The girl group Me First evolved into a four-person group comprised of two m… Read Full Bio ↴The girl group Me First evolved into a four-person group comprised of two males and two females. Their original sound didn't get lost with the turnover of half the members thanks to the ever-present contributions of drummer Helen Williamson and lead singer Denise Campanaro. Williamson also contributes backup vocals while Campanaro writes songs and plays guitar. Lead guitarist Jon Moldover and bassist/vocalist Chris Lenart round out the group. Since forming in 1995 in San Francisco, Me First have criss-crossed the U.S. several times in support of their recordings. Me First's releases include Awful Friendly, the band's first full-length album issued in 1997 by Broken Rekids, and Sorry Hangover, issued in 2000 by Sympathy for the Record Industry.

- Linda Seida, All Music Guide

Sloop John B
Me First Lyrics

Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴

We come on the sloop John B
Grandfather and me
Around Nassau Town we did roam
Drinking all night
Got into a fight
Well I feel so broke up, I wanna go home

The first mate he got drunk

Broke in the captains bunk
The constable had to come and take him away
Sheriff John Stone
Why don't you leave me alone?
Well I feel so broke up I wanna go home

So hoist up the John B's sail
See how the mainsail sets
Call for the captain ashore
Let me go home, let me go home
I wanna go home
I feel so broke up, I wanna go home

The poor cook he caught the shits
And threw away all my grits
And then he took and ate up all of my corn
Let me go home

Why don't they let me go home?
This is the worst trip I've ever been on

Overall Meaning

The song “Sloop John B” by Me First and the Gimme Gimmes is a cover of a traditional Bahamian folk song about the trials and tribulations of life at sea. The song tells the story of a group of sailors, including the singer and his grandfather, who set out on a journey that takes them to Nassau, where they spend their nights drinking and carousing. However, their revelry is cut short when they get into a fight, leaving the singer feeling broken and ready to go home.

As the story continues, the first mate gets drunk and causes trouble, resulting in his arrest and removal from the ship. The ship’s cook also falls ill, leading the singer to despair and beg for someone to let him go home. But despite their troubles, the sailors hoist up the John B’s sail and call for the captain to come ashore, hoping to finally make it back home.

The song is a reflection on the often harsh and unpredictable realities of life at sea, and the longing for the comforts of home and everyday life. The tale of the sailors’ misfortunes is a reminder of the challenges faced by anyone who ventures out to sea, and the need to acknowledge and appreciate the simple pleasures of life back on land.

Line by Line Meaning

We come on the sloop John B
We arrived at Sloop John B on a boat called Sloop John B

Grandfather and me
Both my grandfather and I got there

Around Nassau Town we did roam
We walked around Nassau Town

Drinking all night
We drank alcohol throughout the night

Got into a fight
We got into an altercation

Well I feel so broke up, I wanna go home
I feel unhappy and homesick

The first mate he got drunk
The first mate became intoxicated

Broke in the captains bunk
Broke into the captain's sleeping quarters

The constable had to come and take him away
The constable had to remove him from the situation

Sheriff John Stone
This is a reference to a law enforcement officer

Why don't you leave me alone?
Why can't you give me some peace?