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| On 9 September 1813, the United States frigate USS PRESIDENT, Commodore John Rodgers, on his way home after a cruise, when a little to the southward of Nantucket, fell in with the 5-gun British schooner HMS HIGHFLYER, tender to HMS SAN DOMINGO, 74 guns, commanded by Second Lieutenant William Hutchinson. By passing as a British frigate and sending a lieutenant dressed in a British uniform on board her, Commodore Rodgers succeeded in getting the book of private British signals and the stations of the different British men-of-war on the American coast. Taking his measures accordingly he was able, on the same day, to enter unobserved into the harbor of Newport, Rhode Island. (Source) |
Now you might, if ye're not of a nautical bent, wonder what the title of this here post is all about. Well ...
“While ashore, sailors did like to go out drinking, usually in groups. And they may not all have the same capacity for drink, leading to one sailor becoming incapacitated, or “bully”, while his mates were still willing to party on. Until they were all ready to go back to the ship, they would have to stash their mate someplace safe and out of the way — like the alley.” (Source)
Geez, sailors ... (Trust me, airmen are worse. In my experience, maybe it was just me ...) Anyhoo, there's a delightful sea shanty by that name. Help me Bob ...
Why yes, I have been "bully in the alley," once or twice. Of course, I'll gi' ye the lyrics ...
"Bully In The Alley"
Help me, Bob, I'm bully in the alley
Way-hey, hey-hey, bully in the alley
Help me, Bob, I'm bully in the alley
Bully down in shinbone al
Sally is a girl in Shinbone Alley
Way-hey, hey-hey, bully in the alley
Sally is the girl that I spliced dearly
Bully down in shinbone al, so
Help me, Bob, I'm bully in the alley
Way-hey, hey-hey, bully in the alley
Help me, Bob, I'm bully in the alley
Bully down in shinbone al
I found by self out under three-oh
Wey hey, bully in the alley
I found by self with time so free-oh
Bully down in Shinbone Al, so
Help me, Bob, I'm bully in the alley
Way-hey, hey-hey, bully in the alley
Help me, Bob, I'm bully in the alley
Bully down in shinbone al
I waltzed up to the angel little
Wey hey, bully in the alley
And kicked down the door, and walked right in oh
Bully down in Shinbone Al, so
Help me, Bob, I'm bully in the alley
Way-hey, hey-hey, bully in the alley
Help me, Bob, I'm bully in the alley
Bully down in shinbone al
I walked up to the barroom counter
Wey hey, bully in the alley
There I met with Greasy Artie
Bully down in Shinbone Al, so
Help me Bob, I'm bully in the alley
Wey hey, bully in the alley
Help me Bob, I'm bully in the alley
Bully down in Shinbone Al
Greasy Ann, it's slimy horror
Wey hey, bully in the alley
Henry shell back knock in her daughter
Bully down in Shinbone Al, so
Help me Bob, I'm bully in the alley
Wey hey, bully in the alley
Help me Bob, I'm bully in the alley
Bully down in Shinbone Al
I bought her rum and I bought her gin, oh
Wey hey, bully in the alley
And bought her wine, of white and red, oh
Bully down in Shinbone Al, so
Help me Bob, I'm bully in the alley
Wey hey, bully in the alley
Help me Bob, I'm bully in the alley
Bully down in Shinbone Al
We're open, tope a low light lark, oh
Wey hey, bully in the alley
Dawn and rain, can the cock did call, oh
Bully down in Shinbone Al, so
Help me Bob, I'm bully in the alley
Wey hey, bully in the alley
Help me Bob, I'm bully in the alley
Bully down in Shinbone Al
(Source)
Love the way Nathan Evans sings the old shanties, fellow Scot he is. He has a whole album of these tunes, I mean to get it. Good lad. Enjoy.
Can ye tell that I had a good night's sleep? Well, I did ...
A good night's sleep is always good, as is a wee dram. The latter has been known to assist the former.
ReplyDeleteJust sayin'
Much to be said for a good night's sleep; wee dram, or no.
DeleteMany of us have been "bully in the alley" at one time or t'other; you need a true Shipmate then, if you're fortunate, you'll have one.
juvat - Amazing, the restorative power of sleep. (A couple of Stellas at dinner helps as well.)
