The Longest Johns, Barrett's Privateers, Severn Seas Festival 2015,Under The Stars

[@Mr_T_Badger]

I love how they include the whoop in the chorus just like Stan Rogers did even if their pronouncing of Halifax is a little weird. 😋

[@tylerjordan7849]

What do you mean? How do you pronounce haleefax lol

[@tylerjordan7849]

@theo5460 theo5460 yeah I’m from New Brunswick. Lol. Just making a crack.

[@alyxbrooks6715]

Halifax is also a placename in the UK, so their pronunciation isn't incorrect as such, but you'd be hard pressed to find a pier in our Halifax 😂

[@lewismantle3887]

@@alyxbrooks6715 You will find the children’s museum ‘Eureka!’ In Halifax though, which if you ask me (a 30 year old who would go back there tomorrow to pretend I worked in a bank and then a mechanics) is far superior to any pier. (Coming from a native of Blackpool, we know what we’re talking about when it comes to pier’s 😂)

[@alyxbrooks6715]

@@lewismantle3887 wait a minute, I know you! You used to play Airsoft at alpha 5-5 right? I just recognised your name, what a coincidence 😂

[@asolomon7402]

Wish this was on Spotify by these great men.

[@Zoidberg227]

I'm pretty sure the first time I heard this song was The Longest Johns on Spotify!

[@rachelgallus5694]

Loving their authentic tavern bard feel!

[@wyre6301]

im actually from halifax and this song was made in Halifax so song means alot to me

[@keiths81ca]

I grew up outside Sherbrooke, Guysborough County. I win, lol.

[@tatertotgaming863]

Well I grew up in new york and people here are assholes lol

[@JustJay1281]

think this song means a lot to most eastern Canadian

[@charlesschmuckatelli7888]

Found this a couple of years back but still love it.....

[@MyrKeys]

It's weird seeing Josh and Robbie together! Love it, though, as always.

[@IAmBottle.]

I'm not sure why, but it feels correct that basically all of the Longest Johns have beards. It just... feels right.

[@lettuceleague9256]

Well it’s like they say, can’t sing shanties if y’got no beard

[@paddingtonplatypus3129]

But.... they all got 2 legs...

[@IAmBottle.]

@@paddingtonplatypus3129 Oh shit, and not a single missing eye in the whole crew...

[@tomstech4390]

@@paddingtonplatypus3129 see them at the end of the night and I'm sure they'll be legless.

[@gammaraider]

There actually is an old sea shanty in Dutch, that states that all those who wish to sail as privateers, need to be men with beards! First written down and published in the 19th century but likely much older. We learned it in school as kids. Here's a Dutch folk band performing it: kzbin.info/www/bejne/mpXFhX6cbs2Xn5o

[@ThomasBaxter]

Hallyfax.

[@robertshadbolt3056]

Pronounced that way in the queen's English dear boy

[@NachoMist]

@@robertshadbolt3056 good thing Stan didn't speak the Queen's English

[@YOLOSWAG420EZ]

@@NachoMist He certainly pronounced it Halifax though

[@baba9665]

finally, pure shanty

[@neilwilson5785]

When me legs shot off the deck I didn't know that there would be a great song about it thanks from my Halifax pier. God damn them all.

[@BobBurgessNB]

Well done guys! Our group has been trying to work this up but we're finding harmonies devilishly difficult to nail.

[@seemasone7061]

Sea chanties are straight connected yo my heart

[@captainfraser3827]

Oh the year was seventeen-seventy-eight How I wish I was in Sherbrooke now! When a letter of marque came from the King To the scummiest vessel I've ever seen God Damn them all! I was told We'd cruise the seas for American gold We'd fire no guns, shed no tears Now I'm a broken man on a Halifax pier The last of Barrett's privateers. Oh Elcid Barrett cried the town, (how I wish I was in Sherbrooke now!) For twenty brave men, all fishermen, who Would make for him the Antelope's crew {Chorus} God Damn them all! I was told We'd cruise the seas for American gold We'd fire no guns, shed no tears Now I'm a broken man on a Halifax pier The last of Barrett's privateers The Antelope sloop was a sickening sight. (how I wish I was in Sherbrooke now!) She'd a list to port and her sails in rags, And a cook in the scuppers with staggers and jags. {Chorus} On the King's birthday we put to sea. (how I wish I was in Sherbrooke now!) We were ninety-one days to Montego bay, Pumping like madmen all the way. {Chorus} On the ninety-sixth day we sailed again. (how I wish I was in Sherbrooke now!) When a bloody great Yankee hove in sight With our cracked four-pounders we made to fight {Chorus} The Yankee lay low down with gold. (how I wish I was in Sherbrooke now!) She was broad and fat and loose in stays, But to catch her took the Antelope two whole days {Chorus} Then at length we stood two cables away. (how I wish I was in Sherbrooke now!) Our cracked four-pounders made an awful din, But with one fat ball the Yank stove us in {Chorus} The Antelope shook and pitched on her side. (how I wish I was in Sherbrooke now!) Barrett was smashed like a bowl of eggs, And the maintruck carried off both me legs. {Chorus} So here I lay in my twenty-third year. (how I wish I was in Sherbrooke now!) It's been six years since we sailed away, And I just made Halifax yesterday. {chorus til finish}

