He-back, She-back (song) - Mainsail Café

"Moke" is a term used in the British Isles as slang for "donkey", and probably has some regrettable racist connotations.

Cecil Sharp believed the tune to be a variant of Shule Agra, and Hoo-roo may even be reminiscent of "Shule Agra"; the reference to "the railroad" a memory of Poor Paddy Works on the Railway. Sharp identifies African American influence in both words and melody, and Irish connections may be an incidental attempt to whitewash this connection. This version came to him from John Short of Watchet and Sharp arranged it for piano in 1914.

Stan Hugill is the other chief source, and he provided several additional verses. Hugill wrote that the song "originated by the Negro and Irish work-gangs who laboured on the Iron Road. Some of these songs eventually arrived at sea and [this] was certainly one of them."

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He-back, she-back, daddy shot a bear,
Shot him in the back, and he never turned a hair,
I'm just from the railroad, too-rer-loo,
O the old moke picking on the ban-jo

Ch: Hoo-roo! What's the matter now?
I'm just from the railroad, too-rer-loo
I'm just from the railroad, too-rer-loo
O the old moke picking on the ban-jo!

From English Folk-Chanteys by Cecil Sharp (1914)

Roller boys, broiler boys, give her flame and jip
Drag the anchor off the mud and let the bastard rip

Rock-a-block, chock-a-block, heave the capstan round
Fetch the flame and anchor up for we are outward bound

Out chocks two blocks, heave away or bust
Bend yer back me bully boys, kick up some flame 'n dust

Hoo-roo, what's the matter, oh
Just from the railroad, too-ra-loo

Whiskey-oh, Johnny-oh, the mudhook is in sight
Hell of a way to the girls that weight at the old Nantucket light

Hack it back, take in the slack, heave away me boys
Heave away me bully boys, why don't ya make some noise

Hoo-roo, what's the matter, oh
Just from the railroad, too-ra-loo

Additonal verses from Jeff Warner's recording

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Heaving shanty, Capstan shanty

Selected recordings:

Bold Reilly Gone Away Danny Spooner

Hello, Sailor The Pyrates Royale

Short Sharp Shanties, Vol. 3 Various artists

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He-back, She-back

(The Old Moke Picking on the Banjo; He-bang, She-bang; Old Joe)

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