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Blow The Man Down
All Instruments and Vocals: Douglas Milne
From the TwinkleTrax album "Vol. 2: Nursery Rhyme Time - 20 Super Cool Nursery Rhymes And Children's Songs"
Download this mp3 here:
Heave, ho, blow the man down
A pretty young maiden I happened to meet
Give me some time to blow the man down
Oh, blow the man down, hearties, blow the man down
Heave, ho, blow the man down
Oh, blow the man down, hearties, blow him away
Give me some time to blow the man down!
She said "Can you help me, kind sir, if you please?"
Heave, ho, blow the man down
I woke in the morning upon the high seas
Give me some time to blow the man down
Oh, blow the man down, hearties, blow the man down
Heave, ho, blow the man down
Oh, blow the man down, hearties, blow him away
Give me some time to blow the man down!
We dropped down our anchor in Calico Bay
Heave, ho, blow the man down
I've not been home now for many a day
Give me some time to blow the man down.
Oh, blow the man down, hearties, blow the man down
Heave, ho, blow the man down
Oh, blow the man down, hearties, blow him away
Give me some time to blow the man down!
Oh, blow the man down, hearties, blow the man down
Heave, ho, blow the man down
Oh, blow the man down, hearties, blow him away
Give me some time to blow the man down!
This title of this old sea shanty refers to the act of knocking a man to the ground in a fight.
The song originated in Liverpool, England, towards the end of the 19th century. It is about sailors working on the American Black Ball Line. These ships were very fast - a return journey to New York took around 7 weeks - so sailors were paid earlier than sailors on other lines. Discipline was tough on these ships - sailors were beaten regularly, hence the song's title.
On their return, they would frequent Liverpool's Paradise Street. Paradise Street and nearby Lime Street (mentioned in the Liverpool folk song "Maggie Mae") were frequented by ladies of the night, where the newly paid sailor would spend their new-found wealth. It was named after the London street where Thomas Steers, who built the first dock, once lived. It led down towards Canning Place where Liverpool's Customs and Excise were based in a large, domed Victorian classical building. Paradise Street is now the centre of the Liverpool One retail development.
The TwinkleTrax recording of "Blow The Man Down" uses newly written, child friendly lyrics:
As I was walking down Sullivan Street
Heave, ho, blow the man down
A pretty young maiden I happened to meet
Give me some time to blow the man down
Oh, blow the man down, hearties, blow the man down
Heave, ho, blow the man down
Oh, blow the man down, hearties, blow him away
Give me some time to blow the man down!
She said "Can you help me, kind sir, if you please?"
Heave, ho, blow the man down
I woke in the morning upon the high seas
Give me some time to blow the man down
Oh, blow the man down, hearties, blow the man down
Heave, ho, blow the man down
Oh, blow the man down, hearties, blow him away
Give me some time to blow the man down!
We dropped down our anchor in Calico Bay
Heave, ho, blow the man down
I've not been home now for many a day
Give me some time to blow the man down.
Oh, blow the man down, hearties, blow the man down
Heave, ho, blow the man down
Oh, blow the man down, hearties, blow him away
Give me some time to blow the man down!
Oh, blow the man down, hearties, blow the man down
Heave, ho, blow the man down
Oh, blow the man down, hearties, blow him away
Give me some time to blow the man down!
Lyrics adapted by Douglas Milne ©2009 TwinkleTrax Children's Songs
The melody of "Blow The Man Down," with alternative lyrics, is used as the theme song for "SpongeBob Square Pants".
Origins text ©2011 TwinkleTrax Children's Songs.