Lyrics
Pull Down Below
Halyard Shanty
Traditional
He went to church, He went to chapel.
Resp: Pull down below!
He went to church, He went to chapel.
Resp: Pull down below!
Chorus
Oh Hielan’ Laddie
Pull down below
Hielan’ Laddie, Bonnie Laddie
Pull down below
Sally lives on an old plantation.
Resp: Pull down below!
She’s the daughter of the wild goose nation.
Resp: Pull down below! (Chorus)
For seven years he courted Sally.
Resp: Pull down below!
And all he did was dilly-dally.
Resp: Pull down below! (Chorus)
He bought no gowns, he bought no laces.
Resp: Pull down below!
Didn’t take her out to fancy places.
Resp: Pull down below! (Chorus)
Sally Brown she loved him dearly.
Resp: Pull down below!
He had her heart so very nearly.
Resp: Pull down below! (Chorus)
Sally Brown he wouldn’t marry.
Resp: Pull down below!
And she no longer cares to tarry.
Resp: Pull down below! (Chorus)
This laddie now he took a notion.
Resp: Pull down below!
To sail away across the ocean.
Resp: Pull down below! (Chorus x2)
WHERE TO FIND IT
Song Notes
Documentation about this song is scarce! Despite the fact that Stan Hugill recorded an album titled A Salty Fore Topman with the shanty group Stormalong John as his shanty chorus, which included Pull Down Below, he does not include the song in his book, Shanties from the Seven Seas.
Mudcat Café entertains a brief discussion about the song.
Bob Walser offers interesting lyrics from the James Madison Carpenter Collection, which Bob recorded on his Landlocked album.