Rolling Home to Old New England

Rolling Home to Old New England - Traditional sea chanty
Sung and recorded by The Revels. Recorded by Ed Trickett. Stan Hugill, in 'Shanties from the Seven Seas' (1961), calls it 'the most famous homeward-bound song of them all'. There are many versions of this song; in Scotland it is Rolling Home to Caledonia.

Call all hands to man the capstan
See the cable running clear
Heave away and with a will, boys
For New England we will steer

Rolling home, rolling home
Rolling home across the sea
Rolling home to old New England
Rolling home dear land to thee

Up aloft amid the rigging
Blows a wild and rushing gale
Like with springtime in its blossoms
Filling out each well known sail

Fare you well, you Spanish maidens
It is time to say adieu
Happy times we've spent together
Happy times we've spent with you

And we’ll sing a joyful chorus
In the watches of the night
And we’ll see her shores a-rising
In the early morning light

‘Round Cape Horn one frosty morning
And our sails were full of snow
Clear your sheets and sway your halyards
Swing her out and let her go