Blow the Man Down
“Blow the Man Down” is a proper old deep-water shanty! It’s loud, lively, and packed with mischief. The phrase likely comes from a sudden gale catching a ship with her topsails set, quite literally blowing the man-o’-war down, and the song itself was first written down in 1860 (though it was clearly sung long before that). In our hands, it becomes a tale of a sailor whose run ashore goes spectacularly wrong, swapping gales and rigging for handcuffs and a telling-off from the law!
Lyrics
I’m a flying fish sailor just home from Hong Kong
Way-hay, blow the man down!
Just give me some whisky and I’ll sing yu’s a song
Oh, gi'me some time to blow the man down!
As I was a-rollin' down Paradise Street
Way-hay, blow the man down!
Well a handsome fat bobby I chance for to meet
Oh, gi'me some time to blow the man down!
(Chorus)
Blow the man down, bullies, blow the man down
To me! Way-hay, blow the man down!
Blow him away back to Liverpool town
Oh, gi' me some time to blow the man down!
‘E says, a see’s a Black-Baller by the cut of your hair
Way-hay, blow the man down!
And them long red-top sea boots I see that you wear
Oh, gi'me some time to blow the man down!
I says mister oh mister you does me great wrong
Way-hay, blow the man down!
I’m a flying fish sailor just home from Hong Kong
Oh, gi'me some time to blow the man down!
Chorus
So I spat in his face and I stoved in his jaw
Way-hay, blow the man down!
He says, look here young fella you’re breakin’ the law
Oh, gi'me some time to blow the man down!
Well they gave me six months down in old Walton jail
Way-hay, blow the man down!
For bootin and kickin and blowin him down
Oh, gi'me some time to blow the man down!
Chorus
So come all ye young sailors that follow the sea
Way-hay, blow the man down!
Put your vents on the wind boys and listen to me
Oh, gi'me some time to blow the man down!
Yes come all you young sailors and heed what I say
Way-hay, blow the man down!
Stick clear of fat policeman you’ll find it’ll pay
Oh, gi'me some time to blow the man down!
Chorus x2
