Heart of Oak

First penned in the 18th century by David Garrick as part of a 1759 opera called "Harlequin's Invasion", it was set to music by Dr William Boyce of Kensington.

The melody appears in the Gillespie Manuscript of Perth, 1768.

Factoids

This song is the official march of the Royal Navy. The title refers to the wood from which British warships were generally made during the age of sail, "heartwood" being the strongest wood from the inner part of a tree.

Chappell's Popular Music of the Olden Time vol. 2 1859 reports that James Boswell, biographer to one Dr. Johnson, sang the song while visiting Corsica, and commented:

Never did I see men so delighted with a song as the Corsicans were with "Hearts of Oak". "Cuore di querco" cried they, "Bravo Inglese". It was quite a joyous riot. I fancied myself to be a recruiting sea-officer—I fancied all my chorus of Corsicans aboard the British fleet.

The "wonderful year" of the first verse refers to 1759, the so-called "Year of Victories" during the Seven Years War, which featured British victories at the battles of Minden, Quiberon Bay, and Quebec.

Lyrics

These lyrics are based on the version performed by the Longest Johns in their Youtube video.

Come, cheer up, me lads, 'tis to glory we steer,
To add something more to this wonderful year;
To honour we call you, as freemen not slaves,
For who are so free as the sons of the waves?

{Chorus}
Heart of Oak are our ships, jolly Tars are our men,
We always are ready: Steady, boys, Steady!
We'll fight and we'll conquer again and again.

We ne'er see our foes but we wish them to stay,
They never see us but they wish us away;
If they run, why, we chase them, and run them ashore,
For if they won't fight us, what can we do more?

{Chorus}

They say they'll invade us, our terrible foes,
They'll frighten our women, our children, our beaus
But should their flat bottoms in darkness set oar,
Still Britons they'll find to receive them on shore

{Chorus}

We still make them feel, and we still make them flee
and drub them ashore as we drub them at sea,
So come cheer up me lads, with one voice let us sing,
Our soldiers, our sailors, our statesmen, and king

{Chorus} x2

Recordings

YouTube Videos

• Music Video

Full Band Streams

• The Longest Johns and Friends, March. w/Sam Brookes (22 Mar 2019)
• The Longest Johns Streamtember (4 Sep 2019)
• (New Merch) I'm Goin' Off the Rails on a Crazy Stream (14 Oct 2020)
• Stream If You Wanna Go Faster (12 May 2021)
• Amazing Technicolor Stream-coat!! (7 Jul 2021)
• Heinz Baked Stream (14 Sep 2022)
• Streamship Troopers (15 Mar 2023)
• The Legend of Zelda, Ocastreama of Time (16 Jul 2025)

Gaming Streams

• Anyone for a Shanty? (Part 2) (23 Sep 2020)
• Sea of Sings (and probably thieves) - 26/06/2020
• Full Friendship followed by Battle Royale! - 23/11/2020
• Sea of Sings! With @RoyalNavyESports - 12/07/2021