DeleteAnon - We were often admonished to never leave the base without a wingman. Saved some fellows it did.
DeleteYet another priceless piece of fairly specialized knowledge I now possess, Sarge. Thank you.
ReplyDeleteNa Clann introduced me to The Longest Johns, a group from England that does old sea shanties. From that, I learned that there is actually an Interational Sea Shanty Festival in Falmouth, England. Just saying, in case you are in the neighborhood...
https://www.visitcornwall.com/whats-on/traditional-cultural/south-coast/falmouth/falmouth-international-sea-shanty-festival
They also have similar festivals in the US, Portsmouth, NH has a nice one. Sandy Eggo apparently has one as well.
DeleteGreat little vignette, demonstrating initiative and seizing opportunity. Hope such are still allowed
ReplyDeleteDrive on, Sarge! Happy to pass you a tool.or two of need be
Boat Guy
Adapt, overcome, improvise!
DeleteThese days a dram wakes me up for a wee 🙄
ReplyDeleteThat happens with me as well.
DeleteCrusty Old TV Tech here. Reminds me of one of my father's old Scots jokes. Jock and Seamus were at Robbie's grave. Jock says, "Ah, poor Rabbie, he asked me to sprinkle some fine whiskey on his grave, after he's there". Seamus asks, "Jock me laddie, can we process it a wee bit first?"
Delete🤣🤣🤣
DeleteWellerman has become our unofficial work anthem down at my local supermarket... we keep chasing the whale (customer) while our checkout section manager , bless her soul , keeps us supplied with sugar, tea nad coffee (but not rum!)
ReplyDeleteI love it!
DeleteThat's interesting history there, both the Commodore Rogers lesson, and bully tale, but shanties don't turn me on. (Must be an aversion to their being work related.)
ReplyDeleteNext we know, you'll have that clown fellow singing martial or nautical airs.
Still, welcome back with a pretty good post!
John Blackshoe
John Blackshoe.
Puddles does sea shanties! Is that a request? 🤣🤣🤣
DeleteCirca 1966, Bremerton, the Navy pulled in. We were on the monthly payroll run (the Army paid in cash then). The first two nights the sailors were thick on the ground sampling German Beer. Third night, a few "lifers" who had drunk every kind of swill in every port were the only sailors to be seen. We asked one what the heads aboard looked like. He just shuddered.
ReplyDeleteI can well imagine!
DeleteMany are the perils that befall drinking seamen. In the old day, Joseph Kelly (the King of the Crimps) would provide crewmen for outbound ships. After a few drinks (augmented by a Micky Finn), the sailor would be awakened at sea by a bucko mate on a hell ship bound for Shanghai. His most legendary exploit was palming off a wooden cigar store Indian as a stiffly drunken sailor to a trusting captain for a $50 fee.
ReplyDeleteA right bastard, that one.
DeleteBrought back, by the Shore Patrol,
ReplyDeleteWay Hey, Bully in the Alley,
Brought back, by the Shore Patrol,
Captain's Mast, in the Morning.
Nobody remembers to sing that last line.
Heh.
DeleteI was fortunate enough that when I foolishly cut back my days at sea for a few years to go to college, I came across a singer named Bill Bonyan, an elderly man who had grown up in a Maine orphanage run by a retired whaling ship captain, and thus learned the 19th century sailor's life and songs. Guy was an encyclopedia of folk music and sea chanteys and he could be bribed to sing with a half-peck of clams or a couple of chicken lobsters. I haven't heard the song above but I'm going to go look for it presently.
ReplyDeleteMy father told me a story of leaving a passed-out shipmate on the toilet in the stall of an Amsterdam bar bathroom, with a metal bucket on his head so he could rest peacefully while the rest of them finished their drinking.
That's awesome that you got to meet that old fellow. As to the shipmate with the bucket on his head? Priceless.
DeleteDelete
What does "Henry shell back knock in her daughter" mean?
ReplyDeleteI'd have to Google that one mate!
DeleteA "shellback" is a sailor who has crossed the equator and has gone through a line crossing ceremony (as opposed to a pollywog, who hasn't or is crossing for the first time)...so it implies that Henry is an experienced sailor. I can't say for certain what "knock in her daughter" would mean....but I could take a solid guess. Lol.
Delete👍
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