Haul Away Joe
The Longest Johns Lyrics


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When I was just a little lad or so me mammy told me,
(Away haul away, we'll haul away Joe.)
That if I didn't kiss the girls me lips would grow a-moldy.
(Away haul away, we'll haul away Joe.)

Away (Ho!) haul away! we'll haul away together!
Away haul away, we'll haul away Joe.
Away (Ho!) haul away! we'll haul for better weather.
Away haul away, we'll haul away Joe.

I used to have an Irish girl, but she got fat and lazy
(Away haul away, we'll haul away Joe.)
But now I've got a Bristol girl, and she just drives me crazy
(Away haul away, we'll haul away Joe.)

Away (Ho!) haul away! we'll haul away together!
Away haul away, we'll haul away Joe.
Away (Ho!) haul away! we'll haul for better weather.
Away haul away, we'll haul away Joe.

Old Louis was the king of France before the revolut-i-on.
(Away haul away, we'll haul away Joe.)
But then he got his head chopped off it spoiled his constitut-i-on.
(Away haul away, we'll haul away Joe.)

Away (Ho!) haul away! we'll haul away together!
Away haul away, we'll haul away Joe.
Away (Ho!) haul away! we'll haul for better weather.
Away haul away, we'll haul away Joe.

You call yourself a second mate, you cannae tie a bowline,
(Away haul away, we'll haul away Joe.)
You can't even stand up straight, when the packet she's a rollin'
(Away haul away, we'll haul away Joe.)

Away (Ho!) haul away! we'll haul away together!
Away haul away, we'll haul away Joe.
Away (Ho!) haul away! we'll haul for better weather.
Away haul away, we'll haul away Joe.

Well now can't you see the black clouds a-gatherin'.
(Away haul away, we'll haul away Joe.)
Well now can't you see the storm clouds a-risin'.
(Away haul away, we'll haul away Joe.)

Away (Ho!) haul away! we'll haul away together!
Away haul away, we'll haul away Joe.




Away (Ho!) haul away! we'll haul for better weather.
Away haul away, we'll haul away Joe.

Overall Meaning

The Longest Johns's song "Haul Away Joe" is a sea shanty with a lively rhythm and a catchy chorus. The song begins with the singer reminiscing about a piece of advice his mother gave him when he was young. She warned him that if he didn't kiss the girls, his lips would grow moldy. The lyrics are playful and suggest the song is meant to be lighthearted. Throughout the verses, the singer shares his romantic experiences and observations about the world around him. He talks about a former girlfriend who got "fat and lazy" and another who "drives him crazy." The song also references French history, with a nod to King Louis XVI's execution during the French Revolution, with a joke about spoiling his "constitution."


The choral refrain "Away haul away, we'll haul away Joe" is a staple in sea shanties and is sung while sailors would work on deck, hauling ropes and sails. The chorus also stresses the importance of teamwork, determination, and perseverance in challenging times. In verse four, the singer makes a slight shift in tone, addressing a second mate who cannot tie a bowline and struggles to maintain stability on the rolling ship.


The song has a playful energy to it that makes it fun to sing along with. Despite being a traditional sea shanty, The Longest Johns's interpretation captures the spirit of the piece and makes it accessible to a larger audience.


Line by Line Meaning

When I was just a little lad or so me mammy told me,
As a kid, my mother warned that if I didn't kiss enough girls my lips would deteriorate.


That if I didn't kiss the girls me lips would grow a-moldy.
My mother warned me that if I didn't kiss girls, I would be left with unsightly and mouldy lips.


Away (Ho!) haul away! we'll haul away together!
Let's all work together and stay motivated with a loud shout of encouragement!


Away haul away, we'll haul away Joe.
Let's all push and pull this ship to get it moving smoothly!


Away (Ho!) haul away! we'll haul for better weather.
We'll all work hard and pull together so that we can reach a safer environment and avoid any storms.


I used to have an Irish girl, but she got fat and lazy
I had a girlfriend from Ireland, who eventually got out of shape and stopped putting in effort.


But now I've got a Bristol girl, and she just drives me crazy
I'm now dating someone from Bristol who excites and enthralls me.


Old Louis was the king of France before the revolut-i-on.
King Louis used to rule in France, but that era ended with the French Revolution.


But then he got his head chopped off it spoiled his constitut-i-on.
Unfortunately, Louis XVI lost his head during the revolution which had a dire effect on his previously established constitution.


You call yourself a second mate, you cannae tie a bowline,
You are supposedly a skilled second mate, but you can't even secure a good knot.


You can't even stand up straight, when the packet she's a rollin'
When the boat is swaying, you can't even stand up properly indicating that you're about as useful as a second mate as a knotted rope.


Well now can't you see the black clouds a-gatherin'.
Observe the growing black clouds, indicating that a storm is brewing.


Well now can't you see the storm clouds a-risin'.
Storm clouds are rising, meaning we need to work harder to push through this turbulent weather.




Writer(s): Trad, Trevor Grills, Jonathan Cleave, Billy Hawkins, Rupert Christie, John Lethbridge, Peter Rowe, John Brown, John Mcdonnell, Louise Brown, Julian Brown, Rose Prince, Nigel Sherratt, Jeremy Brown

Contributed by Elizabeth Y. Suggest a correction in the comments below.
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