Haul on the Bowline
One of the oldest and shortest of all sea shanties. "Haul on the Bowline" is a short-drag shanty, sung for quick, sharp pulls on a rope. The shantyman sings the verse and the crew hauls together on "HAUL!" Each verse is just one line, making it one of the simplest shanties to learn and one of the most effective for coordinating a burst of effort.
That said this song has evolved in my use to be really great for rowing. I originally learned a minor version on the Schooner J&E Riggin that is not the cheerful version that most people sing. I love that version but here is the way I learned it, something a lot closer to Haul Away, Joe. Even sharing the lyric set.
This version is great because of dense harmonic structures that have evolved while singing with my fellow rowers.
Lyrics
Haul on the bowline, can't you hear me calling,
Haul on the bowline, the bowline haul!
When I was a little boy, my mother always told me,
Haul on the bowline, the bowline haul!
If you do not kiss the girls, your lips will get all moldy,
Haul on the bowline, the bowline haul!
Haul on the bowline, we'll haul for better weather,
Haul on the bowline, the bowline haul!
Haul on the bowline, we'll heave all together,
Haul on the bowline, the bowline haul!
Haul on the bowline, heave away together now,
Haul on the bowline, the bowline haul!
Haul on the bowline, we'll haul for better weather now,
Haul on the bowline, the bowline haul!
King Louis was the king of France before the revolution,
Haul on the bowline, the bowline haul!
He got his head chopped off, spoiled his constitution,
Haul on the bowline, the bowline haul!
Haul on the bowline, can't you hear me calling,
Haul on the bowline, the bowline haul!
The bowline was a rope attached to the weather leech of a square sail, used to keep the edge of the sail steady when sailing close to the wind. The song dates back to at least the early 1600s, with references appearing in accounts of English sailing ships.
Sources
Roud 815
- Stan Hugill, Shanties from the Seven Seas (1961)
- Stan Hugill, Shanties and Sailors' Songs (1969)
- Joanna C. Colcord, Songs of American Sailormen (1938)
- Cecil Sharp, English Folk-Chanteys (1914)
- W.B. Whall, Sea Songs and Shanties (1910)
- Richard Runciman Terry, The Shanty Book (1921)
- Frederick Pease Harlow, Chanteying Aboard American Ships (1962)
Notable Recordings
- A.L. Lloyd, Leviathan! (1967)
- Ewan MacColl and A.L. Lloyd, Blow Boys Blow (1967)
- X Seamen's Institute, various recordings
- The Longest Johns, various recordings