades signal our foe It was an English ship it's true with gunports and deadly crew a trader in human souls but we French know not fear. Yes we will fight till the death knell toll The battle's why we're here. With heavy fire danger grows we return them blow for blow and the beards of the brave are steaming in the fight. And then a mist does drown us like a wave And the enemy take flight! INSTRUMENTAL And our swag after 6 months? just three times they breached our front a fleet full of such loot half-wrecked and but no defeat. One boat was filled with empty boots Another packed with rotten meat! For the battles yet to come we got feasts second to none we've rancid lard & beans vinegar in lieu of wine. Rotten sea bread fit for a queen A dose of camphor rise & shine! If the story of grand coureur does cause your heart to stir we’ve one request, it's sincere to drink, drink away. Be it wine, be it rum, be it beer Privateers will cheer hooray!
2.
*Capo 3rd fret Em Content to feast on man or beast G they call him Cannibal Jack You got the thirst the grog he make will put you flat on your back He liked to fight he fought to kill he learned to cover his tracks Be you warrior be you sailor none escape his wrath Those folk who know they know to hide they see the dark top hat So all you children get to bed before the sky turn black Em D “Lost faith in C D my own race C D Em there’s no honour in their hearts found more truthfulness of man in these people of the land”
3.
Chorus Em D C D Em Em D C Am Em Em From these marks I earn my keep D I cannot work still I must eat C and when I look into the glass Am for my family I weep Born a sailor, born to work down here they use me as a clerk The sea it called, a call I heed from Sydney’s shores I promptly fleed Em D C With Captain Brown mastered my trade D Em of flax and guns and regions gained C I learned the language of the coast Am within one year I earned a post A stranger in Mahia one hundred miles from Pakeha I slept my musket by my side I feared each hour for my life. I earned the trust of tribe and chief my spirit grew, I gained belief And so to bind me to the land the chief offered his daughter’s hand A ship was sent from Sydney town with word I was to be shut down For my friends and world I grieved my wife with child I wouldn’t leave It was time of war and death my iwi swore they would protect Pledged my honour to my tribe fought with my brothers by my side Armed with slaves in search of flax one night Ngai Te Rangi attacked We fought till every man was beaten all but I was killed and eaten The rival chief pled that I stay, that I fight, and that I trade The jealous said they’d eat my heart they called for proof I’d play my part For seven days they cut my face then in the rain I fled in haste Cries of joy when I appeared musket shots revenge declared 100 toa I lead to war in the siege of Kekeparaoa And with my moko entire a rangatira or a liar Two years I lived in happiness the likes I will forever miss Then the sea it called a call I heed for this I’m cursed and now I bleed The Bardester of Liverpool would make land make me a fool Sydney bound my wife I left of brothers and of sons bereft Every night I sell this story for the coin more than the glory No man’s known more regret those distant islands haunt me yet And the sea keeps us apart across the sea I left my heart...
4.
CHORUS  well it's All For Me Grog me jolly jolly grog all for me beer and tobacco well I spent all me tin on the ladies drinkin gin across the South Pacific I will wander Well it's all for me boots me noggin noggin boots gone for me beer and tobacco well the heels are worn ot and the toes are kicked about and the sole is lookin out for better weather  CHORUS well it's all for me shirt me noggin noggin shirt all for me beer and tobacco well the collar it is worn and the sleeves they are all torn the tail is looking out for better weather  CHORUS Well I'm sick in the head and I haven't been to bed since I've been ashore for me slumber well I spent all me dough on the ladies don't ye know across the western ocean I will wander  CHORUS 
5.
*Capo 3rd fret Em D Em I was born 10th of 10 in a town by the sea Em D And my father's heart died when my mother A died bearing me Em G A Dragged up in sorrow and always alone G Bm Still my heart did beat and my limbs did grow Em Yo Ho Em D And when he'd grown tired of beating Em me blue Em D My father said “I know who'll know what A to do with you” Em G A And off I was bundled to the Reverend's school G Dm Where the bullies were brutal F# B And the teacher was cruel G Bm And the switch did swing and the tears did flow Em Yo Ho Five years I suffered and fagged and was flogged In the name of an absent and furious god And I learned how to spell and I learned how to hide And the bruises did heal but the scars did show Yo Ho And it came in the spring of my eleventh year That I’d had all the beatings that one boy could bear And I leapt out my window and ran through the night With my hands all a-shake and heart pounding with fright And the fear did spur and my heels did fly Yo Ho Plymouth’s ten miles from the place of my birth But I wanted to run to the ends of the earth So I hobbled on broken feet down to the docks Where the night ladies flirt and the cutpurses flock Yo Ho I chose the first unguarded ship that I found And I boarded though I knew not where she was bound And I huddled my bones in a lifeboat astern And I swore I’d not move, though the whole ship should burn Till the anchors did weigh and the horizon did grow Yo Ho Three days from shore I was found by the crew Huddled and starving and too weak to move And I asked them all if I was going to die And they told me “That’s for Captain Cook to decide” Yo Ho He said “By rights I should cast you straight overboard You’re a spare mouth to feed that we can ill afford But I’ll see that you’re fed if you’ll see that you earn it And I pray for your sake you’ll be quick to learn For the sea loves to feed on a sailor that’s slow” Yo Ho Now I’ve toiled like a dog from that day to this I’ve seen times so hard that I tell you I’ve missed even The rod of the Reverend and my father’s fists When the cold waves did tower and the killer winds did blow Yo Ho I’ve looked on in horror as not once but twice That mad captain drove us through oceans of ice And he’d not change his order and he’d heed no advice Though the sails set solid and the ropes were like iron And the frozen air filled with the groans of the dying Yo Ho I’ve seen men marooned, glad to watch us set sail I’ve seen a princess held hostage, seen spears fly like hail I’ve seen good men go under while bad men prevail Still my heart does beat and my limbs do grow Yo Ho I was born 10th of 10 in a town by the sea And my father’s heart died when my mother died bearing me My heart still lives, and it longs to be home And it fears that I’m destined forever to roam Where the cold waves tower and the killer winds blow Yo Ho
6.
Come all you sealers and listen to me, COME DOWN YOU BLOOD RED ROSES COME DOWN A lovely song I'll sing to thee, COME DOWN YOU BLOOD RED ROSES COME DOWN It was in 1803 COME DOWN YOU BLOOD RED ROSES COME DOWN That we set sail for the Southern Sea Oh you Pinks and Posies Come down you blood red roses come down!
7.
*Capo 3rd fret D Em C Well a ship brought him from a far away land D Em C Where the labour worked in 14 hour stands He docked in a place they called end of sand & he said to Mary he’d thought himself a plan D Em We’re not in London now D C D We will not let them take all the light of our days C It could be 8 hours that we work here D 8 hours for to sleep Em C 8 hours with the family and the company you keep As the boats sailed in to Port Nicholson Sam Parnell gone welcomed all of them And he called on all the women and all the men To never work more than 8 hours again We’re not in London now It must be on these terms or be thrown in sea! Yes it’s 8 hours that we work here 8 hours for to sleep 8 hours with the family and the company you keep
8.
Dry Land 04:45
G F C G C When your skin is as dry and as cracked as old leather G F C Haul away all hands C And your eyes are burned red by the rum and the weather G F C Haul away to dry land C E Dry land, boys, dry land Am F It’s the only place for a man C If I should die while I roam G C Bury my bones on dry land When the rum’s spun your head till you think down is up Haul away all hands And the devil wants paying for your last round of luck Haul away to dry land Dry land, boys, dry land It’s the only safe place to stand If I should die while I roam Bury my bones on dry land
9.
NZ Whales 02:47
Come all of you whalemen who are cruising for sperm, Come all of you seamen who have rounded Cape Horm; For our captain has told us, and he says out of hand: There's a thousand whales off th' coast of New Zealand/ Twas early one morning just as the sun rose That a voice from the masthead cried out "There she blow". Our captain cried "Where away and how does he lay?" "Three points on our lee sir, scarce two mile away." Then call up all hands and be of good cheer, Get your lines and your rowboats and tackle-falls clear/ We sailed off the westwind and came up apace, The whaleboats were lowered and set on the chase/ We fought him alongside, harpoon we thrust in. In just over an hour he rolled out his fin. The whale is cut in boys, tried-out and stowed down, He's worth more to us boys than five hundred pound. Our ship it is laden for home we will steer, There's plenty of rum boys and plenty of beer. We'll spend money freely for pretty girls ashore And when it's all gone we'll go whaling for more!
10.
Heel ya ho, boys, let her go, boys Heave her head round to the weather Heel ya ho, boys, let her go, boys Sailing homeward to Mingulay What care we though white the spray is What care we for the wind and weather Heel ya ho, boys, let her go, boys Sailing homeward to Mingulay Heel ya ho, boys, let her go, boys Heave her head round to the weather Heel ya ho, boys, let her go, boys Sailing homeward to Mingulay Wives are waiting by the pierhead Or looking seaward from the heather Heave her round boys and we'll anchor Ere the sun sets on Mingulay Heel ya ho, boys, let her go, boys Heave her head round to the weather Heel ya ho, boys, let her go, boys Sailing homeward to Mingulay

