We tinkered with this one quite a bit. Come Down to Hilo was originally the capstan shanty, Johnny Come Down to Hilo. we put a very different spin on it one day for a"song arranging" workshop we were giving at a folk festival. The usual shanty rhythm is sacrificed for a closer look at the lyrics and the feelings behind them."Hilo" is a corruption of the name"Ilo", a port city in Peru. Stan Hugill told us that the old sailors preferred to sing the long I sound rather than the short i or the E sound in their shanties, thus the song, Rio Grande, is not pronounced in the Spanish style"ree-oh gran-day", but"rye-oh grand" and"EE-low" became"High- low". This town was also known as a major party town and"going on the Hilo" was also a term for a fun-filled drunken spree. But to get there, Jack Tar had to survive a trip round the corner
lyrics
Come Down to Hilo
traditional, arranged by Pint and Dale
Were you ever in Mobile bay
screwing cotton for a dollar a day?
Johnny come down To Hilo, poor old man
Johnny come down To Hilo, poor old man
Were you ever in Quebec
loading timber on a deck
Johnny come down To Hilo, poor old man
Johnny come down To Hilo, poor old man
Were you ever sailing round the horn?
you'd wish to God you never were born
Johnny come down To Hilo, poor old man
Johnny come down To Hilo, poor old man
that girl with the blue dress on
You know she talks about you all night long.
Johnny come down To Hilo, poor old man
Johnny come down To Hilo, poor old man
wake her oh, shake her
Oh wake that girl with the blue dress on
Johnny come down To Hilo, poor old man
Johnny come down To Hilo, poor old man
Hilo town is in Peru
It's just the place for me and you.
Johnny come down To Hilo, poor old man
Johnny come down To Hilo, poor old man
when you come to hilo town
I'll stand you whiskies all around
Johnny come down To Hilo, poor old man
Johnny come down To Hilo, poor old man
wake her -- shake her
Oh wake that girl with the blue dress on
Johnny come down To Hilo, poor old man
Johnny come down To Hilo, poor old man
Johnny come down To Hilo
Johnny come down To Hilo
Poor old man
Poor old man
Johnny come down To Hilo, poor old man
credits
from Round the Corner,
released January 1, 1997
Nancy Wharton: 'cello
Sean Sharp: Percussion
Mike Freeman: Percussion
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