Changes: Eliza Lee

Revision as of 19:56, 28 July 2022

A traditional song dating to the mid-19th century and found under several names, this song has been performed by countless folk singers. It appears as the second track on Written in Salt, and has been performed by The Longest Johns in a YouTube video as well as several livestreams.

Factoids

The song pays homage to the Margaret Evans, an American packet ship built by Westervelt & MacKay of New York in 1846 that sailed passengers and cargo to New York from London, Liverpool and other British ports. The ship was severely damaged in 1865 while at anchor in New York when the steamer Bridgeport collided with it, and was subsequently decommissioned.

The Blue Star Line was a British passenger and cargo shipping company, but the reference here is anachronistic, as it was not founded until 1911, several decades after the Margaret Evans' demise. Other versions variously reference the Black Ball, Black Cross, and Blue Cross Lines, and some name other ships entirely.

Bullgine was slang for a steam engine; though most commonly used for trains, it was also used aboard steam ships. In this case, it may be referring to a small locomotive which was used to haul ships through locks and canals. Alternatively, it may be evidence that the chorus was borrowed from railway work songs (a theory further bolstered by the "clear away the track" and "jaunting car" lines).

Jaunting car: a two-wheeled buggy pulled by a horse; in this context it could be another hold-over from railway terminology, although older versions of the song use the phrase "low-back[ed] car" instead, which would make less sense in a railroad context.

Lyrics

These lyrics are based on the version performed by the Longest Johns on Written in Salt; too many variations of the song exist to identify an "original."

Oh the finest ship that you will find is
(Ho-way, ho, are you 'most done?)
She's the Margaret Evans of the Blue Star Line
(Clear away the track and let the bullgine run!)

{Chorus}
To me hey rig-a-jig in a jaunting car
Ho-way, ho, are you 'most done
With 'liza Lee all on my knee
Clear away the track an' let the bullgine run

O, we're outward bound for the West Street Pier
(Ho-way, ho, are you 'most done?)
With Galway Shale and Liverpool beer
(Clear away the track and let the bullgine run!)

{Chorus}

And when we're out in New York Town
(Ho-way, ho, are you 'most done?)
We'll dance those Bowery girls around
(Clear away the track and let the bullgine run!)

{Chorus}

Oh! the Margaret Evans of the Blue Star Line
(Ho-way, ho, are you 'most done?)
She's never a day behind her time
(Clear away the track and let the bullgine run!)

{Chorus}

And when we're back in Liverpool town
(Ho-way, ho, are you 'most done?)
I'll stand ya's whiskeys all around (hey!)
(Clear away the track and let the bullgine run!)

