Heave Away
The Skullduggers Lyrics


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Come get your duds in order 'cause we're bound to sail tomorrow
Heave away! Me jollies, heave away!
Come get your duds in order 'cause we're bound to cross the water
Heave away! Me jolly boys, we're all bound away!

Sometimes we're bound for Liverpool, sometimes we're bound for France
Heave away! Me jollies, heave away!
But now we're bound for New York town to give the girls a dance
Heave away! Me jolly boys, we're all bound away!

I wrote my love a letter, I was on the Jenny Lind
Heave away! Me jollies, heave away!
I wrote my love a letter, but I forgot to send it
Heave away! Me jolly boys, we're all bound away!

Farewell me Nancy darling, cause it's never gonna leave you
Heave away! Me jollies heave away!
You promised you would marry me, but then you did deceive me
Heave away! Me jolly boys, we're all bound away!

Come get your duds in order 'cause we're bound to sail tomorrow
Heave away! Me jollies, heave away!
Come get your duds in order 'cause we're bound to cross the water
Heave away! Me jolly boys, we're all bound away!

I wrote me love a letter, I was on the Jenny Lind
Heave away! Me jollies, heave away!
I wrote me love a letter, but I forgot to send it
Heave away! Me jolly boys, we're all bound away!

Heave away! Me jolly boys, we're all bound away!

Heave away! Me jolly boys, we're all bound away!

Heave away! Me jolly boys, we're all bound away!





Heave away! Me jolly boys, we're all bound away!

Overall Meaning

The Skullduggers' song "Heave Away" is a classic sea shanty that captures the spirit of adventure and the excitement of sailing to new destinations. The song starts by urging the crew to pack their bags and get ready to set sail, as they are planning to embark on a journey soon. The chorus "heave away" is an instruction to put their backs into the work, as they prepare to leave.


The lyrics then mention the different places they may visit on their voyage, including Liverpool, France, and New York City. The reference to giving the girls a dance in New York suggests that the crew sees this journey as one of pleasure, not just business. The verse about writing a love letter while on the Jenny Lind highlights the loneliness that can come with being at sea for long periods.


The final verse seems to be a personal lament from the singer, as he says farewell to his love Nancy and accuses her of deceiving him. This verse adds a layer of complexity to the song and shows that even while on a journey of excitement and new experiences, there can be moments of heartache and disappointment.


Overall, the song "Heave Away" captures the sense of anticipation and adventure that comes with sailing the high seas, while also acknowledging the challenges and emotions that can arise.


Line by Line Meaning

Come get your duds in order 'cause we're bound to sail tomorrow
Let's get our things organized because we'll be leaving soon


Heave away! Me jollies, heave away!
Let's start working together! Yo ho! Yo ho! We're off to go!


Sometimes we're bound for Liverpool, sometimes we're bound for France
We may go to different places, but we'll always be sailors


But now we're bound for New York town to give the girls a dance
We're headed to New York to have some fun dancing with the ladies


I wrote my love a letter, I was on the Jenny Lind
I wrote a letter to my sweetheart while on board the Jenny Lind


I wrote my love a letter, but I forgot to send it
Unfortunately, I forgot to send the letter before leaving


Farewell me Nancy darling, cause it's never gonna leave you
Goodbye my love, I'm afraid I'll never come back to you


You promised you would marry me, but then you did deceive me
You promised to marry me but you betrayed my trust


Heave away! Me jolly boys, we're all bound away!
Let's all work together and set sail to our next destination! Yo ho! Yo ho!




Contributed by Xavier T. Suggest a correction in the comments below.
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Lowkei


on The Balena

[Verse 1]
A noble fleet of whalers
went sailing from Dundee,
While manned by British sailors
to work out on the sea.
From the western ocean passage
none with them can compare,
To the bravest ship to make
the trip is Balena, I declare!

[Chorus]
Oh, the wind is on a quarter
engine working free;
There's not another whaler
that sails out of Dundee
Can beat the old Balena
she needs no trial run
And she challenged all,
both great and small,
from Dundee to St. John!

[Verse 2]
It happened on a Tuesday
3 days out of Dundee,
When a gale took out a quarter-boat
and a couple of men, you see (couple of men, you see)
It battered out a bullwark,
her stampchains and her rails
And left the old Balena, boys,
a-floating in the gales.

[Chorus]
Oh, the wind is on a quarter,
engine working free;
There's not another whaler
that sails out of Dundee
Can beat the old Balena
she needs no trial run
And she challenged all,
both great and small,
from Dundee to St. John!

[Verse 3]
Old Jack-man cut his canvas
and nearly raised his steam,
Captain Jack with Aaron-boy
came plowing through the stream,
The noble Terra Nova, her quarters nearly burst
and still there at the whaling grounds,
Balena got there first!

[Chorus]
Oh, the wind is on a quarter,
engine working free;
There's not another whaler
that sails out of Dundee
Can beat the old Balena
she needs no trial run
And she challenged all,
both great and small,
from Dundee to St. John!

(musical interlude)

[Chorus]
Oh, the wind is on a quarter,
engine working free;
There's not another whaler
that sails out of Dundee
Can beat the old Balena
she needs no trial run
And she challenged all,
both great and small,
from Dundee to St. John!

[Verse 4]
Well, now our season's over
our ship's half full of oil,
we point the jib-boom t'wards our home
and to our native soil.
And then when we have landed
and the rum is flowing cheap,
We'll drink success to the skipper's health
for getting us o'er the deep!

[Chorus]
Oh, the wind is on a quarter,
engine working free;
There's not another whaler
that sails out of Dundee
Can beat the old Balena
she needs no trial run
And she challenged all,
both great and small,
from Dundee to St. John!

[Chorus]
Oh, the wind is on a quarter,
engine working free;
There's not another whaler
that sails out of Dundee
Can beat the old Balena
she needs no trial run
And she challenged all,
both great and small,
from Dundee to St. John!

[Outro]
and she challenged all,
both great and small,
from Dundee to St. John!

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