Music Of The Waters - online book

Sailors' Chanties, Songs Of The Sea, Boatmen's, Fishermen's,
Rowing Songs, & Water Legends with lyrics & sheet music

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Music of the Waters.                 219
The song for Jonas Anton Hjelm is a well-known one on board Norwegian vessels, and though perhaps not known as any particular sort of working song, it is yet as often heard as any. " Hurrah for Jonas Anton Hjelm," and " Sing, saylor, hurra, my boy," seem to suggest that it is commemorative of some evidently noteworthy personage —Jonas Anton Hjelm by name.
English Version.
Solo.—" And the Kaiser he sat in his castle so high. Chorus.—Good-bye, fare you well; good-bye, fare you well.
Solo.—His crimson jersey suits him so well. Chorus.—Hurra, my boys ! we are homeward bound."
A translation of the foregoing seems scarcely necessary, considering that the chorus is English.
A song used when throwing ballast is the next one I give, and perhaps among all the songs I have heard sung by the blue-jackets of the world there is none so redolent of the freshness and vigour of the sea as this Norwegian chanty. I could understand any land-sick lad longing for a sea-life if he once heard this ballast-throwing song ringing from the decks of some Norwegian vessel ; it has a swing and " go" about it that are most captivating : —