| Notes | Leave Her Johnnie (CFS)Poem by C. Fox SmithFrom RHYMES OF THE RED ENSIGN, edited by Cicely Fox Smith, published by Hodder and Stoghton, © 1919, pp. 31 As sung by Bob Zentz on CLOSE HAULED ON THE WIND OF A DREAM, 2004 Tune: traditional sea shanty "Leave Her Johnny"
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A hundred miles from the Longship's Light,
Chorus:
She's down by the head an' settlin' fast –
Chorus
Now it isn't the sea she sailed so long:
Chorus
We've pumped her out with a right good will,
Chorus
She's smashed above an' stove below,
Chorus
A hundred miles from the Longship's Light –
Chorus
Leave her, Johnnie, leave her!
She's blowin' up for a dirty night –
An' it's time for us to leave her!
Oh, leave her, Johnnie, leave her,
Oh, leave her, Johnnie, leave her,
For the voyage is done and the winds don't blow,
An' it's time for us to leave her!
Leave her, Johnnie, leave her!
Her name an' number's up at last,
An' it's time for us to leave her!
Leave her, Johnnie, leave her!
It isn't the wind that's used her wrong,
But it's time for us to leave her!
Leave her, Johnnie, leave her!
A day an' a night an' she's sinkin' still,
An' it's time for us to leave her!
Leave her, Johnnie, leave her!
Now there's nothing to do but roll an' go,
For it's time for us to leave her!
Leave her, Johnnie, leave her!
She's blowin' up for a dirty night –
An' it's time for us to leave her!
Longships Light is 2 miles west of the coast of Cornwall-near Lands End & Penzance, and the irony is, 'Leave Her' will be this voyage's final chantey...they're evidently a bunch of ol' Square-rigger Sailors, using this old song to keep the pumps goin', but She's just not gonna make it. 'Down at the head' would certainly make it seem like a mine, as most torpedoes were targeted amidships.
A hundred miles from the Longships light-
Down by the head and settling fast-
It isn't the sea she's sailed so long:
We've pumped her out with a right good will,
She's smashed above and she's stove below,
A hundred miles from the Longships light-
Leave her, Johnnie, leave her !-
And blowing up for a dirty night-
And it's time for us to leave her!
Her name and number's up at last,
And it's time for us to leave her!
It isn't the wind that's used her wrong,
But it's time for us to leave her!
A day and a night, and she's sinking still,
And it's time for us to leave her!
And there's nothing to do but roll and go,
For it's time for us to leave her!
Leave her, Johnnie, leave her!-
And blowing up for a dirty night-
It's time for us to leave her!