CHAPTER 1: THE VOYAGE BEGINS
Aboard the SKALLYWAG
Captain: John G
First Mate: Jan G
Shady Harbour marina, Catskill, NY
"The John B. Sails" is a folk song that first appeared in a 1917
American novel, "Pieces of Eight", written by Richard Le Gallienne.
The "secret" narrator of the story describes it as "one of the quaint Nassau ditties,"
the first verse and chorus of which are:
Come on the sloop John B.
My grandfather and me,
Round Nassau town we did roam;
Drinking all night, ve got in a fight,
Ve feel so break-up, ve vant to go home.
(Chorus)
So h'ist up the John B. sails,
See how the mainsail set,
Send for the captainshore, let us go home,
Let me go home, let me go home,
I feel so break-up, I vant to go home.
Creator Le Gallienne, Richard, 1866-1947
Title Pieces of Eight
Language English
EText-No. 17741
Release Date 2006-02-10
Copyright Status Not copyrighted in the United States.
Base Directory http://www.gutenberg.org/files/17741/17741-h/17741-h.htm
PIECES OF EIGHT
PROLOGUE
Out of the constant East the breeze
Brings morning, like a wafted rose,
Across the glimmering lagoon,
And wakes the still palmetto trees,
And blows adrift the phantom moon,
That paler and still paler glows
Up with the anchor! let's be going!
O hoist the sail! and let's be going!
Glory and glee
Of the morning sea
Ah! let's be going!
Under our keel a glass of dreams
Still fairer than the morning sky,
A jewel shot with blue and gold,
The swaying clearness streams and gleams,
A crystal mountain smoothly rolled
O'er magic gardens flowing by
Over we go the sea-fans waving,
Over the rainbow corals paving
The deep-sea floor;
No more, no more
Would I seek the shore
To make my grave in
O sea-fans waving!
=============
THE JOHN B SAILS
Lee Hays/Carl Sandburg
We come on the sloop John B, my grandfather and me.
Around Nassau town we did roam.
Drinkin' all night. Got into a fight.
Well, I feel so break up, I want to go home.
(I want to go home. So now,)
Chorus:
Hoist up the John B's sails.
See how the main sails set.
Call for the captain ashore, let me go home.
(Let me go home.)
Let me go home.
( I want to go home.) I want to go home.
(Why don't you let me go home?)
Well, I feel so break up, I want to go home.
(I want to go home.)
First mate, he got drunk.
Broke up the people's trunk.
Constable had to come and take him away.
Sheriff John Stone (Sheriff John Stone),
why don't you leave me alone?
(Why don't you leave me alone?)
Well, I feel so break up, I want to go home.
(I want to go home. So, now)
(Chorus)
Well, the poor cook he caught the fits.
Throw away all of my grits.
Then he took and he ate up all of my corn.
Let me go home. (I want to go home.)
I want to go home.
(Why don't you let me go home?)
This is the worst trip since I've been born.
(Since I have been born. So, now)
(Chorus)
Hoist up the John B's sails.
(John B. sails)
See how the main sails set.
(Main sails set.)
Call for the captain ashore, let me go home.
(Let me go home.)
Let me go home. (I want to go home.)
I want to go home.
(Why don't you let me go home?)
Well, I feel so break up, I want to go home.
(I want to go home.)
Kingston Trio Sloop John B lyrics
==============
Jimmie Rodgers
WRECK OF THE JOHN B
We come on the sloop John B
My grandfather and me,
'Round Nassau town we did roam
Drinking all night, we got into a fight
I feel so breakup, I want to go home
So hoist up the John B sails
See how the mains'l's set,
Send for the captain ashore,
Let me go home
Let me go home
Let me go home
I feel so breakup
I want to go home
The first mate he got drunk,
Broke up the people's trunk
Constable had to come and take him away,
Sheriff Johnstone, please let me alone
I fell so breakup, I want to go home.
So hoist up the John B sails
See how the mains'l's set,
Send for the captain ashore,
Let me go home
Let me go home
Let me go home
I feel so breakup
I want to go home
The stewardess she got stewed,
Ran 'round the poop deck nude
Constable had to come and take her away
Sheriff Johnstone please let me alone
I feel so breakup, I want to to home
So hoist up the John B sails
See how the mains'l's set,
Send for the captain ashore,
Let me go home
Let me go home
Let me go home
I feel so breakup
I want to go home
==========
BEACH BOYS: PET SOUNDSSLOOP JOHN B
We'll come on the sloop john b
My grandfather and me
Around Nassau town we did roam
Drinking all night
Got into a fight
Well I feel so broke up
I want to go home
So hoist up the john b's sail
See how the mainsail sets
Call for the captain ashore
Let me go home, let me go home
I wanna go home, yeah yeah
Well I feel so broke up
I wanna go home
The first mate he got drunk
And broke in the capns trunk
The constable had to come and take him away
Sheriff john stone
Why dont you leave me alone, yeah yeah
Well I feel so broke up I wanna go home
So hoist up the john bs sail
See how the mainsail sets
Call for the captain ashore
Let me go home, let me go home
I wanna go home, let me go home
Why dont you let me go home
(hoist up the john bs sail)
Hoist up the john b
I feel so broke up I wanna go home
Let me go home
The poor cook he caught the fits
And threw away all my grits
And then he took and he ate up all of my corn
Let me go home
Why dont they let me go home
This is the worst trip Ive ever been on
So hoist up the john bs sail
See how the mainsail sets
Call for the captain ashore
Let me go home, let me go home
I wanna go home, let me go home
Why dont you let me go home