This is a sea chantey that I have always loved. I recorded it on my first solo album for Columbia Records, Roger McGuinn. Spanky McFarlane sang harmony on the original recording.
[G] There's some that's [Am] bound for [C] New York Town
And other's is bound for [G] France
Heave [D] away me [G] Johnnies,
Heave [D] away [G]
And [C] some is bound for the [G] Bengal bay
To [Am] teach them whales a [G] dance
And away me Johnnie [C] boys
We're [G] all [D] bound to [G] go
Our pilot is a-waiting for
The turning of the tide
Heave away me johnnies,
Heave away
And one more pull and we're bound away
With a good and westerly wind
And away me Johnnie boys
We're all bound away
Farewell to you dear Kingston gals
Farewell to St. Andrew's Dock
Heave away me Johnnies,
Heave away
If ever we should come back again
We'll make your cradles rock
And away me Johnnie boys
We're all bound away
There's some that's bound for New York Town
And other's is bound for France
Heave away me Johnnies,
Heave away
And some is bound for the Bengal bay
To teach them whales a dance
And away me Johnnie boys
We're all bound to go
The purpose of the Folk Den is to use the medium of the World Wide Web to continue the tradition of the folk process, that is the telling of stories, and singing of songs, passed on from one generation to another, by word of mouth.
In this electronic era, such a process is in danger of being overwhelmed by the commercial mass media. This page and others on the 'net are working to preserve the folk songs that have chronicled our global heritage for centuries.
In the Folk Den, a "new" folk song is uploaded every month as a "Global Community Service."