{Chorus til Finish}

@@ Line 1: / Line 1: @@
+{{Infobox song
-A traditional song that can be found under the names of "Eliza Lee", "Margaret Evans", "Margot Evans", "Clear Away the Track", and "Let the Bulgine Run."
+|title1=Eliza Lee
+|image1=Eliza Lee
-The song has been performed by countless folk singers.
+|other_names=Margaret Evans<br>Margot Evans<br>Clear Away the Track<br>Let the Bullgine Run
+|origin=Anglo-American, 19th c.
-Eliza Lee is the second track on [[Written in Salt (Album)|Written in Salt]], and has been performed by The Longest Johns both in a youtube video and several livestreams.
+|songwriter=traditional
+|language=English
+|album=Written in Salt
+|released=2016
+|lj_lead=Dave
+|key=F
+}}
+A traditional song dating to the mid-19th century and found under several names, this song has been performed by countless folk singers. It appears as the second track on [[Written in Salt]], and has been performed by The Longest Johns in a YouTube video as well as several livestreams.
 ===Factoids===
+The song pays homage to the ''Margaret Evans'', an American packet ship built by Westervelt & MacKay of New York in 1846 that sailed passengers and cargo to New York from London, Liverpool and other British ports. The ship was severely damaged in 1865 while at anchor in New York when the steamer ''Bridgeport'' collided with it, and was subsequently decommissioned.
-This iteration of the song dates to the mid 19th century.
-The song pays homage to the ''Margaret Evans'', a packet ship on the London-New York shipping route, built by Westervelt & MacKay of New York and taken on as one of the ships of the Blue Star Line shipping company (of Titanic fame.) The ''Margaret Evans'' was severely damaged in 1865 while at anchor in New York when the steamer ''Bridgeport'' collided with her. She was subsequently decommissioned.
+The Blue Star Line was a British passenger and cargo shipping company, but the reference here is anachronistic, as it was not founded until 1911, several decades after the ''Margaret Evans''' demise. Other versions variously reference the Black Ball, Black Cross, and Blue Cross Lines, and some name other ships entirely.
-Numerous other variations of the song pre-date the Margaret Evans version, under a variety of names.
-A bullgine is commonly understood to have been slang for an engine, though most commonly used for trains, it was also used aboard steam ships. The use of "clear away the track" seems to suggest the chorus is borrowed from railway work songs.
+<b>Bullgine</b> was slang for a steam engine; though most commonly used for trains, it was also used aboard steam ships. In this case, it may be referring to a small locomotive which was used to haul ships through locks and canals. Alternatively, it may be evidence that the chorus was borrowed from railway work songs (a theory further bolstered by the "clear away the track" and "jaunting car" lines).
-A jaunting car: a two wheeled 'buggy' pulled by a horse, in this context could be another hold-over from railway terminology, though that is purely speculative.
+<b>Jaunting car</b>: a two-wheeled buggy pulled by a horse; in this context it could be another hold-over from railway terminology, although older versions of the song use the phrase "low-back[ed] car" instead, which would make less sense in a railroad context.
 ==Lyrics==
-These lyrics are based on the version performed by the Longest Johns on [[Written in Salt (Album)|Written in Salt]], too many variations of the song exist to choose an "original."
+These lyrics are based on the version performed by the Longest Johns on [[Written in Salt]]; too many variations of the song exist to identify an "original."
 <blockquote>
@@ Line 59: / Line 65: @@
 {Chorus til Finish}<br>
 </blockquote>
+==Recordings==
-<br>
+====Streaming/Purchase====
+*[https://music.amazon.com/albums/B089N3ZKJL?marketplaceId=ATVPDKIKX0DER&musicTerritory=US&ref=dm_sh_AChO9RCeOF12HllM75JlCCFa8&trackAsin=B089NB8HPP Amazon Music]
+*[https://music.apple.com/us/album/eliza-lee/1515034594?i=1515034866 Apple Music/iTunes]
+*[https://thelongestjohns.bandcamp.com/track/eliza-lee Bandcamp]
+*[https://deezer.page.link/FtpesxLzn8YXLStQ9 Deezer]
