Leave her, Johnny (Sea Shanty)
Leave her, Johnny (Sea Shanty)
The "her" being left is not a woman, but the ship.
This shanty was traditionally sung when the ship was at port after it had docked in the final spell at the pumps.
Stan Hugill traces its origins to a shanty, Across the Rockies, which was sung on Western Ocean packets, possibly as early as the time of the Potato Famine.
The shanty was also known as Leave Her Bullies, Time for Us to Leave Her, Leave Her.
Johnny is also spelled Johnnie in several versions.
Leave Her, Johnny was used at the pumps, but it also served the purpose of the seamen airing their grievances (hence it being done at the end of a voyage).
There were several versions directed at the food and the owners which cannot be printed her.
Lyrics
Oh the work was hard and the wages low.
Leave her Johnny, Leave her.
I guess its time for us to go And its time for us to leave her.
Leave her Johnny, leave her, Oh leave her Johnny, leave her.
Oh the voyage is done and the winds don't blow And it's time for us to leave her.
Oh I thought I heard the old man say, Leave her Johnny, leave her.
Oh tomorrow you will get your pay And it's time for us to leave her, Leave her Johnny, leave her, Oh, leave her Johnny, leave her, Oh the voyage is done and the winds don't blow And it's time for us to leave her.
The winds blew foul and the seas ran high.
Leave her Johnny, leave her.
We shipped up green and none went by And it's time for us to leave her, Leave her Johnny, leave her, Oh leave her Johnny, leave her, Oh the voyage is done and the winds don't blow And it's time for us to leave her.
The mate was a bucco and the old man was a Turk.
Leave her Johnny, leave her.
And the boatswain was a begger with a middle name of work And it's time for us to leave her.
Leave her Johnny, leave her, Oh leave her Johnny, leave her.
Oh the voyage is done and the winds don't blow And it's time for us to leave her.
The old man swears, and the mate swears too, Leave her Johnny, leave her.
The crew all swear, and so would you And it's time for us to leave her, Leave her Johnny, leave her, Oh leave her Johnny, leave her.
Oh the voyage is done and the winds don't blow And its time for us to leave her.
The starboard pump is like the crew Leave her Johnny, leave her.
It's all worn out and will not do And it's time for us to leave her, Leave her Johnny, leave her, Oh leave her Johnny, leave her.
Oh the voyage is done and the winds don't blow And it's time for us to leave her.
The rats have gone and we the crew Leave her Johnny, leave her.
It's the time be-damned that we went too And it's time for us to leave her, Leave her Johnny, leave her, Oh leave her Johnny, leave her.
Oh the voyage is done and the winds don't blow And it's time for us to leave her.
Well I pray that we shall ne're more see Leave her Johnny, leave her.
A hungry ship, the likes of she And it's time for us to leave her, Leave her Johnny, leave her, Oh leave her Johnny, leave her.
Oh the voyage is done and the winds don't blow And it's time for us to leave her.