Hulton Clint writes: “The lyrics are cobbled together from railroad work songs, minstrel jingles, mis-hearings of “Shule Aroon” (Cecil Sharp thought it was a variant of that song), and rough ‘n’ ready sailors phrases.” (see his You Tube channel)
Hulton Clint scrive: “Il testo è un rappezzamento di canti dei lavoratori nella ferrovia, canti d’avanspettacolo [minstrel songs], un fraintendimento di “Shule Aroon” (Cecil Sharp lo reputava una variante di quella canzone) e frasi fatte marinaresche” (vedi il suo Canale You Tube)
Cliff Haslam in Leaning the Wind 2012
I He-bang, she-bang (1), daddy shot a bear, Shot him in the stern, me boys and never turned a hair, We’re from the railroad (2), too-ra-loo, Oh the old moke (3) pickin’ on the banjo (4). [CHORUS] Hooraw! What the hell’s a row? We’re all from the railroad, too-ra-loo, We’re all from the railroad, too-ra-loo, Oh the old moke pickin’ on the banjo. II Pat, get back, take in yer slack Heave away, me boys; Heave away, me bully boys, why don’t ye make some noise? We’re from the railroad, too-ra-loo… III Roll her boys, bowl her boys, give her flamin’ gip (5) Drag the anchor off the mud an’ let the bastard rip (6) We’re from the railroad, too-ra-loo…. IV Rock-a-block, chock-a-block (7), heave the caps’n round, Fish the flamin’ anchor up, for we are outward bound. We’re from the railroad, too-ra-loo…. V Out chocks, two blocks, heave away or bust, Bend yer backs, me bully boys, kick up some flamin’ dust. We’re from the railroad, too-ra-loo…. VI Whisky-O, johnny-O, the mudhook is in sight, ‘Tis a hell-of-a-way to the gals that wait, an’ the ol’ Nantucket Light; We’re from the railroad, too-ra-loo…. |
Traduzione italiana Cattia Salto I Lui spara, lei spara, papà sparò a un orso gli sparò nel posteriore [a poppa] e non gli aveva torto un capello Siamo della ferrovia too-ra-loo Oh il vecchio Moke che suona il banjo! CORO Hoo-raw! Qual’è il problema ora? Siamo tutti della ferrovia too-ra-loo, siamo tutti della ferrovia too-ra-loo, Oh il vecchio Moke che suona il banjo II Pat, torna indietro, prendi il tuo posto issiamo, ragazzi issiamo, miei bravi perché non vi date da fare? Siamo della ferrovia too-ra-loo III Fatela andare ragazzi, datele una tirata trascinate l’ancora via dal fango e fate filare la bastarda Siamo della ferrovia too-ra-loo IV Fate filare il bozzello e bloccatelo date un giro all’argano portate su la dannata ancora perchè siamo in partenza Siamo della ferrovia too-ra-loo V Via le morse, due bozzelli issate o morite piegate la schiena, miei bravacci, alzate un po’ di dannata polvere Siamo della ferrovia too-ra-loo VI Whisky o marinaio o l’approdo è in vista è un vero inferno per le ragazze che aspettano al vecchio faro di Nantucket Siamo della ferrovia too-ra-loo |
NOTE
1) He-bang, she-bang are nonsense vocables, Leland’s 1890 dictionary of slang has “shebang” as American slang for a shanty (a shack) [He-bang, she-bang sono molto probabilmente parole senza senso, nel “Dictionary of Slang, Jargon & Cant” di Leland Shebang= baracca, capanno]
2) see “Poor Paddy works on the railway.”
3) Webster’s dictionary of 1913 had not only the meanings of “mule” and “Negro”, but also “a minstrel, who plays on several instruments”. Hulton writes: A 1928 article on “Midshipman Jargon” (in American Speech, Vol. II, No. 9) has that in the American Navy man’s jargon, moke signifies “dark” or “black” and was also” for a Negro or Filipino.” A 2001 posting on the linguist listserve by Quinion has that it was originally a term for a mule, becoming first an offensive term for a Black man, then by the 1850s (around the probable time of this chantey) it was generalized to mean some foolish or contemptible person. It evolved into the form “mook.”
[Il dizionario di Webster del 1913 traduce con “mulo” e “negro”, ma anche “un menestrello che suona diversi strumenti”. Scrive Hulton: “un articolo del 1928 su “Midshipman Jargon” (in American Speech, Vol. II, n. 9) dice che nel gergo americano della marina americana, moke significa “oscuro” o “nero” e stava per “per un negro o filippino “. Una pubblicazione del 2001 sulla lista dei linguisti di Quinion dice che in origine era un termine per mulo, diventando prima un termine offensivo per uomo nero, quindi nel 1850 (probabile periodo di questo chantey) significava in genere qualcosa di sciocco o persona spregevole.”]
