List of Songs Not on a CD ~ Songs of Mike Kennedy Home Page
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A ship was built in Glasgow, and oh, she looked the daisy –
Just the way some ships do,
And the only thing against her was she steered so crazy.
And it’s true, my Johnny Bowline, true.
They sent her out in ballast to Oregon for lumber…
And before she dropped her pilot she all but lost her number…
They sold her into Norway because she steered so funny…
And they nearly went to glory before they drawed their money…
They sold her out of Norway – they sold her into Chile…
And Chile got a bargain because she steered so silly…
They chartered her to Germany with a bunch of greasers forward…
Old shellbacks wouldn’t touch her because she steered so horrid…
They set a course for Bremen with contraband inside her…
And she might have got there sometime if a cruiser hadn’t spied her…
She nearly drowned her boarders because she cut such capers…
But they found she was a German by inspection of her papers…
So they put a crew aboard her, which was both right and lawful…
And the prize crew had a picnic because she steered so awful…
But they brought her into Kirkwall, and then they said, ”Lord Lumme…
As I ever seen a hooker that steered so kind o’ rummy…"
But she’ll fetch her price at auction, because she looks the daisy…
And the chap that tops the bidding won’t know she steers so crazy.
And it’s true my Johnny Bowline, true,
And it’s true my Johnny Bowline, true!
From Sea Songs and Ballads 1917-22, edited by Cicely Fox Smith,
published by Houghton Mifflin Co., New York, US, ©1924, pp. 135-136
A ship was built in Glasgow, and oh, she looked a daisy —
(Just the way that some ships do!)
An' the only thing against her was she allus steered so crazy,
(An' it's true, my Johnnie Bowline, true!)
They sent 'er out in ballast to Oregon for lumber,
An' before she dropped 'er pilot she all but lost 'er number.
They sold 'er into Norway because she steered so funny,
An' she nearly went to glory before they drawed the money.
They sold 'er out o' Norway — they sold 'er into Chile,
And Chile got a bargain because she sailed so silly.
They chartered 'er to Germans with a bunch o' greasers forrard:
Old shellbacks wouldn't touch 'er because she steered so 'orrid.
She set a course for Bremen with contraband inside 'er,
An' she might 'ave got there sometime if a cruiser 'adn't spied 'er.
She nearly drowned the boarders because she cut such capers,
But they found she was German through inspectin' of her papers.
So they put a crew aboard 'er, which was both right an' lawful,
An' the prize crew 'ad a picnic because she steered so awful.
But they brought 'er into Kirkwall, an' then they said "Lord lumme,
If I ever see an 'ooker as steered so kind o' rummy!"
But she fetched 'er price at auction, for oh, she looks a daisy
(Just the way that some ships do!)
An' the chap as tops the biddin' won't know she steers so crazy,
(But it's true, my Johnnie Bowline, true!)
Tune by Mike Kennedy, ©2012, recorded 10/29/12
Published earlier in SMALL CRAFT, ©1917.
First published in PUNCH magazine, Volume 152, June 20, 1917, p. 404.
This World War 1 poem is modeled after the traditional sea shanty "Do Me Johnny Bowker, Do" and should be a real rouser to sing. The chorus lines in parentheses, which were Miss Fox Smith's own lines, would of course be incorporated in every verse.