Stormalong seems to refer to the general embodiment of a prime seaman, but the legend is sometimes traced to African-American folk songs of the mid-1800s. Frank Shay writes that he is the only heroic character in the folklore of the sea. In his telling, Stormy was quartermaster of the Courser, the world's largest clipper. The ship was inches wider than the English Channel, so Stormy suggests the crew plaster the sides of the ship with soap. Upon passing through, the cliffs of Dover scraped all the soap off the starboard side, and ever since, they have been pure white; recent observers say that the waves there still foam with the Courser's soap.
In other variants, Colcord notes he was buried
In Sailor Town up Mobile bay.
Another version with slightly different words and tune, was optimized for pumping (as in Sharp's version here):
Stormalong and round she'll go,
Ch: To me way, aye, stormalong John!
Stormalong through frost and snow,
Ch: Come along, get along, stormalong John!
Sharp demonstrates the shanty's adaptability to both heaving and hauling work by providing multiple versions.