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ROLLER BOWLER

My version of this shanty is a combination of some of the verses from Barry Finn and the setting that Shay Black sings. I first heard of this song from Barry Finn who got it from Polish shanty singer Marek Siurawski. Barry Finn was very generous and called me long-distance to sing Roller Bowler into my phone message system. I had also heard that Shay Black sang it too but with a full chorus. I heard Shay's version when he, Peter Kasin, myself, Skip Henderson, and Jim Nelson sang some shanties for the dedication of the new MUNI (local light rail) F-Line which ends up a block away from Hyde Street Pier in San Francisco. Shay Black told me that he used to sing Roller Bowler when he lived in Liverpool and was singing with the band Stormalong John. You can hear Shay singing the song on Stormalong John's cd Liverpool, a re-release of songs from earlier cassette tapes they had made. There is no indication on the Liverpool cd of who is in the band but there's no mistaking Shay's distinctive voice and he confirmed that it was indeed he on that recording. There is also a recording of Roller Bowler sung by Shay Black on a cd of a French sea music festival, Les Musiques De La Fete: Brest '92. It's too bad Barry Finn never has recorded it because he does a wonderful job on it.

I had fun with the "timme!" yells in the chorus. I sing the yells as solo lines simply because I like the way it sounds - it's not traditional to do it that way. I understand that Stan Hugill thought very highly of this shanty although he certainly doesn't say so in his book Shanties from the Seven Seas:

"Another shanty which uses the expression 'high-rig-a-jig' is the capstan song Roller Bowler which appears to me to be another of the Negro-Irish type of sailor work-song. I picked up my version out in Trinidad. Sharp's version, the only one in print until now, seems to be a Liverpool shanty although he collected it in Bristol, I think. Anyhow it is definitely a shanty that was sung aboard of the West Indian Sugar and Rum Traders, since it was well known by most of my West Indian shipmates. Sharp gives an introductory chorus."

LYRICS: ROLLER BOWLER Alternate title: Good Morning, Ladies All As I rolled out one mornin' Chorus: Hurrah, you roller bowler! As I rolled out one mornin' I met a dou-dou fair Chorus: Timme, hey-rig-a-jig an' a ha-ha Good morning ladies all And hurrah, you roller bowler Timme, hey-rig-a-jig an' a ha-ha! Good mornin', ladies all Oh, I met her once in Liverpool Oh, I met her once in Liverpool That saucy gal of mine Oh, the first time that I saw her Oh, the first time that I saw her 'Twas down in Parkee Lane She winked and tipped her flipper She winked and tipped her flipper She thought I was a Mate But when she found that I was skint But when she found that I was skint She left me standing there I squared me yards an' sailed away I squared me yards an' sailed away An' to the ship I went The last time that I saw her The last time that I saw her Was down the waterside Oh, you ladies short and ladies tall Oh, you ladies short and ladies tall I love you one and all