about

In 2013 the W.S.S.S made waves with their first album - the Sunday Star Times called it "probably the best dance album of the year". Now, on June 29, 2015 the group will release a new collection of spume-filled anthems: NOW THAT’S WHAT I CALL SEA SHANTIES Vol II.

Vol II sees the band exploring their NZ heritage and showcases the salty songwriting talent of Vorn and Lake. The album features 5 original songs that ‘shantify’ the stories of NZ historical figures such as Sam Parnell (credited with establishing the 8 hour working day in NZ), ‘Young Nick’ (supposedly awarded 5 gallons of rum by James Cook for sighting the promontory that would be named after him), and early European ‘Pakeha Maori’ Jacky Marmon (‘Cannibal Jack’) and George White (aka Barnett Burns).

With the translation of French classic ‘Le Corsaire Le Grand Coureur’, the South Pacific remix of ‘All For Me Grog’, and reworking of sealing classic ‘Blood Red Roses’, NOW THAT’S WHAT I CALL SEA SHANTIES Vol II is truly a meaningful addition to sea song canon.

credits

released June 29, 2015

Kia ora:
Friends and family, Croche Dedans (without whom we would not exist), Sprig & Fern Tinakori Rd, Southern Cross Bar, Rogue & Vagabond, Matthew and Golden Dawn crew, Radio stations that play us, and people who come to our shows and buy our music. Ahoy!

All songs recorded and mixed by Lake South and Vorn Colgan. All instruments played by Vorn Colgan and Lake South except violin by Su Keates and flute by Jess
Bilton.

Mastered by Joshua Lynn at Thinkt Studios

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Wellington Sea Shanty Society Wellington, New Zealand

Aotearoa New Zealand's Most 'Sea Worthy' Shanty Group™

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