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THE BARK GAY HEAD Lead: Peter Guitar and harmony: Richard

A forebitter from mid-19th century New England whaling.

LYRICS:

Come all you brave Americans and listen to my ditty
It's all about a whaling bark, belongs New Bedford City
The bark Gay Head it is her name, she's known both up and down
Her captain's name is Jennings and, by God, beware a frown

Chorus:
Cheer boys, cheer for the Gay Head and crew
For growling and for soldiering when there are things to do
We never will, we never will, we never can be high
We want three thousand barrel of oil, root, hog, or die!

We'll cheer, me noble hearties, for the jarboard boat and crew
Mr. Hazard is the harpooner, he's a gentleman good and true
And when they lower in their boats, they do the best they can
Ryder's the biggest boaster, likewise the smallest man

And cheer for the noble starboard boat, whose crew are very good
Their boat leader is a Dartmouth man, they call him Mr. Wood
And when they lower in their boat, they don't make any noise
And when you talk of pulling, why, they're the very boys

NOTES:

A forebitter from mid 19th century New England whaling. "Root, hog or die" is an old slang term meaning search for what you need to survive, or perish. Very true for whalemen whose pay depended on a successful voyage.