> Tony Rose > Songs > Stormy Weather

Stormy Weather Boys

[ Roud 1851 ; Ballad Index DTstrmyw ; trad.]

Bob Roberts sang Stormy Weather Boys in a BBC Archive recording by Peter Kennedy from the 1950s on the same-named EP Stormy Weather Boys! and on the compilation CD Sea Songs and Shanties. Another recording from 1977 can be found on his Topic LP Songs from the Sailing Barges.

Tony Rose sang Stormy Weather live in Cheltenham in 1967. This recording was included in his posthumous CD Exe.

Lyrics

We was laying in Surrey Dock one day
When the mate said that it was time to get under way.

Chorus (after each verse):

Stormy weather boys, stormy weather boys,
When the wind blows our barge will go.

Now the skipper he's homeward bound but he's out of luck,
'Cause the skipper's half drunk in the Dog and Duck.

Then the skipper come aboard with a girl on his arm,
He's going to give up barging and take on a farm.

We sailed away and she sails like heck
There ain't no bargemen up on deck.

We sailed her up, we sailed her down,
We sailed her into Yarmouth town.

We sailed her round Orford Ness,
The wind backed her round to the south south west.

On top of the tide it's the barge did fleet,
The mate saw a ghost in the main mast sheet.

Now the mate set the wheel, the ghost did steer,
The cook drank the dregs of the old man's beer.

Then up jumped a mermaid, covered in slime,
We sat her in the fo'c'sle and we had a good time.

So after all our fears and alarm
We all ended up in the Druid's Arm.