Video
The Capstan/Pumping Chantey “Randy Dandy O”
Transcript
Hello, my name is Peter Kasin, a ranger at San Francisco Maritime National Historical Park, and here is this week’s sheltered-in chantey. This one was used at the capstan, and sometimes at the pumps. It’s called Randy Dandy O, and before we begin, just a note on a couple of the verses. There’s a verse about “heave a pawl.” Now, what is a pawl? Well, the capstan was an iron winch used to “weigh”, or raise up the anchor, put in wooden bars, march around it, and the pawls were at the bottom of the capstan. They were the brakes, and you hear them clicking as you walk around the capstan. But, when you’re done with the job when the anchor’s up, the command is to either “heave a pawl” or “catch a pawl, and “catch a pawl” means you take the capstan bar you were pushing, or “heaving”, you give it a pull, and those pawls will drop into place and will serve as brakes on the capstan. Then there’s a verse, “Heave away bullies, you parish-rigged bums. Take your hands from your pockets and don’t suck your thumbs.” Parish-rigged; Well, that could either be a ship that’s not well equipped, or, in this case, a sailor who is not well equipped. Sailor comes aboard without any of the tools necessary for work. They call that sailor “parish-rigged.” Well, here we - Oh, and “take your hands from your pockets and don’t suck your thumbs.” Well, you kept your hands out of your pockets to do your work, and if you fell, it would be hard to catch yourself in time if you have your hands in your pockets. And they didn’t want an injured sailor. Not that they would feel sorry for you, the officers. It was that now you’re useless to the ship. You’re injured. It’s like a piece of machinery that fails, and you can’t use it anymore. So, here is Randy Dandy O.”
Now we are ready to head for the Horn Chorus: Way, hey, roll and go Our boots and clothes they are all out in pawn Chorus: To me rollickin’ Randy dandy O!
Heave a pawl, oh, heave away Chorus: Way, hey, roll an’ go The anchor’s on board and the cable’s all stored Chorus: To me rollickin’ Randy dandy O!
Soon we’ll be warping her out through the locks Chorus: Way, hey, roll an’ go Where the pretty young girls come down in their frocks Chorus:To me rollickin’ Randy dandy O!
We’re outward bound for Vallipo Bay Chorus: Way, hey, roll an’ go Get crackin’ me lads, it’s a hell of a way Chorus: To me rollickin Randy dandy O!
Heave away bullies, you parish rigged bums Chorus: Way, hey, roll an’ go Take your hands from your pockets and don’t suck your thumbs Chorus:To me rollickin’ Randy dandy O!
Well, that’s it, and there are many more verses to it, and see you at the next one. Thanks for watching. Thanks for listening.
Description
Ranger Kasin explains some of the verses before performing “Randy Dandy O.”
Duration
3 minutes, 22 seconds
Credit
Peter Kasin
Date Created
09/03/2020
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