Digital Tradition Mirror

Blow the Man Down

(This score available as ABC, SongWright, PostScript, PNG, or PMW, or a MIDI file)
Pennywhistle notation and Dulcimer tab for this song is also available

Blow the Man Down

Oh, blow the man down, bullies, blow the man down
     To me way aye blow the man down
Oh, blow the man down, bullies, blow him away,
     Give me some time to blow the man down!

As I was a walking down Paradise Street
A pretty young damsel I chanced for to meet.

She was round in the counter and bluff in the bow,
So I took in all sail and cried, "Way enough now."

So I tailed her my flipper and took her in tow,
And yardarm to yardarm away we did go.

But as we were going she said unto me,
"There's a spanking full-rigger just ready for sea."
But as soon as that packet was clear of the bar,
The mate knocked me down with the end of a spar.

It's starboard and larboard on deck you will sprawl,
For Kicking Jack Williams commands the Black Ball.

So I give you fair warning before we belay,
Don't ever take head of what pretty girls say.

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Probably the most famous of the halyard shanties.  The old melody
rarely varies, but there are many different versions of the
words.
DC

Thanks to Mudcat for the Digital Tradition!