The Longest Johns formed in June 2012 after first singing together at a friend's barbecue. The original line up consisted of Josh Bowker, Andy Yates, Jonathan Darley and Dave Robinson. About a week later, they posted their first video on YouTube, singing "Haul Away Joe." They released their debut EP, Bones in the Ocean, in 2013, the title track of which is still one of their most popular. Their first full album, Written in Salt, was released in 2016, featuring tracks such as Drunken Sailor, Old Maui and Randy Dandy-O.
In June 2018 they released their second album, Between Wind & Water, which contained the smash hit "Wellerman". This recording, as well as the one used in the bands' Sea of Thieves series "Open Crewsing" would go on to cause the viral sensation in the years to come.
In October 2019, the band announced that Anna Cornish would be leaving the band to focus on her other band, The Norfolk Broads.
In March 2020, they released a song titled "Flatten the Curve", urging people to stay indoors during the COVID-19 pandemic.
In June 2020, the band released their third studio album, Cures What Ails Ya. This album was the Johns' first album featuring a full array of instruments on half of the songs.
In March 2023, The Longest Johns released a collab album, The Longest Pony, featuring collabs with the Barcelona folk group, El Pony Pisador. The album features the song "Al Pirata Joan Torrellas" which sung only in Catalan.
On 1 May 2023, the band announced the departure of founding member Dave Robinson.
Retirement Song
The Longest Johns Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
(I'm staying... right here!)
Oh I won't go sailing any more I won't obey the ocean's call,
(I'm staying... right here!)
I'll be a man of the land
I'll be a man of the trees
I'll be a man wherever my woman will be
I won't be servant of the seas
'Cause this pretty little woman is all I need
At 14 I was cabin boy to fearsome Captain Buckleroy
(I'm staying... right here!)
When I was sick he ordered cat 'o nine, until I said that I felt fine
(I'm staying... right here!)
I'll be a man of the land
I'll be a man of the trees
I'll be a man wherever my woman will be
I won't be any captain's mate
I won't be servant of the seas
'Cause this pretty little woman is all I need
At 20 I manned our crow's nest and captain said I was the best
(I'm staying... right here!)
But I nearly lost my eyes to God just lookin' out for old Cape Cod
(I'm staying... right here!)
I'll be a man of the land
I'll be a man of the trees
I'll be a man wherever my woman will be
I won't be any captain's mate
I won't be servant of the seas
'Cause this pretty little woman is all I need
At 25 no man alive could match my skill for gunnin'
(I'm staying... right here!)
But the Captain he got drunk one night and sank the blasted cannon
(I'm staying... right here!)
I'll be a man of the land
I'll be a man of the trees
I'll be a man wherever my woman will be
I won't be any captain's mate
I won't be servant of the seas
'Cause this pretty little woman is all I need
Captain died at twenty eight and by then I was his first mate
(I'm staying... right here!)
Well they tried to give me his command but I was hungry for the land
(I'm staying... right here!)
I'll be a man of the land
I'll be a man of the trees
I'll be a man wherever my woman will be
I won't be any captain's mate
I won't be servant of the seas
'Cause this pretty little woman is all I need
Stepped ashore at Felixstowe and made for Bristol by the road
(I'm staying... right here!)
Well I fell in love when first I saw her
Avon County's finest daughter...
And now she's got me staying Right here (a-way!)
I'll be a man of the land
I'll be a man of the trees
I'll be a man wherever my woman will be
I won't be any captain's mate
I won't be servant of the seas
'Cause this pretty little woman is all I need
I'll be a man of the land
I'll be a man of the trees
I'll be a man wherever my woman will be
I won't be any captain's mate
I won't be servant of the seas
'Cause this pretty little woman is all I need
The Longest Johns's song "Retirement Song" is about a sailor who has spent most of his life at sea and has now decided to retire and settle down with his lady love. The singer talks about his experiences at sea, where he served as a cabin boy, manned the crow's nest, and honed his gunning skills. Despite his achievements, he has decided to give up his life aboard a ship and become a land-based person. He proclaims his love for his partner and his desire to stay with her wherever she goes. The chorus repeats his intention to become a "man of the land" and stay by his woman's side instead of being a servant of the sea.
At 14, the singer was a cabin boy, and he worked for Captain Buckleroy. The captain was known to be harsh, and when the singer was sick, he ordered him to be flogged till he said he felt fine. When the singer was 20, he was manning the crow's nest, and everyone agreed he was the best. However, he nearly lost his eyesight trying to keep an eye out for Cape Cod. At 25, the singer had become a skilled gunner, but the captain got drunk one night and sank the ship's cannon. The captain died when he was twenty-eight, and the singer was his first mate who could have taken over the ship. However, he had grown tired of the sea and decided to retire to the land. He started his new life by stepping ashore at Felixstowe and making for Bristol. There he fell in love with the "Avon County's finest daughter," and he has never left her side since.
The song "Retirement Song" is a sea shanty that The Longest Johns performed in their 2020 album "Cures What Ails Ya." The group was formed in 2012 and gained popularity in 2018 when their rendition of "Wellerman" went viral on TikTok. They specialize in acapella folk songs, particularly sea shanties, with a modern twist. The Longest Johns's four members, Andy Yates, Robbie Sattin, Dave Robinson, and Jonathan Darley, all hail from Bristol, England. They perform mainly in the UK but have gained worldwide recognition in recent years.
Line by Line Meaning
I've been roaming all my life and now I've found a lady wife
I have been traveling for most of my life, but I have now found a woman I want to spend the rest of my days with.
Oh I won't go sailing any more I won't obey the ocean's call
I have decided to give up my life as a sailor because I have found something more important to me than the call of the sea.
I'll be a man of the land, I'll be a man of the trees
I will devote myself to the land and the trees and make a life on land instead of at sea.
I won't be any captain's mate, I won't be servant of the seas
I have decided not to work for any more captains, and I will never again be a slave to the sea.
'Cause this pretty little woman is all I need
My lady wife is the only thing I need to be happy in life.
At 14 I was cabin boy to fearsome Captain Buckleroy
When I was 14 years old, I was a lowly cabin boy for Captain Buckleroy, who was known for being very intimidating.
When I was sick he ordered cat 'o nine, until I said that I felt fine
When I was sick, Captain Buckleroy used a whip called the cat o' nine tails upon me until I said that I was feeling better.
At 20 I manned our crow's nest and captain said I was the best
When I was 20 years old, I was in charge of the crow's nest, and the captain thought I was the best at that job.
But I nearly lost my eyes to God just lookin' out for old Cape Cod
I almost lost my eyesight while looking out for any dangers in the area of Cape Cod.
At 25 no man alive could match my skill for gunnin'
When I was 25 years old, no man was better than me at handling a gun.
But the Captain he got drunk one night and sank the blasted cannon
One night, the captain got drunk and accidentally sank the cannon that I was in charge of.
Captain died at twenty eight and by then I was his first mate
The captain died when he was 28 years old, and at that point, I had already been his first mate for some time.
Well they tried to give me his command but I was hungry for the land
The crew wanted me to take over as captain, but I was too eager to start a new life on land.
Stepped ashore at Felixstowe and made for Bristol by the road
I left the ship and walked to Felixstowe, then made my way to Bristol by road.
Well I fell in love when first I saw her Avon County's finest daughter...
I fell in love with the finest daughter of the Avon County when I first saw her.
And now she's got me staying Right here (a-way!)
My lady wife has convinced me to stay here and start a new life on land with her.
Contributed by Addison H. Suggest a correction in the comments below.