Neil and Roger had been singing together as a duo in West Yorkshire since 1966 whilst John burst upon the folk scene a little later in 1972 as a member of Hebric. John, who has a voice similar to Paul Robeson also sings with the local operatic society in Halifax and is a member of The Bradshaw Mummers who can be seen in quaint outfits throughout most summers at various festivals acting out the important chapters of English history. John sang lead bass with Northern Ballet at Leeds Playhouse for the winter season of Mozart’s Requiem. Meanwhile Joe Stead had begun a professional career in London in 1966 which eventually took him to various parts of the world and more recently the first Valparaiso Festival of the Sea in Chile. Joe has performed in concert in America with Pete Seeger twice and also sung at a garden party with Paul Robeson in London in 1958. Neil also sang in concert with Pete Seeger when he and Joe crossed the Atlantic with Paul Downes to perform in a concert in New Jersey to raise funds for the Delaware Valley River Project.
There are now two new members in the group. David Buckley joined Kimber's Men at the end of April 2006. David is an actor and a singer who has performed in musicals and with the Halifax Operatic Society. They found him playing the part of Captain Smith in 'Titanic the Musical'. David sings tenor harmony. He has recently written a song called 'I will always be there' which may become as popular as 'Don't take the heroes'.
In June 2007 Kimber's Men increased their number to 5 when 'Gaz' joined the quartet.
Tow rope girls
Kimber's Men Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Hartigan timber in the fog and the rain,
We're loading nitrate down Ekegay bay,
For the girls have got hold of our tow rope today.
Goodbye Sarah Fielder, oh Zita and Loose,
The girls on the tow rope are steady and true,
Mothers and sisters and sweethearts and all,
The last sack of nitrate is stowed down at last,
The Southern Cross burns at the head of the mast,
We'll sing fairly well as we get under way,
For the girls have got hold of our tow rope today.
Goodbye Sarah Fielder, oh Zita and Loose,
The girls on the tow rope are steady and true,
Mothers and sisters and sweethearts and all,
It's haul away, all the way, haul away haul.
We′re rounding the Horn with our gallant soft set,
Our lee rail is under, we′re cursing ya bet!
But the old man's a driver he′ll brook no delay,
For the girls have got hold of our tow rope today.
Goodbye Sarah Fielder, oh Zita and Loose,
The girls on the tow rope are steady and true,
Mothers and sisters and sweethearts and all,
It's haul away, all the way, haul away haul.
Cape Stiff is behind us, blue waters beneath,
Her waist like a mill-race, there′s a bone in her teeth,
We've entered the trays now we′ll soon make her pay,
For the girls have got hold of our tow rope today.
Goodbye Sarah Fielder, oh Zita and Loose,
The girls on the tow rope are steady and true,
Mothers and sisters and sweethearts and all,
It's haul away, all the way, haul away haul.
The mate's on the boot-deck a shootin′ the sun,
He′ll soon be deducing how far the ship's run,
Let′s crack the old hooker and get on our way,
For the girls have got hold of our tow rope today.
Goodbye Sarah Fielder, oh Zita and Loose,
The girls on the tow rope are steady and true,
Mothers and sisters and sweethearts and all,
It's haul away, all the way, haul away haul.
At last we′re in harbor, the rags are all furled,
The girls are a waiting we're on top of the world!
"That will do!" Cries a mate now he′s 14 months pay,
For the girls have got hold of our tow rope today.
Goodbye Sarah Fielder, oh Zita and Loose,
The girls on the tow rope are steady and true,
Mothers and sisters and sweethearts and all,
It's haul away, all the way, haul away haul.
It's haul away, all the way, haul away, haul.
The song "Tow rope girls" by Kimber's Men is a traditional sea shanty that tells the story of a group of sailors setting sail from Fisker with different cargoes. The sailors are accompanied by a group of girls who hold onto the tow rope, helping to pull the ship in the right direction. The lyrics are a tribute to the women in the sailors' lives, from sweethearts to mothers, who support them through their travels.
As the ship sets sail, the sailors sing goodbye to Sarah Fielder, Zita, and Loose, thanking the girls on the tow rope for their steadfastness. The lyrics suggest that the sailors are inspired by the girls, who are helping them to navigate the tricky waters ahead. The sailors continue to sing throughout the journey, through rain, fog, and rough seas, always with one eye on the girls on the tow rope.
The song gives us a glimpse into the culture of seafaring communities, where women played an important role in supporting their men from afar. The sailors show their appreciation for the women in their lives, recognizing how they help them to stay on course, no matter what challenges they face.
Overall, "Tow rope girls" is a classic sea shanty that celebrates the important role of women in the lives of seafaring communities. It's a reminder of the courage and steadfastness needed to navigate the challenges of the seas, and the importance of having a supportive community to help along the way.
Line by Line Meaning
Their ship's leaving Fisker with cargoes of grain,
The ship is leaving Fisker loaded with grain
Hartigan timber in the fog and the rain,
The ship is also loaded with Hartigan timber and sailing through fog and rain
We're loading nitrate down Ekegay bay,
The crew is in the process of loading nitrate at Ekegay bay
For the girls have got hold of our tow rope today.
The girls are helping the crew tow the ship's cargo
Goodbye Sarah Fielder, oh Zita and Loose,
The crew bids farewell to Sarah Fielder, Zita, and Loose
The girls on the tow rope are steady and true,
The girls helping with the tow rope are loyal and reliable
Mothers and sisters and sweethearts and all,
The girls helping with the tow rope are the crew's family members and loved ones
It's haul away, all the way, haul away haul.
Everyone is working together to haul the cargo and complete their journey
The last sack of nitrate is stowed down at last,
The last sack of nitrate has been loaded onto the ship
The Southern Cross burns at the head of the mast,
The ship navigates by the stars with the Southern Cross at the top of the mast
We'll sing fairly well as we get under way,
The crew is in good spirits as they begin their journey
We're rounding the Horn with our gallant soft set,
The ship is passing around Cape Horn with all sails raised
Our lee rail is under, we're cursing ya bet!
The ship is listing to one side and the crew is frustrated
But the old man's a driver he'll brook no delay,
The captain is strict and won't tolerate any delay
Cape Stiff is behind us, blue waters beneath,
The ship has passed Cape Stiff and is now sailing in blue waters
Her waist like a mill-race, there's a bone in her teeth,
The ship is moving quickly through the water with foam at the sides of the hull
We've entered the trays now we'll soon make her pay,
The ship has entered a favorable wind direction and is making good progress
The mate's on the boot-deck a shootin' the sun,
The first mate is taking sightings of the sun's position to determine their location
He'll soon be deducing how far the ship's run,
The mate will use the sun's position to calculate the ship's distance traveled
Let's crack the old hooker and get on our way,
The crew is eager to get the ship moving again
At last we're in harbor, the rags are all furled,
The ship has finally arrived in harbor and all sails have been taken down
The girls are a waiting we're on top of the world!
The girls who helped with the tow rope are eagerly waiting for the crew to dock and unload the cargo
"That will do!" Cries a mate now he's 14 months pay,
A mate shouts in agreement that the journey is over and they will receive 14 months of pay
It's haul away, all the way, haul away haul.
With the journey complete and the cargo unloaded, the crew is ready to return home
Contributed by Tyler E. Suggest a correction in the comments below.
@albertnoble2727
How can i find lyrics of this song anyone?
@VileStorms
https://www.musixmatch.com/lyrics/Kimber-s-Men/Tow-Rope-Girls