Old Billy Riley
The Sheringham Shantymen Lyrics

The Sheringham Shantymen's song "Old Billy Riley" is a classic sea shanty with a simple and repetitive tune that was often sung by sailors to pass time while working on board a ship. The lyrics are sung from the perspective of a sailor who is asking for his friend Bob's help because he feels like he is lost and aimless ("bully") while on board his ship in the alley. The sailor shares that the girl he loves is named Sally and that he wants to marry her and have kids with her one day in Shin-bone Alley.

The repetition of the phrase "Bully in the alley" and the use of the name "Bob" are common features in sea shanties. Many scholars have theorized that "bully" was a corruption of the word "boil" and referred to sailors who had venereal diseases or infections. Thus, the phrase "Bully in the alley" referred to someone who was sick and needed help or assistance. The repetition of the phrase in the song is meant to create a sense of unity and rhythm among the sailors.

The specific use of the names "Sally" and "Shin-bone Alley" in the song are believed to be references to real people and places. Some have speculated that Sally was a famous prostitute or dancer in the port town where the song was created, and that Shin-bone Alley was a notorious red-light district or slum. The fact that the sailor wants to marry Sally and have kids with her speaks to the way that sailors would often form intense emotional attachments to women they met in port towns, even if they knew they could never truly be with them.