The original working title of this song was "The Rouble Song". Without research I can't recall the date when the inspiration hit - I think it might have been in 2015. What happened was that one day the value of Russia's currency took a major hit... like from a torpedo - WHAM!! Glub glub glub! It wasn't the first time that had happened during my 2 decades of residence, and my first thought was, "Well, here we go again - straight to Davy Jones!"
I had guitar in hand as I was watching the news reports come across the internet. It was looking like the Rouble (RUR) and the King of the Deep were about to have one thing in common... the ocean floor. Hence the first line: "My name is Jones, Davy Jones... the bottom of the ocean is my home".
After toying for a while with the idea of really making the song about the currency, I came to my senses and wrote what you hear in about 15 minutes.
The single had it's world premier performance at the 2017 Harwich International Sea Shanty Festival
lyrics
Oh my name is Jones, Davy Jones
Haul, haul the halyards, boys
The bottom of the ocean is my home
Haul away, my bullies-o
If ever you’re scuttled upon the blue
You’ll come down and join my crew
Haul, haul the halyards, boys
Haul away, my bullies-o
Oh many’s the good ship great and small
Haul, haul the halyards, boys
What foundered in a gale or squall
Haul away, my bullies-o
And when she sank beneath the blue
The sailors came to join my crew
Haul, haul the halyards, boys
Haul away, my bullies-o
Oh I keeps me a locker wide and deep
Haul, haul the halyards, boys
Where many a sailor man does sleep
Haul away, my bullies-o
In Davy’s locker they shall stay
Til I gives them up on Judgement Day
Haul, haul the halyards, boys
Haul away, my bullies-o
Oh my name is Jones, Davy Jones
Haul, haul the halyards, boys
The bottom of the ocean is my home
Haul away, my bullies-o
If ever you’re scuttled upon the blue
You’ll come down and join my crew
Haul, haul the halyards, boys
Haul away, my bullies-o
credits
released October 6, 2017
Written, performed and produced by Robert Palomo
Uillean pipes from Kontakt Free Library
Bandoneon from Best Service Accordions library
Percussion and Upright Bass: humble GarageBand software instruments
Guitar: nondescript Martin D35 w/ D'Addario Phosphor Bronze 11s
Mixed and mastered using Izotope Alloy2, Nectar 2, and Ozone 7.
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