Ane Madam

(Anne Madam)

Bergen version

Ane Madam var vakker smaåtøs, Ch: Aa haa – Ane Madam! Ane Madam hadd'en unge paa løs Ch: Aa haa – Ane Madam! Kom sjømand tag nu ditt hvit seil, Ch: Aa haa – Ane Madam! kom heis nu dit bramseil ogsaa din røil. Ch: Aa haa – Ane Madam! Men først en tur ut i Sandvigen, Ch: Aa haa – Ane Madam! for der å hilse farvel paa pigen. Ch: Aa haa – Ane Madam! Til madam Felle underveis stak vi ind, Ch: Aa haa – Ane Madam! for dersteds at oppfriske litt vores sind. Ch: Aa haa – Ane Madam! Men madammen stengte døren med stikker og straa Ch: Aa haa – Ane Madam! at ingen sjømanner der skulle gaa. Ch: Aa haa – Ane Madam! Men saa sprang der op en nordvestlig vind, Ch: Aa haa – Ane Madam! saa døren sprang op og sjømannen tren ind..... Ch: Aa haa – Ane Madam!

Source: Shanties From the Seven Seas

Trøndelag version

Se vinden den frisker jo opp i fra nord, Ch: Aa haa – Ane Madam! kom skynd dokker gutter vi må om bord Ch: Aa haa – Ane Madam! Vør los for lengst kommer er alt ombord Ch: Aa haa – Ane Madam! hør nøye hver mann etter losens ord. Ch: Aa haa – Ane Madam! Og naar vi har hevet de ankrene ind, Ch: Aa haa – Ane Madam! vi seiler ut byfjorden for en god vind. Ch: Aa haa – Ane Madam! Så reiste vi råen på høyen mast Ch: Aa haa – Ane Madam! hør etter styrmannen roper: Sett fast. Ch: Aa haa – Ane Madam! Nei enda så er vi en tomme igjen Ch: Aa haa – Ane Madam! nå fór visst den råen til himmelen.... Ch: Aa haa – Ane Madam!

Source: Shanties From the Seven Seas

The Trøndelag version functions as a capstan shanty.

English translation

Annie Madam was a beautiful maid, Ch: Ah haa! Annie Madam! Annie Madam had a fatherless babe. Ch: Ah haa! Annie Madam! Come seamen now set yer snowy white sails, Come hoist yer gans'ls and lofts royals. But first let us head out to Sandvigen town, An' there with the girls we will let sorrow drown. To Madam Felle's, oh, a visit we'll pay, An' from our thick heads clear the cobwebs away. With nettles and straw she had bunged up the door, As she'd had her fill of us sailors before. But just then there came a wild nor'west wind, The door it burst open - the sailors rolled in.

According to Stan Hugill,

This tops’l halyard shanty was the most popular hauling song raised by Norse seamen aboard Norwegian, Swedish, and Danish sailing ships. Actually it is a form of the English Blow the Man Down. None of the Scandinavian seaports had regular sailortowns like those found in ports of France, Germany, Holland, Belgium, and Britain. But even so, there did exist rather tatty streets in the areas near the docks of larger seaports or near the quays of smaller ports. It was there that madams and prostitutes were to be found.

Ane Madam and Madam Felle would have been such “ladies”. Unfortunately, we know very little about them. The translator was of the opinion that the last two verses of this shanty contained double meanings, both rather obscene.