Jolly Roving Tar
The Sheringham Shantymen Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
As long as the sea does roll.
Each sailor lad just like his dad,
He loves the flowing bowl.
A trip on shore he does adore
With a girl who's nice and round.
When the money's gone
"Get up Jack! John, sit down!"
Come along, come along, You jolly brave boys,
There's lots of grog in the jar.
We'll plough the briny ocean
With the jolly roving tar.
When Jack comes in, it's then he'll steer
To some old boarding house.
They'll welcome him with rum and gin,
And feed him on pork scouse.
He'll lend, spend and he'll not offend
Till he's lyin' drunk on the ground
When the money's gone
It's the same old song,
"Get up Jack! John, sit down!"
Jack, he then, oh then he'll sail
Bound down for Newfoundland
All the ladies fair in Placentia there
They love that sailor man.
He'll go to shore out on a tear
And he'll buy some girl a gown.
When the money's gone
It's the same old song,
"Get up Jack! John, sit down!"
When Jack gets old and weatherbeat,
Too old to roam about,
They'll let him stop in some rum shop
Till eight bells calls him out.
Then he'll raise his eyes up to the skies,
Sayin' "Boys, we're homeward bound.">br> When the money's gone
It's the same old song,
"Get up Jack! John, sit down!"
The lyrics to The Sheringham Shantymen's classic song "Jolly Roving Tar" paint a vivid picture of the life of a sailor at sea. The verse "Ships may come and ships may go, as long as the sea does roll" highlights the unpredictable nature of life at sea. The lyrics also speak of the sailor's love for alcohol, a common theme in sea shanties, as he is described as loving the "flowing bowl".
The second verse speaks of the sailor's desire to spend time on shore with a woman, and the inevitable issue of running out of money. This leads to the chorus, "Come along, come along, You jolly brave boys, there's lots of grog in the jar. We'll plough the briny ocean with the jolly roving tar." The chorus speaks of the camaraderie between sailors and their love of both the sea and drinking.
The final verse speaks of the sailor's eventual decline due to age, and his eventual retirement to a rum shop until his final moments. The repetition of the line "When the money's gone, it's the same old song, 'Get up Jack! John, sit down!'" highlights the cyclical nature of the sailor's life, moving from one voyage to the next, always in search of adventure and pleasure.
Line by Line Meaning
Ships may come and ships may go
The presence or absence of ships is temporary, but the sea is ever present and constant.
As long as the sea does roll.
The sea is always in motion and will never be still or calm.
Each sailor lad just like his dad,
Traditions and traits are passed down from fathers to sons in this family of sailors.
He loves the flowing bowl.
The sailor enjoys drinking alcohol, especially in a social atmosphere with his peers.
A trip on shore he does adore
The sailor enjoys spending time on land, especially if he has the chance to meet a woman.
With a girl who's nice and round.
The sailor prefers women who are curvy and voluptuous.
When the money's gone
Once the sailor has spent all his money and is broke,
It's the same old song,
he finds himself repeating the same pattern of behavior,
"Get up Jack! John, sit down!"
calling for someone else to take his place and buy the next round of drinks.
Come along, come along, You jolly brave boys,
Addressing his fellow sailors to come and join him in the revelry,
There's lots of grog in the jar.
Promising plenty of alcohol to go around.
We'll plough the briny ocean
Sailing across the salty sea, where waves resemble ploughed fields,
With the jolly roving tar.
Accompanied by a charming sailor who loves to travel and explore.
When Jack comes in, it's then he'll steer
Once back on land, Jack will navigate towards a comfortable and familiar place,
To some old boarding house.
Most likely a cheap and rough establishment, but with a warm atmosphere and welcoming patrons.
They'll welcome him with rum and gin,
The boarding house will greet him with an abundance of alcoholic beverages to enjoy,
And feed him on pork scouse.
Also serving a hearty stew made with pork and vegetables for sustenance.
He'll lend, spend and he'll not offend
Jack will borrow and spend generously while remaining respectful and courteous to others,
Till he's lyin' drunk on the ground
Until he passes out from too much drinking,
Jack, he then, oh then he'll sail
Jack will eventually return to sea,
Bound down for Newfoundland
Heading towards the eastern coast of Canada,
All the ladies fair in Placentia there
Where he will be greeted by friendly women who are happy to see him,
They love that sailor man.
They are drawn to his rugged and adventurous lifestyle as a sailor.
He'll go to shore out on a tear
He will go ashore with a boisterous and enthusiastic attitude,
And he'll buy some girl a gown.
He will take pleasure in buying a dress for the woman he admires.
When Jack gets old and weatherbeat,
As Jack grows older and his body becomes worn out and wrinkled by years of sea travel,
Too old to roam about,
He will eventually be too old and weak to travel and explore new places,
They'll let him stop in some rum shop
But he will still be welcomed and taken care of by the rum shops he visits,
Till eight bells calls him out.
Until the end of his life, when the final eight-bell ceremony signals his passing.
Then he'll raise his eyes up to the skies,
As he prepares to depart this world, he will gaze upwards towards the heavens,
Sayin' "Boys, we're homeward bound.
And declare that he is finally going home,
When the money's gone
Even in death, he will refer to the same old pattern of drinking and spending his resources,
It's the same old song,
where he will eventually run out of money,
"Get up Jack! John, sit down!"
And be replaced by younger sailors who will continue the cycle of fun and revelry he has enjoyed his entire life.
Contributed by Isabelle H. Suggest a correction in the comments below.