Noah's Ark Shanty
In Frisco Bay there were three ships
To me way, hay, hay-oh
In Frisco Bay there were three ships
A long time ago
And one of them was Noah's old ark
All covered all o'er wi' hickory bark
They took two animals of every kind (2x)
The bull and the cow they started for t' row (2x)
Then said old Noah with a flick of his whip
"Come stop this row or I'll scuttle the ship"
But the bull struck his arm through the side of the ark
And the little black dog he started fer t' bark
So Noah took the dog, shoved his nose up the hole
And ever since then dogs' nose has been cold.
It's a long long time and a very long time
A long long time and a very long time
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recorded by Swan Arcade on "Voices. Traditional English Songs" (1991)
"(This shanty) is interesting because (a) as an aetiological work song
it is probably unique in the English Tradition (and) (b) it was collected
by the greatest of the folk song collectors, Cecil Sharp on the 3rd June,
1914 from Capt. Hole, of Watchet, Somerset (the famous Watchet sailor!)"
- Paul Adams
MJ
Thanks to Mudcat for the Digital Tradition!