Play recording: Leaving of Liverpool, The

view / hide recording details [+/-] Teideal (Title) : Leaving of Liverpool, The.

Leaving of Liverpool, The. Uimhir Chatalóige Ollscoil Washington (University of Washington Catalogue Number) : 781506.

781506. Uimhir Chnuasach Bhéaloideas Éireann (National Folklore of Ireland Number) : none.

none. Uimhir Roud (Roud Number) : 9435.

9435. Uimhir Laws (Laws Number) : none.

none. Uimhir Child (Child Number) : none.

none. Cnuasach (Collection) : Joe Heaney Collection, University of Washington, Seattle.

Joe Heaney Collection, University of Washington, Seattle. Teanga na Croímhíre (Core-Item Language) : English.

English. Catagóir (Category) : song.

song. Ainm an té a thug (Name of Informant) : Joe Heaney.

Joe Heaney. Ainm an té a thóg (Name of Collector) : Esther Warkov.

Esther Warkov. Dáta an taifeadta (Recording Date) : 07/03/1978.

07/03/1978. Suíomh an taifeadta (Recording Location) : University of Washington, United States of America.

University of Washington, United States of America. Ocáid an taifeadta (Recording Occasion) : interview.

interview. Daoine eile a bhí i láthair (Others present) : unavailable.

unavailable. Stádas chóipcheart an taifeadta (Recording copyright status) : unavailable.

The sea-chanty. As I told you, chantys come from the word sean-teach which means ‘old house.’ And long ago when the sailors came in from sea… they used to bring a barrel of rum into the sean-teach and start drinking. Of course, the pubs that time wasn’t as modern as they are now, so when you had a barrel of rum, maybe smuggled off somewhere, you drank it in the sean-tigh. ‘The Leaving of Liverpool.’ Maybe you heard it already?

Farewell to Prince’s landing-stage

River Mersey, fare thee well.

I am bound for California,

A place I know quite well.

So fare thee well, my own true love

And when I return, united we will be

It’s not the leaving of Liverpool that’s grieving me

But my darling, when I think of thee.

I sailed aboard of a Yankee ship

Davy Crockett was her name

And Burgess is the captain of her

And they know she’s a floating shame.

Chorus

I sailed again with Burgess

He’s a man I know quite well;

If a man’s a sailor he can get along

But if not, he is sure in Hell.

Chorus

The sun is on the harbour, love,

I know I can’t remain

But I know it will be a long, long time

Before I see you again.

Chorus