Video

The Cotton-Screwing Chantey "We're All Surrounded"

San Francisco Maritime National Historical Park

Transcript

Hello, my name is Peter Kasin, a Park Ranger at San Francisco Maritime National Historical Park, and here is another in a series of "sheltered-in chanteys." This is called called "We're All Surrounded." It's a cotton-screwing chantey, used by screwmen, who in the southern ports were men who used large jackscrews to stow cotton into the hold of ships. So, here we go:

Martha wept and Mary Cried Chorus: We're all surrounded That good old man has up and died Chorus: We're all surrounded

Grand chorus: Carry the news, carry the news to Mary. Carry the news that we're all surrounded.

Shake off your slumbers and arise Chorus: We're all surrounded The sun is shining in the skies Chorus: We're all surrounded

Grand chorus: Carry the news, carry the news to Mary Carry the news that we're all surrounded

The good old man we'll see no more Chorus: We're all surrounded He has gone to the happy shore Chorus: We're all surrounded

Grand chorus: Carry the news, carry the news to Mary Carry the news that we're all surrounded

He's gone and left us all alone Chorus: We're all surrounded And Gabriel's trumpet called him home Chorus: We're all surrounded

Grand chorus: Carry the news, carry the news to Mary Carry the news that we're all surrounded

Adam and Eve climbed up a tree Chorus: We're all surrounded Their lamb and master for to see Chorus: We're all surrounded

Grand chorus: Carry the news, carry the news to Mary Carry the news that we're all surrounded

Eve stole an apple from a tree Chorus: We're all surrounded And Adam was stung by a Bumblebee Chorus: We're all surrounded

Grand chorus: Carry the news, carry the news to Mary Carry the news that we're all surrounded

Description

Ranger Kasin presents "We're All Surrounded," a cotton-screwing chantey sung by “screwmen" who, in southern U.S. ports, labored to turn large jackscrews which were used to tightly pack bales of cotton into the holds of cargo vessels.

Duration

2 minutes, 31 seconds

Credit

Peter Kasin

Date Created

05/19/2020

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