The Sailboat Malarkey (song)

Frederick McQueen was recorded for the album The Real Bahamas in 1966. A. L. Lloyd borrowed the song for the 1974 Topic anthology Sea Shanties. For his 2004 compilation, Sailor Songs & Sea Shanties, the liner notes read:

The tune and most of the words come from the Bahamas, from the singer Frederick McQueen. In the Bahamas it's mostly used for boat-launching, but it serves equally well for capstan work. "Malarkey" here is a mispronunciation of "Malachi".

Some years later, Jim Mageean included the song for a 1978 album. The liner notes claim McQueen was recorded in the 1930s. Indeed, a Frederick McQueen was recorded in 1935 by Alan Lomax singing "Sam [Sand] gone in my cuckoo eye". This track is even included on the Rounders Records compilation Deep River of Song - Bahamas 1935. The Lomax archives are slowly being digitized but so far there is no record of a 1935 recording of Sailboat Malarkey.

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Please tell me, what is this sailboat's name?
It's the sailboat Malarkey
Tell me now, what is this good boat's name?
It's the sailboat Malarkey

Who is the man then who built this fine boat?
Richardson, Richardson built this fine boat

Well now, me boys, we are bound out to sea
Windward Caroline come down to me

She's lovely aloft and she's lovely below
But she's best on her back as you very well know

The blackbirds sang and the crow did caw
For to set this sail be up half past four

Away, away in St. George's town
The rats come batting the houses down

I'd give the world, boys, and all that I know
To turn and roll with me Lucy-oh

You pick her up, boys, and lay her down
And hang on tight as she bounces around

Tell me, what is that sailboat's name?
Tell me, tell me, what is her name?

As sung by A. L. Lloyd

Metadata

Fishing song, Heaving shanty, Capstan shanty

Named Ship

Selected recordings:

Sea Songs Various artists

Sailors' Songs and Sea Shanties Various artists

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