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2380. Bully in the Alley (Traditional Sea-shanty)

2380. Bully in the Alley (Traditional Sea-shanty)

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Details

Title2380. Bully in the Alley (Traditional Sea-shanty)
Authorraymondcrooke
Duration5:53
File FormatMP3 / MP4
Original URL https://youtube.com/watch?v=NmZ3lO0MaQA

Description

Stan Hugill believes this popular halyard shanty is of Negro origin, and, though well known in the West Indies, may have originated as a cotton screwing song in the Gulf Ports of the USA. The phrase "bully in the alley" has nothing to do with the usual meaning of a bully, but is more a matter of being drunk. According to the singer, Tom Lewis, who claims to have asked Hugill about it, the expression originates from the fact that on a traditionally rigged ship, if the standing rigging is made of natural fibre it tends to stretch and if it's not kept tight the mast will flop to one side, which causes the helmsman to make only an approximate course. When this occurs the ship is said to be "bully in the alley." So, if a sailor has had too much to drink, his efforts to get back to his ship are likely to be hampered by the fact that he is only steering an approximate course.

There is a Shinbone Alley in a number of cities, but here it probably the one in New York.

Lyrics and chords:
D
(So) Help me, Bob, I'm bully in the alley,
G ...... D ... A7 ........... D
Wey hey, Bully in the alley.

Help me, Bob, I'm bully in the alley,
......................... A7 ....... D
Bully down in Shinbone Al.

Sally is a girl that I love dearly,
Wey hey, Bully in the alley.
Sally is the girl that I spliced nearly,
Bully down in Shinbone Al.

For seven long years I courted little Sally,
All she did was dilly and dally,
I bought her silks and I bought her laces.
I took her out to all the fine places.

Now Sally, she's a bright mulatto,
Pretty girl but I can't get at her.
I found myself out under three, o.
I found myself with time so free, o.

I waltzed up to the Angel Inn, o
And kicked down the door and walked right in, o.
I walked up to the barroom counter.
There I met with Greasy Annie.

Greasy Annie's a slimy wh0re, o,
And every shellback knocked on her door, o.
I bought her rum and I bought her gin, o,
And bought her wine of white and red, o.

And when I spent of all me tin, o,
Off to bed we both did creep, o.
We rough-and-tumbled all night long, o.
Dawn did break, the c0ck did call, o.

I left my Sal to go a-sailing
Signed on a big ship, I went a-whaling.
If ever I get back, I'll marry little Sally,
Have six kids and live in Shinbone Alley.

For a playlist of all my a capella songs:
http://www.youtube.com/view_play_list?p=PLE81659B9EA983BB2

Lyrics and chords of many of my songs are no longer available, as my website has expired. I am currently posting lyrics to the information panels on all my videos and those that are too long to post in full will be found here: https://raymondsfolkpage.wordpress.com

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