CZTERY REFY - The Rosabella

The Rosabella

Words & music traditional

One Monday morning in the month of May,
One Monday morning in the month of May,
I thought I heard the old man say,
The "Rosabella" will sail today.

She's a deepwater ship with a deepwater crew
She's a deepwater ship with a deepwater crew
You can stick to the coast but we're damned if we do
On board the "Rosabella".

And I'm goin' on board the "Rosabella"... Them Bowery girls they all will grieve
Them Bowery girls they all will grieve
They have taken all my money and made me leave
Aboard the "Rosabella".

And I'm goin' on board the "Rosabella"... All around Cape Horn in the Month of May ,
All around Cape Horn in the Month of May,
Around Cape Horn is a bloody long way
Aboard the "Rosabella".

And I'm goin' on board the "Rosabella"... One Monday morning in the month of May
One Monday morning in the month of May
I thought I heard the old man say,
The "Rosabella" will sail today.

And I'm goin' on board the "Rosabella"...

"The Rosabella" - The rivalry between fishermen and coastal sailors towards deepwater or saltsea sailors was intense. Many young men would volunteer to go deepsea. - hence down to board. The singer has enlisted on the crew list and is probably drinking his month's advance.
"Rosabella" is believed to have been a barque. She was a short plank Baltic trader, Portuguese or Spanish built. Note she sailed in May and expected to round Cape Horn in May the next year. So "Rosabella" was in Australia or Frisco Trade. From Watchet she could load finished goods, livestock, bricks, wool or machinery. Watchet port silted up and was replaced by Bristol and Avonmouth. Song dates from 1860's. Collected in 1980 by Tom Brown, who rediscovered it in the archive of the Watchet Museum. We learnt it from our friend Ken Stephens.