Blow Boys Blow Lyrics

About this shanty

"Blow Boys Blow" is a long-haul halyard shanty associated with the China trade — the sailing routes between Britain, America, and the ports of East Asia. It was sung for hoisting topsails, with two pulls per chorus. Its strongly narrative verses paint a vivid picture of a Yankee clipper, its cargo, and its hard-driving captain, placing it firmly in the era of the great clipper races of the 1850s–1870s.

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Lyrics

Long-haul (halyard) shanty

A Yankee ship came down the river,
Blow, boys, blow!
Her masts and yards they shone like silver,
Blow, my bully boys, blow!

How do you know she's a Yankee liner?
Blow, boys, blow!
The Stars and Stripes float out behind her,
Blow, my bully boys, blow!

And who d'ye think is the captain of her?
Blow, boys, blow!
Why, Bully Hayes is the captain of her,
Blow, my bully boys, blow!

And what d'ye think they've got for cargo?
Blow, boys, blow!
Why, monkey skins and Yankee leather,
Blow, my bully boys, blow!

Blow today and blow tomorrow,
Blow, boys, blow!
Blow for me and blow for sorrow,
Blow, my bully boys, blow!

Related shanties

Blow the Man Down — long-haul halyard shanty
Hanging Johnny — long-haul shanty
Stormalong — long-haul shanty
Drunken Sailor — stamp-and-go shanty