+*[https://pandora.app.link/KNU5V95Xipb Pandora]
+*[https://open.spotify.com/track/1DUxplDrH9XKx2B32IU0Pp?si=cdaa98f4e43f4426&nd=1 Spotify]
+====YouTube Videos====
+*[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rRO_jc2ktGo Music Video]
+*[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=I3T8IRU16bw&list=OLAK5uy_kmfSU6ZPMOuuLG9pRrmg87-gHMiQyCjgw&index=2 Written in Salt version]
+*[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gtpPhiksu0Y&t=274s What Happens When Shanty Singers Play Rust]
+====Gig Videos====
+*[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9mMDUSqUz1I&list=PLt4Ofcbsrwx-jaUvPe0Vgf9yLu7GSZPZh&index=89 Great Yarmouth Maritime Festival 2018]
+*[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fl38ZIfxmPg&t=684s Falmouth Sea Shanty Festival 2019]
+*[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=s3HISxZHj-Q&list=PLt4Ofcbsrwx-jaUvPe0Vgf9yLu7GSZPZh&index=2 Międzynarodowy Festiwal Piosenki Żeglarskiej (23 Feb 2020)]
+====Full Band Streams====
+*[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=whngdxv1XsI&list=PLt4Ofcbsrwx8ncy70o7PZhcTJViZ06_Ae&t=1771s The Longest Johns, Album Launch gig/party (19 Jun 2018)]
+*[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qiqbjzv2_6s&list=PLt4Ofcbsrwx8ncy70o7PZhcTJViZ06_Ae&t=8071s Surviving the first month of 2019 with The Longest Johns!!! (New donation system) (30 Jan 2019)]
+*[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=M0wc0lu2v0g&list=PLt4Ofcbsrwx8ncy70o7PZhcTJViZ06_Ae&t=6996s TLJ & Friends! | Natalie Holmes (27 Nov 2019)]
+*[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kuY8JNfWgw0&list=PLt4Ofcbsrwx8ncy70o7PZhcTJViZ06_Ae&t=10015s It's Beginning To Look A Lot Like Streams-mas | The Longest Johns Full Band Christmas Special Stream (16 Dec 2020)]
+*[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FEjxr_o1eic&t=9926s STREAM | The Longest Johns Full Band Stream (4 Aug 2021)]
+*[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YFWoY7QsBM8&t=10315s Strème de Menthe | The Longest Johns Band Singing Stream (27 Jul 2022)]
+====Chill Streams====
+*[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tlQl7BfW57E&list=PLt4Ofcbsrwx-0EtGZXGdJRi1W8gMnkyF3&t=3295s Roll on up to Chilltown with Andy and JD (30 Mar 2020)]
+*[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=29yKYuCX90I&list=PLt4Ofcbsrwx-0EtGZXGdJRi1W8gMnkyF3&t=4168s Welcome to Chilltown! With Andy and JD - 23/03/2020 Stream Full VOD]
+====Gaming Streams====
+*[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IkDdqXtDzOY&list=PLt4Ofcbsrwx-qht-0dvJf89CHqqy4wJbz&t=7791s The Longest Johns Play Sea of Thieves but the servers die and we sing anyway (20 Mar 2018)]
+*[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=X0G9Vx8Ua0U&list=PLt4Ofcbsrwx-qht-0dvJf89CHqqy4wJbz&t=8694s Anyone for a Shanty? | Sea of Thieves Singing Live Stream!! (Part 1) (23 Sep 2020)]
+*[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=z4Fq81j8cPI&list=PLt4Ofcbsrwx-qht-0dvJf89CHqqy4wJbz&t=1715s Sea of Sings (and probably thieves) - 26/06/2020 Stream Full VOD]
+*[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iyxtpljt8Bc&list=PLt4Ofcbsrwx-qht-0dvJf89CHqqy4wJbz&t=12878s Sea of Sings! 3 2 1 SHANT! - 26/10/2020 Stream Full VOD]
+*[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JjiUKMCnb_Y&list=PLt4Ofcbsrwx-qht-0dvJf89CHqqy4wJbz&t=5717s Sea of Sings! - 13/11/2020 Stream Full VOD]
+*[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CJTK2I8gkI0&list=PLt4Ofcbsrwx-qht-0dvJf89CHqqy4wJbz&t=10584s Sea of Sings with Azuki and HappyKrakenX - 08/02/2021 Stream Full VOD]
+*[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UNdfYDtxRRc&list=PLt4Ofcbsrwx-qht-0dvJf89CHqqy4wJbz&t=13834s Season Two!! New skins, new voyages, same old Kharites_! - 16/04/2021 Stream Full VOD]
+*[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gMSiHDGZmxI&list=PLt4Ofcbsrwx-qht-0dvJf89CHqqy4wJbz&t=9478s Four men and a baby. (The baby is our ship) - 10/05/2021 Stream Full VOD]
+*[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VL1YlQj6p2g&t=3905s STREAM Stream stream... - 27/09/2021 Stream Full VOD]
 [[Category:Songs]]
 [[Category:Traditional]]
+[[Category:Written in Salt]]
+[[Category:Dave Songs]]