Argonaut, The

Argonaut.jpg

There are many versions of this old sea chantey. Some are called 'Blow Ye Winds Of Morning.' This one is a classic tale of disaster at sea. Working aboard the whaling ships of the Nineteenth Century was a treacherous way to make a living. Sailors were often killed during shore leave, but in some cases their ships would never return to their home ports.

The 12-string guitar and banjo are tuned down one half step to F#, but the chord pattern is in the 'G' position.

Lyrics:
[G] 'Twas the twenty-first of [D] January
[G] Eighteen fifty [D] three
[G] Our gallant ship the [D] Argonaut
Set sail for [Em] jubilee
Singin' [G] blow ye winds of morning
Blow ye winds [C] hi ho
[G] Stow away your [C] runnin' gear and
[G] Blow [C] boys [G] blow [C] [G] [C] [G]

We headed up to Greenland
Into the wintry seas
Where there's ice and snow, and the whale fish blow
And Jamaca rum would freeze
Singin' blow ye winds of morning
Blow ye winds hi ho
Stow away your runnin' gear and
Blow boys blow

Our captain Davy Grant me boys
He give us all a treat
And that is why we caught a whale
That measured fifty feet
Singin' blow ye winds of morning
Blow ye winds hi ho
Stow away your runnin' gear and
Blow boys blow

And when reached Cape Harrison
The weather it turned clear
Our pilot aimed us to the south
And homeward we did steer
Singin' blow ye winds of morning
Blow ye winds hi ho
Stow away your runnin' gear and
Blow boys blow

But shortly out of Newfoundland
A storm began to rise
The seas kicked up, the mast it broke
The Argonaut capsized
Singin' blow ye winds of morning
Blow ye winds hi ho
Stow away your runnin' gear and
Blow boys blow

Of all those bold, brave sailors
On that day did set sail
Well I'm the only one alive
Left to tell the tale
Singin' blow ye winds of morning
Blow ye winds hi ho
Stow away your runnin' gear and
Blow boys blow

It was the twenty-first of January
Eighteen fifty three
Our gallant ship the Argonaut
Set sail for jubilee
Singin' blow ye winds of morning
Blow ye winds hi ho
Stow away your runnin' gear and
Blow boys blow