Sheffield Shanty
Monkey Swallows the Universe Lyrics


Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴  Line by Line Meaning ↴

Avast! They're leaving town two by two,
As the rain pours down and we're all soaked through
And as they march away, two by two,
It's like we need an ark for the rest of us

So I'll cut my hair short
And I'll make a flag from an old black dress that I'd have worn
If it hadn't rained so much that the
Seven hills became seven seas
And I'll sail my house from Broomhill to Walkley

Pretty Polly is a pigeon, she's got a gammy leg and she'll eat anything
I've got an eye patch with a hole in cos I don't need to navigate by stars - I use the road signs and the Arts Tower
Still the rains come

So I'll cut my hair short
And I'll make a flag from an old black dress that I'd have worn
If it hadn't rained so much that the
Seven hills became seven seas
And I'll sail my house from Crookes to Don Valley

You can be my cabin boy and I can be your long lost pal
I can call you Eddie, and Eddie when you call me you can call me Captain

So I'll cut my hair short
And I'll make a flag from an old black dress that I'd have worn
If it hadn't rained so much that the




Seven hills became seven seas
And I'll sail my house from Fulwood to High Green

Overall Meaning

The song "Sheffield Shanty" by Monkey Swallows the Universe is an imaginative depiction of the city of Sheffield during a time of heavy rain and flood. The opening verse paints a picture of people leaving the town because of the rain, in pairs like Noah's Ark, while the rest of the citizens are left behind to navigate the floodwaters. The next verse describes the singer's plan to turn her house into a boat so she can sail from Broomhill to Walkley, as the Seven Hills of Sheffield have become seven seas. The verses that follow introduce the character of Pretty Polly, a pigeon with a gammy leg, and the singer's use of road signs and the Arts Tower for navigation.


The chorus is repeated throughout the song and involves the singer cutting her hair short and making a flag out of an old black dress. The repetition of this chorus creates a sense of solidarity and perseverance for the remaining citizens of Sheffield, despite the floods and rain. The final verse includes a call-and-response type exchange between the singer and an imaginary cabin boy named Eddie, who is invited to be her long-lost pal as they sail from Fulwood to High Green.


Overall, "Sheffield Shanty" portrays a city experiencing a natural disaster with a sense of whimsy and humor. The lyrics evoke a feeling of camaraderie and determination, with a touch of fantasy and make-believe as a way of coping with the situation.


Line by Line Meaning

Avast! They're leaving town two by two,
People are leaving the town in pairs and the rain is pouring down on everyone.


As the rain pours down and we're all soaked through
Everyone is getting drenched in the heavy rain.


And as they march away, two by two,
The people are leaving together in pairs.


It's like we need an ark for the rest of us
The town is flooding and it feels like they need an ark to escape.


So I'll cut my hair short
The artist decides to cut their hair short.


And I'll make a flag from an old black dress that I'd have worn
The singer will use an old black dress to make a flag.


If it hadn't rained so much that the
The amount of rain caused the seven hills to become like seven seas.


Seven hills became seven seas
The town is completely flooded.


And I'll sail my house from Broomhill to Walkley
The artist plans to navigate the flooded town by sailing their house.


Pretty Polly is a pigeon, she's got a gammy leg and she'll eat anything
The artist shares a random fact about a pigeon named Pretty Polly.


I've got an eye patch with a hole in cos I don't need to navigate by stars - I use the road signs and the Arts Tower
The singer wears an eye patch but doesn't need it to navigate because they use the Arts Tower and road signs.


Still the rains come
The rain is still falling.


You can be my cabin boy and I can be your long lost pal
The singer invites someone to be their cabin boy and offers to be their friend.


I can call you Eddie, and Eddie when you call me you can call me Captain
The singer suggests that the other person can call them 'Captain' and they will call them 'Eddie'.


And I'll sail my house from Crookes to Don Valley
The singer continues to plan their route through the town by sailing their house.


And I'll sail my house from Fulwood to High Green
The artist continues to plan their route through the town by sailing their house.




Contributed by Gianna Y. Suggest a correction in the comments below.
To comment on or correct specific content, highlight it

Genre not found
Artist not found
Album not found
Song not found

More Versions