Lyrics

Bold Riley

Our anchor’s aweigh and our sails are all set
Bold Riley, oh, boom-a-lay
The folks we are leaving, we’ll never forget
Bold Riley, oh, gone away

Goodbye, me darling. Goodbye, me dear, oh
Bold Riley, oh, boom-a-lay
Goodbye, me darling. Goodbye, me dear, oh
Bold Riley, oh, gone away

Wake up Mary Ellen and don’t look so glum
Bold Riley, oh, boom-a-lay
By White stocking day you’ll be drinking hot rum
Bold Riley, oh, gone away

The rain it is raining now all the day long
Bold Riley, oh, boom-a-lay
And the northerly wind, it does blow so strong
Bold Riley, oh, gone away

We’re outward and bound for Bengal bay
Bold Riley, oh, boom-a-lay
Get bending, me boys, it’s a hell of a way
Bold Riley, oh, gone away

Song Notes

This song was recorded by A.L. Lloyd, Jim Mageean & Johnny Collins on Coming of Age, and John Roberts & Debra Cowan on Ballads Long & Short, among others.

It is not recorded in the four primary shanty music resources, though:  The Shanty Book by Richard Runciman Terry, Songs of American Sailormen by Joanna C. Colcord, Songs of the Sailor and Lumberman by William Main Doerflinger nor Shanties from the Seven Seas by Stan Hugill.

The liner notes on Coming of Age say, “West Indian Halyard Shanty.  Collected by A.L. Lloyd who said that it came from the sugar and rum trade between the West Indies and Bristol.”