The group has been performing locally since 1995, and signed a record deal with Universal Music in March 2010. Whilst essentially an a cappella group, their studio recordings and live performances now often include traditional simple instrumentation.
Sloop John B
The Fisherman's Friends Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
My Grandpappy and me
Over the seven seas, we did roam
Drinking all night (drinking all night)
Got into a fight
Well I feel so broke up, I wanna go home
So hoist up the John B's sail
Call for the captain ashore
Let me go home, I wanna go home (let me go home)
And I wanna go home (hoist up the John B's sail)
Well I feel so broke up, I wanna go home
Now the captain's a wicked man
He gets drunk whenever he can
And he don't give a damn for Grandpappy and me
He kicks us around (kicks us around)
And he knocks us about
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, I wanna go home (let me go home)
And I wanna go home (hoist up the John B's sail)
Well I feel so broke up, I wanna go home
Now the first mate he got drunk
And he broke in the captains trunk
And the constable had to come and take him away
Sheriff John Stone (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 (hoist up the John B's)
See how the mainsail sets (see how the mainsail)
Call for the captain ashore
Let me go home, I wanna go home (let me go home)
And I wanna go home (hoist up the John B sail)
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
I wanna go home (let me go home)
I wanna go home (hoist up the John B sail)
Well I feel so broke up, I wanna go home
I feel so broke up, I want to go home.
The Fisherman's Friends rendition of Sloop John B is a song about a journey, embodying the hard life of work on a ship. The singer and his grandpappy embark on a nautical adventure, traveling across the seas and drinking all night until a fight breaks out. The singer longs to go home, as he feels broken and tired of the hardships of the trip. The captain is described as wicked and careless, often getting drunk and mistreating the passengers. The first mate adds to the chaos by breaking into the captain's trunk, leading to the involvement of law enforcement.
Through the lyrics of "Sloop John B," The Fisherman's Friends take the listener on a tumultuous journey filled with drinking, fighting, and homesickness, providing insight into life at sea during that time. Despite the story's troubled themes, the song is quite upbeat, creating a sense of nostalgia and longing for home through the jovial melody.
Line by Line Meaning
sail on the Sloop John B
Embark on a voyage on the Sloop John B
My Grandpappy and me
Accompanied by my grandfather
Over the seven seas, we did roam
Traveled far and wide across multiple oceans
Drinking all night (drinking all night)
Having alcohol all night long
Got into a fight
Got into a physical altercation
Well I feel so broke up, I wanna go home
Feeling distressed and wanting to be home
hoist up the John B's sail
Raise the sails of the ship John B
See how the mainsail sets
Observe the positioning of the main sail
Call for the captain ashore
Request the captain to come on land
Let me go home, I wanna go home (let me go home)
Expressing the desire to leave and return home
And I wanna go home (hoist up the John B's sail)
Reiterating the desire to go home while raising the sails
Now the captain's a wicked man
The captain is an evil person
He gets drunk whenever he can
The captain indulges in drinking regularly
And he don't give a damn for Grandpappy and me
The captain lacks concern for the singer and his grandfather
He kicks us around (kicks us around)
The captain physically harms and mistreats them
And he knocks us about
The captain beats and tosses them around
Now the first mate he got drunk
The first mate got intoxicated
And he broke in the captains trunk
The first mate broke open the captain's trunk
And the constable had to come and take him away
The police officer had to remove the first mate from the ship
Sheriff John Stone (Sheriff John Stone)
Addressing Sheriff John Stone
Why don't you leave me alone?
Questioning the reason for the officer's interference
I feel so broke up, I want to go home.
Feeling shattered and longing to return home.
Contributed by Declan K. Suggest a correction in the comments below.
@glenbelson5485
Just wonderful to see the joy of men singing, escaping the endless criticism and put downs they face in the modern world.
@oscarrees-thompson6484
There is not much that impresses me about Britain anymore even though I am an Army Veteran and getting on in years. But these guys remind me where I come from and we have some culture still left the doo gooders haven't taken away.
@jrapprentice
Do Gooders? WTF?
@villhelm
Do gooders who have opened our borders and clapped while our culture has been displaced all over the nation while shouting ‘racist’ at anyone who doesn’t want to see our nation taken over and the natives displaced
@chrispooler675
Love these guys, seen them perform a few times, and got horribly drunk with them once. All of them are true gentlemen, and always make time for everyone. Best of Britain 👍
@jonnygranville281
Thank you. I always picture them as you described. Nice blokes that'll share a pint an swap stories.
@chrispooler675
@@jonnygranville281 genuinely lovely people, if you can get to see them at a smaller venue, do so
@jamesdakrn
Didn’t get into a fight? Hope they didn’t get broke up and had to go home
@chrisevans3170
I would love to get drunk with them
@pateris
Thanks for sharing !