Lyrics

Roll Down

Sweet ladies of Plymouth, we’re saying good-bye,
Roll-oll, roll-oll-oll down!
But we’ll rock you and roll you again by and by,
Walk a-round, me brave boys, and roll down!

Chorus:
And we’ll roll-oll, roll-oll-oll down,
Walk a-round, me brave boys, and roll down!

Now the anchor’s away and the sails are unfurled,
Roll-oll, roll-oll-oll down!
And we’re bound for to take her halfway ’round the world,
Walk a-round, me brave boys, and roll down! (Chorus)

In the wide Bay of Biscay the seas do run high,
Roll-oll, roll-oll-oll down!
And the poor sickly transports they’ll wish they could die,
Walk a-round, me brave boys, and roll down! (Chorus)

When the great southern whales on our quarter do spout,
Roll-oll, roll-oll-oll down!
Them poor weary transports, they’ll goggle and shout,
Walk a-round, me brave boys, and roll down! (Chorus)

When the wild coast of Africa it do appear,
Roll-oll, roll-oll-oll down!
The poor nervous transports they’ll tremble with fear
Walk a-round, me brave boys, and roll down! (Chorus)

When the Cape of Good Hope it is rounded at last,
Roll-oll, roll-oll-oll down!
The poor lonesome transports they’ll long for the past.
Walk a-round, me brave boys, and roll down! (Chorus)

When the great southern whales on our quarter do spout,
Roll-oll, roll-oll-oll down!
The poor simple transports they’ll goggle and shout
Walk a-round, me brave boys, and roll down! (Chorus)

And when we arrive off Australia’s strand,
Roll-oll, roll-oll-oll down!
Them poor weary transports, they’ll long for the land,
Walk a-round, me brave boys, and roll down! (Chorus)

And when we set sail for old England’s shore
Roll-oll, roll-oll-oll down!
The poor stranded transports we’ll see them no more.
Walk a-round, me brave boys, and roll down! (Chorus)

Then, sweet ladies of Plymouth, we’ll pay all your rent,
Roll-oll, roll-oll-oll down!
And go roving no more till our money’s all spent,
Walk a-round, me brave boys, and roll down! (Chorus x2)

Song Notes

We are indebted to Mainly Norfolk: English Folk and Other Good Music for allowing us to correct our lyrics for this song.

“. . . it was written by Peter Bellamy and is part of the amazing folk opera The Transports that tells the story of the first people from Britain to settle in Australia. I don’t believe it was ever on Broadway, although I’d love to be corrected! I have a copy of the soundtrack which some friends picked up for me in England, but I think it’s now available on CD in Canada as well. It features some of the biggies in the British traditional scene – June Tabor, Norma Waterston, Nic Jones, Peter Bellamy and lots more. Peter Bellamy was from England – he’s no longer alive, so I don’t know who you would contact for permission. — Eve Goldberg” – On the Mudcat Cafe

“This unique project relates the true story of Henry Cabell and Susannah Holmes, convicts transported to Australia on the “First Fleet” in 1787 and the trials and tribulations which culminated in that historic voyage.”

http://www.informatik.uni-hamburg.de/~zierke/folk/records/thetransports.html

Roll Down (4:24)
(Cyril Tawney as The Shantyman)
From the notes on “Coming of Age” by Jim Mageean and Johnny Collins:  (Modern Shanty)  Written by the late and much missed Peter Bellamy as part of his masterpiece, the ballad opera ‘The Transports.'”