[@edithhewitt6957]

This is one of the top songs loved by Canadian sailors! Canadians love their Stan Rogers and most of them probably believe that he wrote it

[@lettersandnumbers21]

And who exactly do you propose wrote it, if not Stan Rogers?

[@shawncavanagh401]

OK , boo boo, run your mouth. Who wrote it. ? Check your facts before you run your mouth !!!

[@tangodown69]

Stan Rogers wrote it, after attending shanty sings and not knowing any shanties.

[@DrDanLawrence]

@@tangodown69 In the documentary "One Warm Line," Stan Rogers talks a little more about this. Basically he wanted a shanty where he had the lead part, so he wrote his own! Not so much that Stan didn't know any shanties, but rather that he was sick of singing the harmony parts.

[@terryeckmeier7027]

Unfortunately not enough Canadians know Stan.

[@josiahzabel8596]

Anyone else know this song from hearing it on "Due South"?

[@Mr_T_Badger]

I grew up with it before Due South but that was an awesome episode. 😊

[@zednotzee]

No, I know this song the way you're supposed to know it. Singing it with your buddies over beers in a kitchen

[@jrmetmoi]

Yes I had never heard of this shanty until I heard Benton the Mountie sing it in ‘Due South’

[@keiths81ca]

Is Halifax, England pronounced "Hally fax" instead of "hell ah fax?"

[@mollywalmsley3521]

I think it might be the southern accent, I'm northern and I pronounce it the same as Stan Rogers does like hal ah fax

[@RuGMuNCHeR]

Hally Fax - Southerner

[@terryeckmeier7027]

I know growing in up in Canada its Hal ah fax.

[@iamnooneiamnoone3591]

I’m close to Bristol like the Longest Johns and I say more Hall uh fax

[@xaiene2958]

Hally fax from an east midlander

[@MouseMask-p1z]

I love this song, but I wish I knew the lyrics. I might have to listen carefully and write them down.

[@AntoKanePhotography]

Thanks for the tip, I was wondering how they do this!

[@philippauli8162]

Oh, the year was 1778 How I wish I was in Sherbrooke now A letter of marque came from the king To the scummiest vessel I've ever seen God damn them all! I was told We'd cruise the seas for American gold We'd fire no guns, shed no tears But I'm a broken man on a Halifax pier The last of Barrett's Privateers Oh, Elcid Barrett cried the town How I wish I was in Sherbrooke now For twenty brave men all fishermen who Would make for him the Antelope's crew God damn them all! I was told We'd cruise the seas for American gold We'd fire no guns, shed no tears But I'm a broken man on a Halifax pier The last of Barrett's Privateers The Antelope sloop was a sickening sight How I wish I was in Sherbrooke now She'd a list to the port and her sails in rags And the cook in the scuppers with the staggers and jags God damn them all! I was told We'd cruise the seas for American gold We'd fire no guns, shed no tears But I'm a broken man on a Halifax pier The last of Barrett's Privateers On the King's birthday we put to sea How I wish I was in Sherbrooke now We were 91 days to Montego Bay Pumping like madmen all the way God damn them all! I was told We'd cruise the seas for American gold We'd fire no guns, shed no tears But I'm a broken man on a Halifax pier The last of Barrett's Privateers On the 96th day we sailed again How I wish I was in Sherbrooke now When a bloody great Yankee hove in sight With our cracked four pounders we made to fight God damn them all! I was told We'd cruise the seas for American gold We'd fire no guns, shed no tears But I'm a broken man on a Halifax pier The last of Barrett's Privateers Now the Yankee lay low down with gold How I wish I was in Sherbrooke now She was broad and fat and loose in the stays But to catch her took the Antelope two whole days God damn them all! I was told We'd cruise the seas for American gold We'd fire no guns, shed no tears But I'm a broken man on a Halifax pier The last of Barrett's Privateers Then at length we stood two cables away How I wish I was in Sherbrooke now Our cracked four pounders made an awful din But with one fat ball, the Yank stove us in God damn them all! I was told We'd cruise the seas for American gold We'd fire no guns, shed no tears But I'm a broken man on a Halifax pier The last of Barrett's Privateers The Antelope shook and pitched on her side How I wish I was in Sherbrooke now Barrett was smashed like a bowl of eggs And the Main truck carried off both me legs God damn them all! I was told We'd cruise the seas for American gold We'd fire no guns, shed no tears But I'm a broken man on a Halifax pier The last of Barrett's Privateers So here I lay in my 23rd year How I wish I was in Sherbrooke now It's been 6 years since we sailed away And I just made Halifax yesterday God damn them all! I was told We'd cruise the seas for American gold We'd fire no guns, shed no tears But I'm a broken man on a Halifax pier The last of Barrett's Privateers

