I was watching Jeeves and Wooster back in the spring of 2019 and was deeply moved by the composer Anne Dudley’s beautiful pastiche of Ralph Vaughan Williams’ style in one of the episodes. So I had a go myself, as RVW has always been one of my favourite composers. The orchestral intro and outro form a nocturnal seascape to frame the sea shanty which has isolation and loneliness as its theme. The song was Commended in the UK Songwriting Contest. (Written and recorded May – August 2019)
Lyrics
Well I’m just a poor cabin-boy, Tom is me name
I set out from Old Portsmouth for fortune and fame
But the fame it was fickle; the fortune was false
Now I’m dancing with death in a one-two-three waltz
‘cause it’s one for the crew who got sick and then died
and two for the bodies tossed over the side
and it’s three for the sharks as they swam round the boat
Now I’m wondering ‘ow long this old ‘ulk stays afloat.
So what shall I do with this rotten old wreck?
Should I scuttle it now and risk losing me neck?
It’s a thousand to one I could swim for the shore
Or should I sit tight and risk losing it all?
It’s so hard to decide what to do for the best
'cause it’s heave-o, heave-o, heave-o, heave-o
heave away on the dead man’s chest
Well the voyage was doomed ‘cause the stars were all wrong
Now I’m left on me own as I sing this ‘ere song
I’m adrift on the ocean with no sight of land
‘cause the rudder is broke and no ‘elp is at ‘and
Now I'm 'ere by meself 'cause they've all upped and gone
I’m the captain, the first mate and crew on me own
And if I should return to old England again
Never more will I sail on this cursed old main
So what shall I do with this rotten old wreck?
Should I scuttle it now and risk losing me neck?
It’s a thousand to one I could swim for the shore
Or should I sit tight and risk losing it all?
It’s so hard to decide what to do for the best
'cause it’s heave-o, heave-o, heave-o, heave-o
heave away on the dead man’s chest
'cause it’s heave-o, heave-o, heave-o, heave-o
heave away on the dead man’s chest