Talk:The John B. Sails

Pieces of Eight

The first two versus were also included in Richard Le Gallienne's 1917 novel Pieces of Eight (Chapter IV) with minor changes in spelling and punctuation.

from a 1922 printing

Come on the sloop John B.
My grandfather and me,
Round Nassau town we did roam;
Drinking all night, ve got in a fight,
Ve feel so break-up, ve vant to go home.

Chorus
So h’ist up the John B. sails,
See how the mainsail set,
Send for the captain—shore, let us go home,
Let me go home, let me go home,
I feel so break-up, I vant to go home.

The first mate he got drunk,
Break up the people trunk,
Constable come aboard, take him away;
Mr. John—stone, leave us alone,
I feel so break-up, I vant to go home.

Chorus