[@georgeofhamilton]

Wow, this is old.

[@jordanmcmorris5248]

It's been six years since this song was sang, and I just heard it yesterday, god damn them all!

[@TPTism]

KINGS!

[@kiseki8351]

I was kinda hoping they were gonna sing it with Barrett's Privateers (the KZbin channel)

[@jrmetmoi]

‘Due South’ show from back in the 90s

[@rockysquirrel3926]

Left out a verse. ....to catch her took the Antelope two whole days...

[@spongebobsquarepants8403]

wait what verse was that

[@unclethomas914]

@@spongebobsquarepants8403 the one in the song

[@atomiclight8574]

Shanties' lyrics vary from person to person

[@zednotzee]

@@atomiclight8574 sure, in actual 200 year old work songs no one knows the origins of, where you would improvise lyrics and vary the length of song to suit the task your doing while singing it. But not a folk song from singer songwriter in the 70s. Look around, there are 1000 renditions of this iconic Canadian song. You won't find much in the way of creative license with this particular song

[@Rocketsong]

God damn it all, went to bed With Wellerman rattlin' 'bout my head Now where's my rum, where's my tea Forget the whale, just let him be I'm stuck here in a sea shanty.

[@jjones503]

If only I had 4 other friends.....

[@baboonaiih]

Definitely good, but somehow it feels like through every cover I watch they're all missing the raw energy of Stan Roger's performances.

[@tassie57]

Do the audiences at these concerts ever shut up and listen to this wonderful group.

[@maccarr9923]

To be fair it's usually a lot louder in the room when you hear people singing this song in a pub Nova Scotia

[@TyrJustice]

sea shanties with the boys

[@talistrahan6374]

-Copied from Phillip Pauli, who posted it as a reply to James Forgie Oh, the year was 1778 How I wish I was in Sherbrooke now A letter of marque came from the king To the scummiest vessel I've ever seen God damn them all! I was told We'd cruise the seas for American gold We'd fire no guns, shed no tears But I'm a broken man on a Halifax pier The last of Barrett's Privateers Oh, Elcid Barrett cried the town How I wish I was in Sherbrooke now For twenty brave men all fishermen who Would make for him the Antelope's crew God damn them all! I was told We'd cruise the seas for American gold We'd fire no guns, shed no tears But I'm a broken man on a Halifax pier The last of Barrett's Privateers The Antelope sloop was a sickening sight How I wish I was in Sherbrooke now She'd a list to the port and her sails in rags And the cook in the scuppers with the staggers and jags God damn them all! I was told We'd cruise the seas for American gold We'd fire no guns, shed no tears But I'm a broken man on a Halifax pier The last of Barrett's Privateers On the King's birthday we put to sea How I wish I was in Sherbrooke now We were 91 days to Montego Bay Pumping like madmen all the way God damn them all! I was told We'd cruise the seas for American gold We'd fire no guns, shed no tears But I'm a broken man on a Halifax pier The last of Barrett's Privateers On the 96th day we sailed again How I wish I was in Sherbrooke now When a bloody great Yankee hove in sight With our cracked four pounders we made to fight God damn them all! I was told We'd cruise the seas for American gold We'd fire no guns, shed no tears But I'm a broken man on a Halifax pier The last of Barrett's Privateers Now the Yankee lay low down with gold How I wish I was in Sherbrooke now She was broad and fat and loose in the stays But to catch her took the Antelope two whole days God damn them all! I was told We'd cruise the seas for American gold We'd fire no guns, shed no tears But I'm a broken man on a Halifax pier The last of Barrett's Privateers Then at length we stood two cables away How I wish I was in Sherbrooke now Our cracked four pounders made an awful din But with one fat ball, the Yank stove us in God damn them all! I was told We'd cruise the seas for American gold We'd fire no guns, shed no tears But I'm a broken man on a Halifax pier The last of Barrett's Privateers The Antelope shook and pitched on her side How I wish I was in Sherbrooke now Barrett was smashed like a bowl of eggs And the Main truck carried off both me legs God damn them all! I was told We'd cruise the seas for American gold We'd fire no guns, shed no tears But I'm a broken man on a Halifax pier The last of Barrett's Privateers So here I lay in my 23rd year How I wish I was in Sherbrooke now It's been 6 years since we sailed away And I just made Halifax yesterday God damn them all! I was told We'd cruise the seas for American gold We'd fire no guns, shed no tears But I'm a broken man on a Halifax pier The last of Barrett's Privateers

