Print This Page#01857 Print This Page
Oh, I thought I heard the old man say,
Leave her, Johnny, leave her.
It's a hard old pull to the next payday,
It's time for us to leave her.
Leave her, Johnny, leave her,
Oh, leave her, Johnny, leave her.
Oh, the voyage is done and the winds don't blow,
It's time for us to leave her.
Now the winds were foul and the work was hard,
Leave her, Johnny, leave her.
From the Liverpool docks to the London yard,
It's time for us to leave her.
Leave her, Johnny, leave her,
Oh, leave her, Johnny, leave her.
Oh, the voyage is done and the winds don't blow,
It's time for us to leave her.
Now the skipper was bad but the mate was worse,
Leave her, Johnny, leave her.
He would cut you down with a swipe and a curse,
It's time for us to leave her.
Leave her, Johnny, leave her,
Oh, leave her, Johnny, leave her.
Oh, the voyage is done and the winds don't blow,
It's time for us to leave her.
Now it was rotten meat and moldy bread,
Leave her, Johnny, leave her.
You would eat it or you would starve to death,
And it's time for us to leave her.
Leave her, Johnny, leave her,
Oh, leave her, Johnny, leave her.
Oh, the voyage is done and the winds don't blow,
It's time for us to leave her.
Now it's time for us to say farewell,
Leave her, Johnny, leave her.
For now those pumps are all pumped dry,
And it's time for us to leave her.
Leave her, Johnny, leave her,
Oh, leave her, Johnny, leave her.
Oh, the voyage is done and the winds don't blow,
Now it's time for us to leave her.
This variant arranged by Wayne Chaulk of Buddy Wasisname And The Other Fellers (Up Boot, 2002).
See more songs by Buddy Wasisname And The Other Fellers.
This is an example of a bilge shanty which was only sung during the final round of pumping the ship dry once it was tied up at the end of a voyage.
The YouTube video above features an excellent cover performance by Ed Mulrooney of Grand Falls-Windsor, NL.
