{"id":2166,"date":"2014-06-08T09:05:13","date_gmt":"2014-06-08T13:05:13","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/thejovialcrew.com\/?page_id=2166"},"modified":"2024-06-21T11:56:06","modified_gmt":"2024-06-21T15:56:06","slug":"my-jolly-sailor-bold","status":"publish","type":"page","link":"https:\/\/thejovialcrew.com\/?page_id=2166","title":{"rendered":"My Jolly Sailor Bold"},"content":{"rendered":"

This is a wonderful love song\/ballad that relates to a sailor from the perspective of the lady involved.\u00a0 It has gained much popularity of late due to its use in the fourth movie (On Stranger Tides) of the universally enjoyed Pirates of the Caribbean franchise.\u00a0 In doing some research, I found that the song is pretty well referred to by every blogger as a \u201csea chantey\u201d or \u201csea shanty\u201d.\u00a0 I must state firmly that it is not and never was a sea chantey\/shanty!<\/em><\/strong>\u00a0 Nor is it associated with pirates and the like. To reiterate \u2013 a sea chantey is a call and response work song designed to coordinate the efforts of a ship\u2019s crew, and this does not have the structure to be utilized as such.\u00a0 More to the point, it seems that everyone hearing any song relating to the sea seems to think it is called a \u201csea chantey\u201d and I am really surprised no one has yet tagged the opening theme to \u201cThe Love Boat\u201d as yet another \u201csea chantey\u201d\u2026 Or maybe they have and I have yet to hear of it.<\/p>\n

In any event, the British Library informs me that they have (shelfmark C.116.i.1) ‘Creeping Jane. My jolly Sailor Bold’ as published in London c.1850, although I still have yet to see a scan of it.\u00a0 Not withstanding the scanned broadside ballads versions, the earliest version in print<\/em> that I have seen is in the book \u201cReal Sailor Songs\u201d by John Ashton, 1891.\u00a0 He does not<\/em> denote that the song dates from that period; rather John Ashton makes it clear that he was collection \u201cold sailor songs\u201d of a certain age rather than anything of recent vintage.\u00a0 However, it is difficult to settle on a specific date; it has the hallmarks of a vaudeville or music hall composition, and it has been published in multiple broadside bills: see the Bodleian Library here<\/a>.\u00a0 The one that suggests the tune of “Irish Molly” is referring to an older, slower melody than the jump-up version performed by the more recent Irish song groups.<\/p>\n

A delightful version most recently released is sung by Danny Spooner in his 2014 CD \u201cSailors\u2019 Consolation\u201d (see below) in which he sings it in D major instead of the darker minor keys most people seem to sing it in since it was featured in the Pirates of the Caribbean: On Stranger Tides (2011).\u00a0 In the credits it’s arranged by John DeLuca, Dave Giuli and Matt Sullivan, and sung by Gemma Ward who portrayed the mermaid Tamara.\u00a0 It really is a sweeter song of love with no murder or disaster, so it seems to be better served in a brighter key. The general public might be more acquainted with the Ashley Serena cover of the song, and I have seen her credited with being the composer, but this is erroneous.<\/p>\n

Jos. Morneault<\/p>\n

\"Detail<\/a>

Detail from the book “Real Sailor Songs” by John Ashton, 1891.<\/p><\/div>\n

D\u00a0\u00a0 G\u00a0\u00a0 A\u00a0 D\u00a0 <\/span><\/b>(lead in)<\/span><\/p>\n

\u00a0\u00a0 \u00a0 D\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 \u00a0G\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 D\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 G\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 A\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 G\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 D<\/span><\/b>
\nUpon one summer’s morning as I carelessly did stray,
\n<\/span><\/i>\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 \u00a0\u00a0 D\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 G\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 A\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 G\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 A<\/span><\/b>
\nDown by the wall of Wapping, where I met a sailor gay,
\n<\/span><\/i>\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 D\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 G\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 A\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 G\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 A<\/span><\/b>
\nConversing with a bouncing lass, who seem’d to be in pain,
\n<\/span><\/i>\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 D\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 G\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 D\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 G\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 A\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 G\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 D\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 G\u00a0 D\u00a0 A (bridge)<\/span><\/b>
\nSaying, \u201cWilliam, when you go I fear you\u2019ll not return again.\u201d
\n<\/span>
\n<\/span><\/i>
\n\u00a0<\/span><\/i>
\n
\n His hair it did in ringlets hang, his eyes as black as sloes<\/a>,
\n<\/span> May happiness attend on him wherever that he goes,
\n<\/span> From Tower Hill, down to Blackwall, she\u2019ll wander, weep, and moan,
\n<\/span> All for her jolly sailor bold, until he does return.
\n<\/span>
\n<\/span> Her father is a merchant and the truth to you I\u2019ll tell,
\n<\/span> And in great <\/span>London <\/span>City<\/span> in opulence doth dwell,
\n<\/span> His fortune doth exceed \u00a3300,000 in gold,
\n<\/span> And he frowns upon his daughter, for she loves a sailor bold.
\n<\/span>
\n<\/span> But a fig for his riches, all his merchandise, and gold!<\/span><\/i>
\nTrue love is grafted in her heart; she loves her sailor bold;
\n<\/span>Should he return in poverty, from o’er the seas so far,
\n<\/span> Onto her tender bosom will she press her jolly tar.
\n<\/span>
\n<\/span> Her sailor is as smiling as the pleasant month of May,
\n<\/span> And oftimes they have wandered all through <\/span>Ratcliffe Highway<\/a><\/span>,
\n<\/span> Where many a pretty blooming girl they happy did behold,
\n<\/span> Reclining on the bosoms of\u00a0their jolly sailors bold.
\n<\/span>
\n<\/span> So come all you pretty fair maids, whoever that you be,
\n<\/span> Who love a jolly sailor bold that ploughs the raging sea,
\n<\/span> While up aloft, in storm and gale, from you his absence mourn,
\n<\/span> And firmly pray, God speed the day, he home will safe return.
\n<\/span>
\n<\/span> Her name it is Maria, she\u2019s a merchant’s daughter fair,
\n<\/span> She\u2019s left her home and family and three thousand pounds a year,
\n<\/span> Her heart is pierced by Cupid\u2019s dart; she shuns all glittering gold,
\n<\/span> And there\u2019s nothing can console her but her jolly sailor bold.<\/span><\/i><\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

\u00a0How I love Gemma Louise Ward!<\/span><\/i>
\n