4) in the railroad “pickin’ on a banjo” was a euphemism for digging with a shovel. [per gli sterratori che lavoravano nella costruzione della linea ferrovia americana “pickin’ on a banjo”= scavare con la pala]
5) Stephen Wilson writes: Give her flamin’ gip = give her hell / give her a telling off
6) let ‘er rip = espressione idiomatica, lasciarla andare a tutta birra/a tutto gas, the bastard è riferita all’ancora
7) Chok: the word is thought to have come from chock-full (or choke-full), meaning ‘full to choking’. This dates back to the 15th century This meaning was later used to give a name to the wedges of wood which are used to secure moving objects – chocks. These chocks were used on ships and are referred to in William Falconer’s, An universal dictionary of the marine, 1769: “Chock, a sort of wedge used to confine a cask or other weighty body..when the ship is in motion. A block and tackle is a pulley system used on sailing ships to hoist the sails ‘chock-a-block’ The phrase describes what occurs the system is raised to its fullest extent – when there is no more rope free and the blocks jam tightly together. in Richard H. Dana “Hauling the reef-tackles chock-a-block.” Nautical. having the blocks drawn closetogether, as when the tackle is hauled to theutmost. (with reference to tackle having the two blocks run close together ) (from here)
John Short Version
Jeff Warner in Short Sharp Shanties : Sea songs of a Watchet sailor vol 3
I He-back, she-back, daddy shot a bear, Shot him in the ass and he never tuched the hair, I’m just from the railroad, too-rer-loo, Oh the old moke picking on the banjo. II Roll her boys, bowl her boys, give her flaming gip Drag the anchor off the mud and let the bastard rip I’m just from the railroad.. [CHORUS] Hoo-roo! What’s the matter now? I’m just from the railroad, too-rer-loo, I’m just from the railroad, too-rer-loo, Oh the old moke picking on the banjo. III Rock-a-block, chock-a-block, heave the caps’n round, Fish the flaming anchor up, for we are outward bound. I’m just from the railroad.. IV Out chocks, two blocks, heave away or bust, Bend yer backs, me bully boys, kick up some flamin’ dust. I’m just from the railroad… V Whisky-O, johnny-O, the mudhook is in sight, ‘Tis a hell-of-a-way to the gals that wait, an’ the ol’ Nantucket Light; I’m just from the railroad.. VI Pat, get back, take in yer slack. Heave away, me boys; Heave away, me bully boys, why don’t ye make some noise? I’m just from the railroad.. |
Traduzione italiana Cattia Salto I He-back, she-back, papà sparò a un orso gli sparò nel posteriore e non gli aveva torto un capello Sono solo della ferrovia too-rer-loo Oh il vecchio Moke che suona il banjo! II Fatela andare ragazzi, datele una tirata trascinate l’ancora via dal fango e fate filare la bastarda sono solo della ferrovia too-rer-loo CORO Hoo-roo! Qual’è il problema ora? Sono solo della ferrovia too-rer-loo, Sono solo della ferrovia too-rer-loo, Oh il vecchio Moke che suona il banjo III Fate girare il bozzello e bloccatelo (??) date un giro all’argano portate su la dannata ancora perchè siamo in partenza sono solo della ferrovia too-rer-loo IV Via le zeppe, due bozzelli (??) issiamo o moriamo piegate la schiena, miei bravacci, alzate un po’ di dannata polvere sono solo della ferrovia too-rer-loo V Whisky o marinaio o l’approdo è in vista è un vero inferno per le ragazze che aspettano al vecchio faro di Nantucket sono solo della ferrovia too-rer-loo VI Pat, torna indietro, prendi il tuo posto issiamo, ragazzi issiamo, miei bravi perché non vi date da fare? Sono solo della ferrovia too-rer-loo |
LINK
https://mudcat.org/@displaysong.cfm?SongID=4424,4424&SongID=4424,4424
https://mainlynorfolk.info/danny.spooner/songs/theoldmokepickingonabanjo.html
http://cliffhaslam.com/?page_id=322
https://mudcat.org/thread.cfm?threadid=71721
https://www.fresnostate.edu/folklore/ballads/Be022.html
In order to hoist the heavier sails, they followed a strange procedure : the younger and nimble sailors (and less paid as they were apprentices) climbed up on the masthead and, after grabbing a halyard, jumped in the air, hanging like so many hangers. As they descended, they were helped by the efforts of the remaining sailors to slowly reach the deck.