Spanish Ladies is definitely a sea shanty you'll have come across along your journey if you're a shanty lover. It's big, beefy, and easy to sing. But what are its lyrics – and what's it all about?
What is the story behind the sea shanty, 'Spanish Ladies'?
Spanish Ladies is one of the oldest sea shanties, and it is believed to have been inspired when the Royal Navy carried supplies to Spain to aid its resistance to revolutionary France during the War of the First Coalition (1793–96). During this period it seems many of the ships' crew managed to collect Spanish wives, lovers, and children, who they were not allowed to bring home to England when the war drew to an end.
undefinedWhat are the Spanish Ladies lyrics?
Farewell and adieu, to you Spanish ladies Farewell and adieu, to you ladies of Spain For we received orders For to sail for Old England But we hope, very soon, we shall see you again
We'll rant and we'll roar like true British sailors We'll rant and we'll roar along the salt seas Until we strike soundings in the channel of Old England From Ushant to Scilly is 35 leagues
We hove our ship to, with the wind at Southwest boys We hove our ship to, our soundings to see We rounded and sounded got 45 fathomsWe squared our main yard and up channel steered we
We'll rant and we'll roar like true British sailors We'll rant and we'll roar along the salt seas Until we strike soundings in the channel of Old England From Ushant to Scilly is 35 leagues
The next land we made was called 'The Deadman' Next ram heads off Plymouth, off Portland and Wight We sailed by Beachy, by Fairlee and Dungeness 'Till we came abreast of the south foreland light
We'll rant and we'll roar like true British sailors We'll rant and we'll roar along the salt seas Until we strike soundings in the channel of Old England From Ushant to Scilly is 35 leagues
Then the signal was made for the grand fleet to anchor All in the Downs that night for to lie Then it's stand by your stoppers, steer clear your shank-painters Haul up your clew garnets, let tacks and sheet fly
We'll rant and we'll roar like true British sailors We'll rant and we'll roar along the salt seas Until we strike soundings in the channel of Old England From Ushant to Scilly is 35 leagues
So let every man toss off a full bumper And let every man drink off a full glass We'll drink and be merry and drown melancholy Singing, here's a good health to each true-hearted lass
We'll rant and we'll roar like true British sailors We'll rant and we'll roar along the salt seas Until we strike soundings in the channel of Old England From Ushant to Scilly is 35 leagues
You can find the lyrics to many of your favourite sea shanties here