Stormy Ol' Weather

Collected by Bob Copper from Noah Gillette (right) in Hastings in about 1954: see pp. 55-56 of Songs and Southern Breezes for the details; and the appendix, pp. 204-5, for these words.

For it's stormy weather, windy weather,
When the wind blows, boys, we'll all go together.

Up jumped a 'bewley' as black as a rook
Said, You ship as mate, boy, and I'll ship as cook.

Chorus:
For it's windy weather, stormy weather,
When the wind blows, boys, we'll all go together.

Up jumped the cod with his chuckle-head
He jumped on the fore-deck said, Let's heave the lead.
Chorus

Up leaped a flounder from flat off the ground,
Said, God damn your eyes, chuckle-head, mind where you sound.
Chorus

Up jumps a crab with his crooked legs,
Said, You find the cribbage-board and I'll find the pegs.
Chorus

Up leaps the herring, the king of the sea,
He leaps on the fore-deck said, Hellums-a-lee.
Chorus

Up leaps the mackerel with his coarse-looking back,
He leaps on the fore-deck, said, Let's make a tack.
Chorus

Up leaps the mullet and him being small
He leaps on the fore-deck, said, Let's heave the trawl.
Chorus