Shanty of the week 10/25/11 - Paddy West

A grandiose plan to be sure, but I'll try to keep up with it. A shanty a week until I run out.

And since this is a family site (?), I'll follow in Stan's footsteps and try to keep it clean. But parental review is advised.

People often ask me how I became a sailor (not really, but work with me here). This shanty describes the process as well as I could:


Paddy West
Traditional? Capstan shanty?

I decided to go to sea, when I was 22
But bein' a farmer, for half me life, I didn't know what to do!
Then a sailor sez t'me “Paddy West, will show ya like he showed me
Cause there's one thing sure about Paddy West,...He's never been to sea!”

As I was walkin’ down London Street* I come to Paddy West’s house.
He gave me a feed of American hash and called it Liverpool ‘scouse.
He sez, “There’s a ship a-wantin’ hands, and on ‘er you’ll quickly sign.
Oh, the mate is a b*****d, the bosun’s worse, but she will suit you fine.”

CH: Take off your dungaree jacket, and give yerselves a rest,
And we’ll think of them cold nor’westers that we had at Paddy West’s.

Now when we’d finished our feed, me boys, the wind begin to blow.
Paddy sent me to the attic, the main royal for to stow.
But when I got to the attic, no main royal could I find
So I turned around to the winder and I furled the winder blind.

Now Paddy he pipes all hands on deck, their stations for to man.
His wife she stood in the doorway, a bucket in her hand;
And Paddy he cries, "Now let 'er rip!" and she throws the water our way,
Cryin' "Clew up yer fore t'gan'sl, boys, she's takin in the spray!"

Now seein’s we’re bound to the south’ard, boys, to Frisco we was bound,
Paddy, he takes out a length of rope and he lays it on the ground.
We all stepped over and back again, and he sez to me, “That’s fine!
If ever they ask, ‘Was you ever at sea?’ you can say you crossed the Line**.”

To every two men that graduates, I'll give one outfit free,
For two good men on watch at once, ye never need to see,
Oilskins, me boys, ye'll never want, carpet slippers made of felt,
I'll dish out to the pair o' you, and a rope yarn for a belt.

There's just one thing for you to do before you sail away,
Just step around the table, where the bullock's horn do lay
And if ever they ask "Were you ever at sea?" you can say "Ten times 'round the Horn"
And B’Jasus but you've been a sailor from the day that you was born.

LAST CH: Put on yer dungaree jacket, and walk out lookin' yer best,
And tell 'em that you're an old sailor man what's come from Paddy West's.

Paddy West was a legendary Liverpool boarding-house master (generally a polite term for a “crimp”), who, finding a shortage of experienced sailors, started his own “school of seamanship” so as to supply “experienced” seamen to outbound ships. The first verse is from Bob Zentz, who says, “I learned that Paddy verse from a Sailor in North Carolina in the 60's - never seen or heard it since....”

* or Great Howard Street, or your favorite sleazy waterfront street.

** the Equator