[@HiiPPi3]

Where do you get your lyrics from?

[@grahamedarley5106]

HiiPPi3 . They write many of their own but the others are traditional sea shanty & folk songs, researched or copied.

[@grahamedarley5106]

Just in case you are interested they do regular live streams singing & are open to Q&A' s they will be on KZbin on Tuesday 30th April @ 8pm UK BST.

[@HiiPPi3]

@@grahamedarley5106 thanks for the reply :)

[@TheRaccoonGamer]

@@HiiPPi3 You could also just look it up. Stan Rogers wrote and performed this song. I believe he's actually from Ontario Canada, hence the whole "Broken man on a Halifax pier"

[@HiiPPi3]

@@TheRaccoonGamer i did eventually, but yeah, impulsively i tend to ask people instead of google. Maybe i shouldn't

[@magnusdallas4447]

halyfax

[@inquisitorsteve1429]

a canadian song

[@stevenrolfe4496]

Wrongo that's actually an Irish sea shanty

[@stevenrolfe4496]

My bad your right

[@SillyPutty3700]

@@stevenrolfe4496 en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Barrett%27s_Privateers

[@d4s0n282]

@@stevenrolfe4496 wrote by a candadian so not really

[@zednotzee]

@@stevenrolfe4496 what? It was written in the 70s by Canadian folk icon Stan Rogers. There's a documentary about him where he discusses writing it.

[@RicktheCrofter]

“Don’t mess with America’s boats.” The Fat Electrician.

[@hollins1059]

Needed to be slowed down. Great rendition, just too fast

[@TristanandIsolt]

I disagree. Just right.

[@jhuffman1138]

I like the speed, but better enunciation would be nice, I agree some points are hard to understand

[@rextheroyalist6389]

Whilst I usually love their stuff I feel they should improve their rendition of this

[@DrDanLawrence]

It's a difficult song and I think the fellows here do an admirable job. I'd argue that a sea shanty (and most folk music) is not meant to be performed perfectly or by the letter. Rather, traditionally, folk songs are passed down through hundreds of years and take on their own forms. People take them and change the lyrics. They change and grow. Granted this is a modern shanty written in an old style. Still - these types of songs are largely for drinking and fun and rabble-rousing and aren't meant to be done with perfection in mind, but to be performed with heart and spirit and some punch to them! Moreover, historically, sea shanties began as work/labor songs! So the most "authentic" way to perform a shanty would be to get on a boat and sing it while you're hard at work. I doubt the originators of the old sea shanties were singing perfectly in key or in time! They were anything but trained vocalist. I think it's a ridiculous idea even to criticize a shanty sang at a pub - let it be sung out!

[@rextheroyalist6389]

Dr. Dan Lawrence very true, I just find that this particular rendition is a bit stiff, not a lot of variation, almost flat. It's alright, I just fear their other stuff (like sugar in the hold for example) is a bit more lively

[@DrDanLawrence]

@@rextheroyalist6389 I can totally agree with that - a bit more spirit and rollicking is never a bad idea!

[@sagesaria]

Also, it's a live performance. Not exactly a polished studio environment where they can redo mistakes and edit to sound perfect.

[@zednotzee]

@@sagesaria is not about perfection, it's about passion. There's an old video of Stan Rogers, the writer of the song, raw recording of him sitting around a kitchen table singing this with his friends stomping their feet, singing with love and gusto

[@RonaldReaganRocks1]

The "whoop" needs to be a little more manly. Otherwise, outstanding performance.

[@Ice_Karma]

Harmonies are all wrong, but at least you get the whoops.