Music Midi MC - On Deck
Haul Away Boys/
Walkalong Me Rosie

Words & music traditional

Oh, haul away and let's get goin', boys,
Haul away, boys, haul away!
Oh, haul away and let's get goin', boys,
Haul away, boys, haul away!

Oh, haul away for the bucra's silver boys
Haul away, boys, haul away!
Oh, haul away for the bucra's silver boys
Haul away, boys, haul away!

Oh, haul away for the merchant's money, boys,
Haul away, boys, haul away!
Oh, haul away for the merchant's money, boys,
Haul away, boys, haul away!

Oh, haul away and wait for payday,
Haul away, boys, haul away!
Oh, haul away and wait for payday,
Haul away, boys, haul away!


Oh, I am here, and Rosie there,
Away you Rosie - Walkalong!
Oh, I am here, and Rosie there,
Walkalong my Rosie!

Oh, Rosie, she's the gal for me,
Away you Rosie - Walkalong!
She walks along the big levee,
Walkalong my Rosie!

My Rosie's fair, my Rosie's kind,
Away you Rosie - Walkalong!
A better gal you'll never find,
Walkalong my Rosie!

Oh, Rosie's here, oh, Rosie's there,
Away you Rosie - Walkalong!
Oh, I see Rosie everywhere,
Walkalong my Rosie!

Oh stretch 'er high, oh stretch 'er low,
Away you Rosie - Walkalong!
The mate, he says we've hauled enough,
Walkalong my Rosie!


"Haul Away Boys/ Walkalong Me Rosie" - two of my favorite African - American shanties from Stan Hugill. The second has an interesting feature - the first chorus imitates the melody of the first solo line. I learned to recognize this as a feature of "call and response" songs from West Africa, whence most of the West Indies and the United States' slaves came.

Music Midi MC - On Deck