The Coast of Peru
Ewan MacColl A.L. Lloyd & Peggy Seeger Lyrics
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Come all ye young fellows that's bound after sperm
Come all ye young fellows that's rounded the Horn
Our captain has told us, and we hope it will come true
That there's plenty of sperm whales on the coast of Peru.
We have weathered the Horn, and are now on Peru,
We are all of one mind and endeavor to do,
Our boats are all rigged and our masthead all manned,
The first whale we saw, it was late in the day
The captain come up and these words he did say:
"Get into your hammocks and quiet there be
We'll see him in the morning close under our lee."
Next morning at daybreak about five o'clock,
The man at the masthead cried "Yonder she spouts!
Where away does she lay?" and the answer from aloft
"Two points on our lee bow and about three miles off."
Then it's call up all hands, and be of good cheer;
Put your tubs in your boats, boys, have your bow lines all clear.
Sway up your boats now, jump in you boat's crew
Lower away now lower away, my brave fellows, do.
Our waist boat got down and of course got the start,
Lay on, captain Bunker, I'm hell for to dart.
Now bend to your oars, boys, and make your boat fly
But one thing we dread of, be clear of his eye.
Now the chief mate he struck him, and the whale he went down
And the captain pulled up and he tried to bend on,
But the whale began to vomit and blood for to spout,
And in less than ten minutes we had him fin out.
We towed him alongside,and with many a shout
We soon cut him in, and began to try out.
Now our whale she is tried and likeways stowed down
She is better to us boys than five hundred pounds.
Here's a health to all whalemen, boys, drink it down, do
Likewise to the Bengal and our whaleship's crew.
All you that want money, I would have you to go
On the coast of Peru where the sperm whales do blow.
From Gale Huntington's book- Songs the Whalemen Sang. Collected
From logbook of Ship Bengal, journal of Ira Poland, 1832.
Recorded by A. L. Lloyd- Haul on the Bowline (sl. different,
Different tune), Warner and Davis (?)
Filename[ CSTPERU
Play.exe CSTPERU
RG
===DOCUMENT BOUNDARY===
The Coast of Peru is a sea shanty, sung by sailors on whaling ships in the 19th century. The song describes a whaling crew’s journey to the coast of Peru in search of sperm whales, and their eventual victory in capturing and processing one. The lyrics of the song convey a sense of camaraderie and excitement among the crew as they work together to achieve their goal. The song emphasizes the physical and mental toughness required by sailors to undertake such a journey, rounding the Horn and facing the perils of the ocean.
The song opens with a call to young sailors to join the whaling expedition to the coast of Peru, suggesting the lure of adventure and the opportunity to make money. The sailors have already sailed around Cape Horn and have now reached the coast of Peru. They are confident in their ability to hunt sperm whales and have prepared their equipment accordingly. The excitement among the crew is palpable as they spot their first whale and set out to capture it. The song provides a vivid description of the chase and excitedly recounts their success in capturing the whale. The sailors return to their ship, having achieved their objective and reflecting on the value of their hard work and teamwork.
Line by Line Meaning
Come all ye young fellows that's bound after sperm
Attention all young men who are pursuing sperm whale hunting
Come all ye young fellows that's rounded the Horn
Attention all young men who have successfully navigated the treacherous waters around Cape Horn
Our captain has told us, and we hope it will come true
Our captain has informed us and we are optimistic that his prediction will be accurate
That there's plenty of sperm whales on the coast of Peru.
There is a bountiful quantity of sperm whales in the waters of Peru.
We have weathered the Horn, and are now on Peru,
Having successfully circumnavigated Cape Horn, we have now arrived in Peru.
We are all of one mind and endeavor to do,
We have a united goal and are committed to achieving it.
Our boats are all rigged and our masthead all manned,
Our boats are fully equipped and our crew is ready and prepared.
Our riggin' rove right and our signals all planned.
Our rigging is in order, and we have planned our signaling methods.
The first whale we saw, it was late in the day
We spotted the first whale late in the afternoon
The captain come up and these words he did say:
The captain approached and spoke these words:
"Get into your hammocks and quiet there be
"Retire to your hammocks and maintain silence
We'll see him in the morning close under our lee."
We will find him in the morning very near to our ship.
Next morning at daybreak about five o'clock,
The following morning at daybreak around five a.m.
The man at the masthead cried "Yonder she spouts!
The lookout at the top of the mast shouted "There she blows!"
Where away does she lay?" and the answer from aloft
"In which direction does she lie?" The response from high above was
"Two points on our lee bow and about three miles off."
"Two points to the left of the direction we are facing, and approximately three miles away."
Then it's call up all hands, and be of good cheer;
Now it is time to wake everyone up and to be optimistic.
Put your tubs in your boats, boys, have your bow lines all clear.
Prepare your boats by placing the barrels in them and ensuring the bow lines are untangled.
Sway up your boats now, jump in you boat's crew
Hoist your boats with care and quickly embark with your crew.
Lower away now lower away, my brave fellows, do.
Lower your boats slowly and with courage, my brave crewmates.
Our waist boat got down and of course got the start,
Our middle boat was the first to be deployed and quickly began the chase.
Lay on, captain Bunker, I'm hell for to dart.
Directly Captain Bunker, I'm eager to throw the harpoon.
Now bend to your oars, boys, and make your boat fly
Row with all your might, boys, and make your boat move quickly
But one thing we dread of, be clear of his eye.
We must avoid being in front of the whale's vision.
Now the chief mate he struck him, and the whale he went down
The first mate successfully aimed and hit the whale, causing it to dive deep
And the captain pulled up and he tried to bend on,
The captain ascended and attempted to tie the whale to the ship.
But the whale began to vomit and blood for to spout,
However, the whale started to regurgitate and spout blood
And in less than ten minutes we had him fin out.
In less than ten minutes, we removed the valuable fin of the whale.
We towed him alongside,and with many a shout
We pulled the whale next to our ship, and with much excitement,
We soon cut him in, and began to try out.
We quickly processed the whale, removing the blubber for oil.
Now our whale she is tried and likeways stowed down
The whale has been processed and stored away
She is better to us boys than five hundred pounds.
She is more valuable to us than five hundred pounds
Here's a health to all whalemen, boys, drink it down, do
We toast to all whale hunters, boys, raise your glasses and drink down.
Likewise to the Bengal and our whaleship's crew.
And we also toast to the Bengal and our ship's crew.
All you that want money, I would have you to go
For those seeking fortune, I recommend that you go
On the coast of Peru where the sperm whales do blow.
To the coast of Peru, where sperm whales can be found.
Lyrics © OBO APRA/AMCOS
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