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Mainsail Café / Songs / Reuben Ranzo

Reuben Ranzo

(Ranzo)

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Things end less favorably for Poor Old Reuben Ranzo in Cecil Sharp's variant:

We took him to the gratings
And gave him nine and thirty
O! that was the end of Ranzo.

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Oh poor old Reuben Ranzo,
Ch:
Ranzo boys, Ranzo,
Oh pity poor Reuben Ranzo,
Ch: Ranzo boys, Ranzo.

Oh Ranzo was no sailor,
So he shipped on board a whaler.

He washed once in a fortnight,
He said it was his birthright.

Oh, Ranzo was no beauty,
He would not do his duty.

So they took him to the gangway,
And they gave him five and thirty.

But the captain was a good man,
Took Ranzo to his cabin.

And he taught him navigation,
To fit him for a station.

And he gave him wine and water,
Introduced him to his daughter.

He married the captain's daughter,
'Cause he did more that he ought to.

Now he sails upon the water,
Captain Ranzo gives the orders.

Metadata

Roud Index: 3282
Hauling shanty, Halyard shanty

Selected recordings:

Sailors' Songs and Sea Shanties Various artists
Whaling and Sailing Songs Paul Clayton
Short Sharp Shanties, Vol. 3 Various artists

External links:

Charles Rosher recorded by Grainger (1906)
Tom Roberts recorded by Grainger (1908)
Seán Dagher's Shanty of the Week 5

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