Haul Away Joe: Lyrics

Traditional

• LP A Legacy

When I was a little lad
   and so me mother told me
Way haul away, we'll haul away Joe
That if I didn't kiss the girls
   their lips would all grow moldy
Way haul away, we'll haul away Joe

King Louis was the king of France
   before the revolution
Way haul away, we'll haul away Joe
And then he got his head chopped off
   which spoiled his constitution
Way haul away, we'll haul away Joe

Once I had a Boston gal
   but she was awful lazy
Way haul away, we'll haul away Joe
And now I got a Brookly gal
   and she darn near drives me crazy
Way haul away, we'll haul away Joe

Way haul away
   I'll sing to you of Nancy
Way haul away, we'll haul away Joe
Way haul away
   she's just me cut and fancy
Way haul away, we'll haul away Joe

Of note:

Every time I've ever heard this shanty, it was always my lips that would get moldy, but Cisco, ever the altruist, wants to kiss the gals so their lips don't get moldy. And the gal was "fat and lazy"...but an early PC singer here reduces it to "awful lazy" which sounds so much nicer.

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