{"id":5605,"date":"2021-06-13T10:30:42","date_gmt":"2021-06-13T14:30:42","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/thejovialcrew.com\/?page_id=5605"},"modified":"2021-06-13T10:31:06","modified_gmt":"2021-06-13T14:31:06","slug":"the-east-indiaman","status":"publish","type":"page","link":"https:\/\/thejovialcrew.com\/?page_id=5605","title":{"rendered":"The East Indiaman"},"content":{"rendered":"

Here\u2019s a \u201croof-raiser\u201d that is most recently associated with the wonderful singer\/song-writer Tom Lewis<\/a> and one he recorded on his album \u201cMixed Cargo<\/a>\u201d. He tells of having learned this song from Johnny Collins, who in turn had collected it from Keith Kendrick, and who had found it in a BBC publication for songs to be sung at school \u201cSing Together\u201d (one issue of many published annually, it seems, under the same name for the same purpose but featuring different sings each time). It is unknown as to who actually composed this song although it is attributed to \u201can old Royal Navy tar\u201d and was entitled \u201cThe Illy Ally Oh\u201d.\u00a0 There is already a children\u2019s nursery rhyme song that the Clancy Brothers pointed out from their youth in which the \u201cilly ally oh<\/a>\u201d was a metaphor for the sea. \u201cThere\u2019s a big ship sailing on the illy ally oh; the illy ally oh; the illy ally oh\u2026\u201d \u00a0Some sources point to the \u201cally\u201d as the Atlantic Ocean specifically.\u00a0 Perhaps in order to make the distinction is why Tom refers to it as \u201cThe East Indiaman\u201d.<\/p>\n

Jos. Morneault<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

Many’s the time I’ve sung this song when the wind’s been blowing half-a-gale,
\nHoisting up a yard or shaking out a reef or hauling on the sheets of a sail,
\nI’ve shipped on board of a man-of-war, in the Merchant Service too,
\nI’ve fought for m’ King and m’ country while I’ve sailed on the ocean blue.<\/p>\n

Chorus:<\/em><\/strong>
\nIlly, ally, illy, ally, oh – cheerily, boys, cheerily,
\nBend your backs and give a pull, cheerily I say (I say!),
\nWith a long pull and a strong pull we’ll haul away together, boys,
\nBelay every inch of that, belay, boys, belay.<\/em><\/p>\n

On a bright May day we sailed away on a big East India ship,
\nThough it’s many, many years ago, m’ boys, I’ll not forget that trip,
\nWe said “goodbye” to Portsmouth quay, to Susan, Kate and Jane,
\nAnd we hadn’t been a’sailing but an hour or more when we joined in the old refrain:<\/p>\n

Now I’m back from the sea again, gonna’ put down m’ roots on the shore,
\nHave a bit of a spell with m’ long-haired gel, she’s the one I do adore,
\nBut there’s no doubt, should a war break-out, and seamen be required again,
\nI’ll join with m’ crew, m’ duty for to do and we’ll join in the old refrain.<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n