87 - Old Callio
Words: Traditional / adapted for Auntie ShantyTune: Traditional
A version of the traditional 'Saltpetre Shanty' (aka 'Slav Ho'), with lyrics adapted for the Auntie Shanty session (less 'devious flash girls', more booze).
The sound of 'hooo-roooou' is somewhere between 'Oh roll' and 'Oh row', but not quite resolving into either. The leader can start the new line over the end of the previous 'roooou'.
The 'bars', we assume to be the oars, and the singers are on a tender going back to their ship before setting sail from Liverpool. Most of the song is told in the future tense.
To old Callio we are bound to go
Hooo-roooooou
To old Callio we are bound to go
Hooo-roooooou
We’re bound away from Liverpool Bay,
To the taverns of Chile where we’ll drink half our pay
Hoooo, rooou, rock your bars
Heave her away, rock her, row row
Those taverns of Chile are pleasant and fine
Hooo-roooooou
In those taverns of Chile we’ll sing and we’ll dine
Hooo-roooooou
In the taverns of Chile it is our design
To fill up bellies with pisco and wine
Hoooo, rooou, rock your bars
Heave her away, rock her, row row
On the fair coast of Chile we’ll drink till it’s day
Hooo-roooooou
On the fair coast of of Chile we’ll drink all our pay
Hooo-roooooou
We’ve drunk ale in Oxford, and whisky in Frisco
But none’s half so fine as your Callio pisco
Hoooo, rooou, rock your bars
Heave her away, rock her, row row
When we see the blue peter we’ll sigh and we’ll groan
Hooo-roooooou
For then it comes to time to sail away home
Hooo-roooooou
From that town that’s as hot as the west coast of hell
So we’ll say adios and we’ll bid them farewell
Hoooo, rooou, rock your bars
Heave her away, rock her, row row
We’ll never look back as we’re sailing away.
Hooo-roooooou
We’ll never look back though we wish we could stay
Hooo-roooooou
We’ll have aching sore heads, we’ll’ve spent all our pay
And have three months to sail back to Liverpool Bay
Hoooo, rooou, rock your bars
Heave her away, rock her, row row