Michael Cooney, accompanied by his five-string banjo, sings an old whaling song.
Blow, Ye Winds derives from an old English ballad concerning the adventures of a clever lady and an amorous knight, but the traditional words of the sailor’s version reflect the bitter experiences of whalemen.
[Verse 1]
'Tis advertised in Boston
New York and Buffalo
A hundred hearty sailors
A-whaling for to go, singing
[Refrain]
Blow ye winds in the morning
Blow ye winds, heigh-ho!
Haul away your running gear
And blow, boys, blow!
[Verse 2]
They tell you of the blubber ships
A-running in and out
They say you'll take five hundred spar
Before you're six months out, singing
[Refrain]
Blow ye winds in the morning
Blow ye winds, heigh-ho!
Haul away your running gear
And blow, boys, blow!
[Verse 3]
They send you to New Bedford town
A famous whaling port
They give you to some landsharks
To board and fit you out, singing
[Refrain]
Blow ye winds in the morning
Blow ye winds, heigh-ho!
Haul away your running gear
And blow, boys, blow!
[Verse 4]
And now we're out to sea, my boys
The wind comes on to blow
Half the watch is sick on deck
The other half below, singing
[Refrain]
Blow ye winds in the morning
Blow ye winds, heigh-ho!
Haul away your running gear
And blow, boys, blow!
[Verse 5]
The captain's on the afterdeck
A-squinting at the sails
And up above, the look-out spots
A mighty school of whales, singing
[Refrain]
Blow ye winds in the morning
Blow ye winds, heigh-ho!
Haul away your running gear
And blow, boys, blow!
[Verse 6]
It's lower down the boats my boys
And after him we'll travel
But if you get too near his fluke
He'll kick you to the Devil, singing
[Refrain]
Blow ye winds in the morning
Blow ye winds, heigh-ho!
Haul away your running gear
And blow, boys, blow!
[Verse 7]
And now that she is ours, my boys
We'll bring her alongside
And over with our blubber hooks
And rob her of her hide, singing
[Refrain]
Blow ye winds in the morning
Blow ye winds, heigh-ho!
Haul away your running gear
And blow, boys, blow!
[Verse 8]
When we get home, our ship made fast
And we get through our sailing
Our brimmin' glass around we'll pass
And damn this blubber whaling! Singing
[Refrain]
Blow ye winds in the morning
Blow ye winds, heigh-ho!
Haul away your running gear
And blow, boys, blow!
Blow, Ye Winds was produced by The National Geographic Society.
Michael Cooney released Blow, Ye Winds on Mon Jan 01 1973.