Whup Jamboree
The Men of the Robert Shaw Chorale Lyrics
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For the Irish land will soon draw near
In a few more days we'll sight Cape Clear
Oh Jenny, get yer oatcake done
Whup! Jamboree, whup! jamboree
Oh ye one (?) sailor hauls upon the line
Whup! Jamboree, whup! jamboree
Now Cape Clear it is in sight
We'll be off Holyhead by tomorrow night
And we'll steer a course for old Rock Light
Oh Jenny, get yer oatcake done
Now my lads we're round the rock
All hammocks lashed and chests all locked
We'll haul her into the Waterloo Dock
Oh Jenny, get yer oatcake done
Now my lads we're all in luck
We'll be off to Dan Lowry's on the spot
And now we'll have a good round about
Oh Jenny, get yer oatcake done
Cape Clear - the southernmost inhabited part
Of the island of Ireland
Holyhead - is located on Holy Island, Wales
Waterloo Dock - on the River Mercy, England,
And part of the port of Liverpool
Dan Lowry's - A popular playhouse in
Paradise Street near the Waterloo Dock
A homeward bound shanty, usually sung at capstan or windlass
, Whup! Jamboree is a lively and upbeat song performed by The Men of the Robert Shaw Chorale. The opening lines invite the sailors to be cheerful as they approach the Irish land, sighting Cape Clear in a few days. The song credits Jenny with the responsibility to make oatcakes for the sailors. The chorus "Whup! Jamboree" is an exultant and robust call to haul upon the line. As they pass Holyhead, they steer a course for old Rock Light, and they secure their hammocks and chests around the big rock. Finally, they all prepare to have a good time at Dan Lowry's.
The lyrics reflect the celebration of sailors as they return home from their journey. The song is more about the excitement and camaraderie of sailors than the destination. The mention of Jenny making oatcakes signifies the presence of the love and comfort they are returning to. The enthusiastic chorus in between the lyrics embodies the sailors working together, hauling on the line, and singing out of joy.
Line by Line Meaning
Now my lads be of good cheer
Cheer up! We're getting closer to Ireland
For the Irish land will soon draw near
We'll soon see Ireland in a few days
In a few more days we'll sight Cape Clear
We're close to Cape Clear, a part of Ireland
Oh Jenny, get yer oatcake done
Prepare some food, we're getting ready to dock
Whup! Jamboree, whup! jamboree
Let's have some fun and celebrate
Oh ye one (?) sailor hauls upon the line
Everyone join in and work together to haul the line
Now Cape Clear it is in sight
We can see Cape Clear from here
We'll be off Holyhead by tomorrow night
We'll pass Holyhead in Wales by tomorrow night
And we'll steer a course for old Rock Light
We'll head towards Rock Light, an area in England
Now my lads we're round the rock
We've passed the Rock Light area
All hammocks lashed and chests all locked
Everything is secure and ready for docking
We'll haul her into the Waterloo Dock
We'll dock at the Waterloo Dock in Liverpool
Now my lads we're all in luck
We're lucky to be docking in Liverpool
We'll be off to Dan Lowry's on the spot
We'll go to Dan Lowry's theatre in Paradise Street
And now we'll have a good round about
We'll celebrate and have a good time
Oh Jenny, get yer oatcake done
Prepare some food for the celebration
Writer(s): Shaw, Parker
Contributed by Xavier O. Suggest a correction in the comments below.