Although Sharp had "not heard this chanty from any one but Mr. Short", nor could he find it printed elsewhere, he inexplicably decided to change Short's doodle let me go to do let me go. The habit of adding -dl into words was very common among older singers.
The port Callao, founded in 1537, was a frequent stop for sailors.
A. L. Lloyd's version of this song was recorded live at the Top Lock Folk Club in Runcorn, UK on November 5, 1972. This recording was used during the credits of the 2019 Robert Eggers film The Lighthouse. During the film, Robert Pattinson and Willem Dafoe also perform part of the song.
It's of a merchant's daughter,
Belonged to Cal-li-oh,
Ch: Hoo-raw, my yaller gals,
Do let me go...
Ch: Do let me go my girls,
Do let me go,
Hoo-raw, my yaller gals,
Do let me go...
It's of a pretty little maid
Down in Callao
Ch: Hurrah! me yella gals, doo-dle let me go!
She took me down to Madame Gashee's
A place we all do know
Ch: Hurrah! me yella gals, doo-dle let me go!
Doo-dle let me go, my gals, doo-dle let me go
Hurrah! me yella gals, doo-dle let me go!
She swung her hips, she winked her eyes
That sassy little whore
So I took her in and gave her gin
And danced her on the floor.
Around around the sofa boy,
Wasn't it a show
She grabbed a hold of my bobstay and
She wouldn't let it go!
The crew was drunk, the mate was drunk,
The old man wouldn't know
Let's throw a line 'round Madame Gashee's
And take the place in tow!
I met a merchant's daughter once, belong to Cal-li-o
She rolled her hips, she winked her eye, it really was a show.
She took me in, she gave me gin, she quickly barred the door
We danced upon the sofa and we danced upon the floor.
"Don't go to sea," she said to me, as in me arms she lay,
"For I have gold and silver and I want for you to stay."
Me ships, she lays in anchor and awaits the morning tide
But if I do come back again I'll make of you a bride.
Farewell me little yellow girl, sure to think o' me
I'll wed with you next time around and I will quit the sea.
It's of a merchant's daughter brough up in Cal-li-oh
Ch: Hurrah! me yella gals, doo-dle let me go!
She took me in the Paladin, said "would you be my beau?"
Ch: Hurrah! me yella gals, doo-dle let me go!
Doo-dle let me go, my gals, doo-dle let me go
Hurrah! me yella gals, doo-dle let me go!
All around the sofa's lads, wasn't it a go?
And about the hour of twelve o'clock, her old man he come home
As I was out a-walking down by the riverside
It was there I seen this pretty girl swimming in the tide
As I was out a-walking out in the bright moonlight
It was there I seen this girl a-swimming and her eyes, they shone so bright
I wish I was in Madame Gashee's, down in Callao,
Where the gals hold on your bobstay and they never let it go
We'll cast a line round Madam Gashee's and take the house in tow,
We'll tow it back to Liverpool, away from Callao