Spanish Ladies

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Origins

It is featured in "The Oxford Book of Sea Songs", edited by Roy Palmer in 1986, which states that the earliest known reference to it is in the logbook of the "Nellie" of 1796 (though a ballad by the same name, registered in England December 14, 1624 with the Stationers' Company, may also be related to it).

The song's namesake, "Spanish Ladies," can most likely be traced to the period between 1793 and 1796 in which British ships would often dock in Spanish harbors while Spain and Britain were still allies in First Coalition against Revolutionary France. — While this may help to contextualize the song's mention of Spain, no truly definitive age has surfaced as of yet.

It is held by most to be a capstan shanty (I.e. a shanty sung to keep time in turning the capstan to raise the anchor and leave port), and as can be inferred from the lyrics, was most likely sung as ships were homeward bound.

To go along with the original there are several known versions that, while utilizing the same melody, substitute different lyrics. One of these is known as "Brisbane Ladies", which is an Australian variant about drovers instead of sailors. Other variants are called "Yankee Whalermen", "Rant and Roar", and a significantly modified version called "The Ryans and the Pittmans", which are all American variants, although the title "Spanish Ladies" is also sometimes still retained with appropriate locations changed. There is also one without a distinct title but was written especially for the "Bluenose", a famed Canadian ship based in Nova Scotia.

Lyrics

: Farewell and to you, Spanish Ladies,: Farewell and adieu to you, ladies of Spain;: For we've received orders for to sail for old England,: But we hope in a short time to see you again. :: Chorus::: We will rant and we'll roar like true British sailors,:: We'll rant and we'll roar all on the salt sea.:: Until we strike soundings in the channel of old England;:: From Ushant to Scilly is thirty five leagues. [Variously given in different collections as 34, 35 and 45 leagues.] : We hove our ship to with the wind from sou'west, boys: We hove our ship to, deep soundings to take;: 'Twas forty-five fathoms [Varying from 55 to 45 fathoms by version.] , with a white sandy bottom,: So we squared our main yard and up channel did make. : chorus : The first land we sighted was called the Dodman,: Next Rame Head off Plymouth, off Portsmouth the Wight;: We sailed by Beachy, by Fairlight and Dover,: And then we bore up for the South Foreland light. : chorus : Then the signal was made for the grand fleet to anchor,: And all in the Downs that night for to lie;: Let go your shank painter, let go your cat stopper! [I.e. drop the anchor.] : Haul up your clewgarnets, let tacks and sheets fly! [I.e. roll up the sails.] : chorus : Now let ev'ry man drink off his full bumper,: And let ev'ry man drink off his full glass;: We'll drink and be jolly and drown melancholy,: And here's to the health of each true-hearted lass. : chorus

In literature and film

The song is briefly sung in Chapter 40 of "Moby-Dick" and also appears in the 1975 film "Jaws" (an Americanized version using 'Boston' instead of 'England'), the 1993 episode "A Ghost of a Chance" of the television series ' and the 2003 film '. It is sung in the 2003 television series "Horatio Hornblower" in the episode "Retribution." The song also appears in Arthur Ransome's "Swallows and Amazons". The song is also regularly sung by the character Daniel Hagman in the television series of "Sharpe". An instrumental version of the song is performed by Keith Richards in "".

In print and recordings

The song forms part of Sir Henry Wood's composition "Fantasia on British Sea Songs". It has been recorded numerous times, including the 2006 album "".

Notes

External links

* [http://www.contemplator.com/sea/sladies.html Spanish Ladies] at Contemplator
* [http://www.contemplator.com/america/yankeewh.html Yankee Whalermen] at Contemplator
* [http://www.contemplator.com/canaus/rantroar.html Rant and Roar (Canadian)] at Contemplator
* [http://lyricsplayground.com/alpha/songs/s/spanishladies.shtml A Yankee version using New Bedford]