Tow rope girls
Kimber's Men Lyrics


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Their ship′s leaving Fisker with cargoes of grain,
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,
It′s haul away, all the way, haul away haul.

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.

Overall Meaning

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.
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Comments from YouTube:

@albertnoble2727

How can i find lyrics of this song anyone?

@VileStorms

https://www.musixmatch.com/lyrics/Kimber-s-Men/Tow-Rope-Girls

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