Rolling Home

On Springthyme SPRCD 1026
The Foundry Bar Band - Rolling Home

Jim Reid: vocals, guitar & mouthorgan; Jim Brown, Harry Scott and Jim Thomson: accordions; Geordie Anderson: fiddle and vocals; Christine Stewart: guitar and vocals and Sandy Beattie: double bass

A Scottish version of a shanty song that is widely known across the seven seas. In America the sailors are sometimes rolling home to California or to Boston, and in Europe the song is sometimes related to Hamburg.

1: Call all hands to man the capstan,
See the cable running clear,
Heave around and with the wheel boys,
For our homeland we will steer.

Rolling home, rolling home,
Rolling home across the sea,
Rolling home to Caledonia,
Rolling home dear land to thee.

2: Fare ye well ye Spanish ladies,
We must bid you all adieu,
Happy times we've had together,
Happy times we spent with you.

Rolling home, rolling home &c.

3: Round the horn one frosty morning,
And our sails are filled with snow,
You could hear the shellbacks calling,
Heave around and let her go.

Rolling home, rolling home &c.

4: Now the wake we leave behind us,
Seems to know the way we go,
There's a hearty welcome waiting,
In the land that we all know.

Rolling home, rolling home,
Rolling home across the sea,
Rolling home to Caledonia,
Rolling home dear land to thee.
Words adapted and music arranged by Jim Reid
Springthyme Music © 1988.