The McCalmans are a Scottish folk band. Formed in 1964, the original member… Read Full Bio ↴The McCalmans are a Scottish folk band. Formed in 1964, the original members were Ian McCalman, born 1 September 1946 in Edinburgh, Hamish Bayne born in Nairobi, Kenya and Derek Moffat born near Dundee, Fife. Hamish left the band and was replaced by Nick Keir. Derek died of cancer in 2001 and was replaced by Stephen Quigg.

Santiano
The McCalmans Lyrics

Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴

From Boston Town we sailed away
Heave aweigh Santiano
Round Cape Horn down to Frisco Bay
And we're bound for Californ-i-o

So, heave her up and away we'll go
Heave aweigh Santiano
Heave her up and away we'll go

And we're bound for Californ-i-o

These Liverpool girls they make a show
Heave aweigh Santiano
They shake their hips with the roamin' beau
And they're bound for Californ-i-o

So, heave her up and away we'll go
Heave aweigh Santiano
Heave her up and away we'll go
And we're bound for Californ-i-o

When I was young and in my prime
Heave aweigh Santiano
I took these young girls three at a time
And we're bound for Californ-i-o

So, heave her up and away we'll go
Heave aweigh Santiano
Heave her up and away we'll go
And we're bound for Californ-i-o

When I leave ship, I'll settle down
Heave aweigh Santiano
I'll marry a girl named Sally Brown
And they're bound for Californ-i-o

So, heave her up and away we'll go
Heave aweigh Santiano
Heave her up and away we'll go
And we're bound for Californ-i-o

So, heave her up and away we'll go
Heave aweigh Santiano

Heave her up and away we'll go
And we're bound for Californ-i-o

Overall Meaning

The McCalmans's song "Santiano" is a traditional sea shanty that details the journey of a group of sailors on their way from Boston to California. The repetitive chorus of "heave aweigh Santiano" creates a sense of camaraderie among the sailors, as they work together to achieve their goal of reaching the Golden State. The lyrics also touch on themes of love and settling down, as one of the sailors dreams of marrying a girl named Sally Brown once he leaves the ship.

The first verse sets the scene for the journey, with the sailors heaving away from Boston and traveling around Cape Horn to reach San Francisco. The second verse introduces the Liverpool girls, who provide a distraction for the sailors as they embark on their journey. The third verse speaks to the singer's past experiences with women, and hints at the promiscuity that was often present on these long voyages.

Overall, "Santiano" captures the essence of a traditional sea shanty, with its catchy chorus and tales of adventure and romance on the high seas.

Line by Line Meaning

From Boston Town we sailed away
We left Boston and set sail

Heave aweigh Santiano
Let's get the ship ready to sail

Round Cape Horn down to Frisco Bay
We sailed past Cape Horn and made our way to San Francisco Bay

And we're bound for Californ-i-o
Our destination is California

These Liverpool girls they make a show
The girls in Liverpool put on a good display

They shake their hips with the roamin' beau
They dance seductively with the roaming boys

When I was young and in my prime
When I was young and at my best

I took these young girls three at a time
I had multiple young girls at once

When I leave ship, I'll settle down
When I leave the ship, I plan on settling down

I'll marry a girl named Sally Brown
I plan on marrying a specific girl named Sally Brown