Padstow Farewell
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Also known as "The Farewell Shanty" or "Padstowe Shanty", this song was first recorded by Johnny Collins on his 1973 album The Traveller's Rest. The song's origin is disputed, with some sources crediting it to Mervyn Vincent, others to Alan Molyneaux. Vincent himself once commented during a live performance, "It’s my song in as much as I found it in a book. And I couldn’t read the music, so I got some bugger [Alan Molyneux] to tell me the tune. And I was hoping that one day they’d put it on a record 'cause it’s 'ansome!" On the Collins album, the song is credited as "traditional". The book Vincent mentions, if it exists, has not yet come to light.
Lyrics
It is time to go now
Haul away your anchor
Haul away your anchor
'tis our sailing time.
Get some sail upon her
Haul away your halyards
Haul away your halyards
'tis our sailing time.
Get her on course now
Haul away your foresheets
Haul away your foresheets
'tis our sailing time.
Waves are surging under
Haul away down channel
Haul away down channel
on the evening tide.
When you're sailing's over
Haul away for heaven
Haul away, oh heaven
God be by your side.
It is time to go now
Haul away your anchor
Haul away your anchor
'tis our sailing time.