Music

music Danny Spooner SNACs Jam Tarts The Copper family The Watersons Martin Carthy Mainly Norfolk

Garry Gillard > music > Danny Spooner > songs > Blood Red Roses

Blood Red Roses

Sung by Danny Spooner on:

We'll Either Bend Her Or Break Her, 2002
Years of Spooner, 2007

Blood Red Roses

Me boots and shoes is all in pawn
Go down ye blood-red roses, go down
It's flaming draughty round Cape Horn
Go down ye blood-red roses, go down
Oh ye pinks and posies
Go down ye blood-red roses, go down

It's round Cape Stiff we has to go
It's round Cape Stiff in the frost and snow

It's growl you may but go you must
You growl too hard, your head they'll bust

'Topman up!' the mate he roars
'It's lay aloft you lazy whores!'

So 'rock and shake her' is the cry
The bleeding topmast sheave is dry

Just one more pull and that'll do
For we're the boys to kick her through

---

Another version

O all me clothes are all in pawn
Go down ye blood-red roses, go down
And it's mighty draughty down Cape Horn
Go down ye blood-red roses, go down
O ye pinks and posies
Go down ye blood-red roses, go down

Well my old mother she wrote to me
Go down ye blood-red roses, go down
Me dear young son come home from sea
Go down ye blood-red roses, go down

Just one more pull and that'll do
Go down ye blood-red roses, go down
For we're the boys to kick her through
Go down ye blood-red roses, go down

---

Version in the Digital Tradition

Our boots and clothes are all in pawn
     Go down, you blood red roses, Go down.
And its flamin' drafty 'round Cape Horn,
     Go down, you blood red roses, Go down.

cho: Oh, you pinks and posies,
     Go down, you blood red roses, Go down.

My dear old mother said to me,
My dearest son, come home from sea.

It's 'round Cape Horn we all must go
'Round Cape Horn in the frost and snow.

You've got your advance, and to sea you'll go
To chase them whales through the frost and snow.

It's 'round Cape Horn you've got to go,
For that is where them whalefish blow.

It's growl you may, but go you must,
If you growl too much your head they'll bust.

Just one more pull and that will do
For we're the boys to kick her through.

Recorded by Louis Killen- 50 South, also MacColl and LLoyd
@sailor @whale
filename[ BLOODRED
play.exe BLOODRED
RG

References and Links

Also sung by Swan Arcade on Full Circle, 1990
And by Peter Bellamy, 1964, as republished in Wake the Vaulted Echoes, 1999
And the Folksons (Watersons), 1964, published in Mighty River of Song, 2004
See also: page for the song at Mainly Norfolk

---

Garry Gillard | New: 9 May, 2008 | Now: 6 May, 2016