“A-Cruising We Will Go”

Description

"Behold upon the swelling seas With streaming pennants gay, Our gallant ship invites the waves, While glory leads the way." "And a-cruising we will go." The singer asks the girls to be kind, recalls "Hardy's flag," and hopes for peace with America

Notes

Shay gives no information about the origin of this piece, and no tune; I doubt it is traditional, or even a song. It looks to me like some broadside poet's praise of the British navy.

"Hardy" is presumably Thomas Masterson Hardy (1769-1839), Nelson's chief captain, who was made rear admiral in 1825, served as First Sea Lord 1830-1834, and finally reached the rank of vice admiral in 1837. - RBW

References

  1. Shay-SeaSongs, pp. 118-119, "A-Cruising We Will Go" (1 text)
  2. Roud #8825
  3. BI, ShaSS118

About

Author: unknown
Earliest date: 1948 (Shay)
Keywords: navy ship nonballad