> A.L. Lloyd > Songs > Old Billy Riley

Old Billy Riley

[ Roud 4071 ; Ballad Index Hug452 ; trad.]

A.L. Lloyd sang Old Billy Riley in 1960 on his and Ewan MacColl's Tradition Records album Blow Boys Blow. He commented in the sleeve notes:

A fierce song, made to fit the rhythm of fast pulling and quick breathing. A ‘drogher’ was a ship in the West Indies sugar trade (etymology 17th century Dutch, so I'm told). The sail would need to be light, or the occasion desperate, for men to haul at the halyards to the beat of such a fast song as Bill Riley.

Roy Harris sang Old Billy Riley in 1974 on the Topic anthology Sea Shanties.

Lyrics

A.L. Lloyd sings Old Billy Riley

Old Billy Riley was a dancing master
    Old Billy Riley oh

Old Billy Riley's master of a drogher
    Old Billy Riley oh

Master of a drogher bound for Antigua
    Old Billy Riley oh

Old Billy Riley has a nice young daughter
    Old Billy Riley oh

Oh Missy Riley, little Missy Riley
    Old Billy Riley oh

Had a pretty daughter but we can't get at her
    Old Billy Riley oh

Screw her up and away we go, boys
    Old Billy Riley oh

One more pull and then belay, boys
    Old Billy Riley oh

Links

See also the Mudcat Café thread Lyr Add: Billy Riley.