Shenandoah, My Bully Boy [Sea Chantey from Guyana]

From Frank Bullen and W.F. Arnold's "Songs of Sea Labor." Bullen recalls hearing this capstan/windlass shanty on the Demerara River of Georgetown, Guyana from a crew of "amazing negroes who, not content with flinging their bodies about as the hove at the winch, sang as if their lives depended upon maintaining the volume of sound at the same time, while the sweat ran in rivulets down their shining black bodies." He opines that they were not in common usage.

The tune and title is strikingly similar to Hatfield's "Shiny-O"; I'd be shocked if there were not some relation.

Bullen only gives one verse, and I filled in the rest with a couple I improvised a few minutes before recording. They're a rather disparate whole, ranging in theme from religious revelation to William Tecumseh Sherman.

Oh Shenandoh my bully boy I long to hear you holler
I lub ter bring er tot er rum en see ye make a swoller

Oh Shenandoh my bully boy I long to hear you calling
OhShenandoh my bully boy I long to hear you bawling

I thought that I would go to sea to do the work of men, boys
But all I found is rats with clap won't heave the capstan round, boys

God struck me dead and I saw his face and knew that I was saved
I saw his face I saw his son in flames and glory wreathed

I spent my time a-picking bales down on the old plantation
But Uncle Billy and all his men they brought me my salvation

But now I's working for little pay bound outwards to Demara
I'll strike out for Yankee land and fare you well forever

Category:

Music

Tags:

• Shenandoah
• Shenandoh
• African
• Chantey
• Shanty
• Bullen
• Arnold
• Georgetown

[hultonclint]

YES! Right on. I'm glad you finally expanded it. Great chanty. And I don't think it's been "revived" by anyone previously.