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MOBILE BAY Lead: Peter & Richard

This shanty was often used at the pumps and it is one of the very few work songs calling for two shantymen.

Stan Hugill says, in his book Shanties from the Seven Seas, "Another popular 'Johnny' shanty was that known as John, Come Tell Us As We Haul Away (alternative title, Mobile Bay). It was often sung at the pumps when the word 'pump' would be substituted for the word 'haul', although in the more modern flywheel type of pump where a bell-rope was used both words were equally appropriate. It probably started life as a cotton hoosiers' song down in the Gulf Ports. It was one of the very few shanties that had two singers for the solo lines. Billy Boy too was sung in this fashion. It was also used at halyards by some shantymen. I have given the line 'Aye, aye, haul aye' as a solo and marked the hauling words in the refrains on account of this. It was also used at the windlass and capstan when the word 'heave' would be substituted for 'pump' or 'haul'. Ex-shantyman Stanley Slade of Bristol, who has recorded this for H.M.V., puts the regular shantyman's 'yodel' into the line 'Hay-ey-ey haul-ey!' (third solo), his version of the shanty being a hauling one."

LYRICS:

Solo: From Liverpool Town we've sailed away
Chorus: John, come tell us as we haul away!
Solo: Outward bound at the break of day
Chorus: John, come tell us as we haul away!
Solo: Aye, aye, haul aye
Chorus: John, come tell us as we haul away!

Have you ever been down Mobile Bay?
A-Screwin' cotton all the day?
Aye, aye, haul aye

Yes, I've been down Mobile Bay
Screwin' cotton all the day
Aye, aye, haul aye

And what did you see in Mobile Bay?
Were the gals all free and gay?
Aye, aye, haul aye

Well, this I saw in Mobile Bay
Spankin' gal in a hammock lay
Aye, aye, haul aye

An' this flash gal was Saucy May
She was tall and fine and had lots to say
Aye, aye, haul aye

And what did you do in Mobile Bay?
Did you give that flash tart all yer pay?
Aye, aye, haul aye

Oh this I did in Mobile Bay
Courted this gal whose name was May
Aye, aye, haul aye

I married her in Mobile Bay
And lived there happy many a day
Aye, aye, haul aye