Sloop John B: Lyrics

Lee Hays; Carl Sandburg; Traditional

• LP Hard Travelin

We come on the Sloop John B,
   my grandfather and me.
Around Nassau town we did roam.
Drinking all night, we got into a fight,
I feel so break up, I want to go home.

So hoist up the John B's sails,
   see how the main sail set,
Send for the captain ashore, let me go home.
Let me go home, I want to go home,
I feel so break up, I want to go home.

Well the first mate, he got drunk,
  and destroyed the people's trunk,
Constable come aboard, take him away.
Sheriff John Stone, please let me alone.
I feel so break up, I want to go home.

So hoist up the John B's sails,
   and see how the main sail set,
Send for the captain ashore, let me go home.
Let me go home, I want to go home,
I feel so break up, I want to go home.

Well the poor cook he got fits,
   throw away all the grits,
Then he took and eat up all of my corn.
Let me go home, I want to go home,
This is the worst trip since I've been born.

So hoist up the John B's sails,
   and see how the main sail set,
Send for the captain ashore, let me go home.
Let me go home, I want to go home,
Well I feel so break up, I want to go home.

Of note:

Recorded by The Kingston Trio and The Beach Boys, Cisco's verson was far earlier. Lee Hays of The Weavers adapted this old folk tune from the Bahamas from a version in poet Carl Sandburg's 1927 songbook The American Songbag.

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