Sugar in the Hold

A traditional work song of United States steamboat river trade. Its exact age is difficult to pinpoint, but the earliest known print reference dates to an 1876 newspaper article.^[1]

Sugar in the Hold is the thirteenth track on Between Wind and Water.

Factoids[]

Screwing cotton refers to the process of using large jack-screws to compress and force cotton bales into the hold, a process common in the port of Mobile, Alabama.

The J.M. White is common to most modern versions of the song, but it wasn't launched until 1878. Other known versions of the song mention the Natchez, but it's likely that versions were sung about several different boats.

The J.M. White was a steamboat famed for its technological advancements that traveled the New Orleans to Greenville trade route, and was supposed to have been the fastest ship to have steamed that line. Famously, it was challenged to a race by the Natchez. During the race, the J.M. White suffered a severe mechanical failure and had to slow for repairs, and it appeared the race would be over. However, once the repairs were completed, the White caught and passed the Natchez, setting a new speed record in the process.^[2]

Despite its speed and luxurious fittings, the J.M. White was never profitable in its eight-year career. It was finally destroyed in a fire in December of 1888.^[3]

Heave the larboard lead refers to the way they would check the depth of the river. The "lead line" was a rope with a lead weight on the end. They would drop the weight into the water and then measure the depth against marks along the length of the rope. "Larboard" is an older term for "port", so the "larboard lead" would be the lead line on the port (left) side of the boat.^[4]

Lyrics[]

These lyrics are based on the version performed by the Longest Johns on their album, Between Wind and Water.

Well, I wish I was in Mobile Bay
Screwing cotton all the day
But I'm stowing sugar in the hold below
Below, below, below
(HUH)

{Chorus}
Hey, ho, below, below
Stowing sugar in the hold below
Hey, ho, below, below
Stowing sugar in the hold below

Well the J.M. White, she's a brand new boat
Stern to stem she's mighty fine
'Can beat any boat on the New Orleans line
Stowing sugar in the hold below
(HUH)

{Chorus}

Well the engineer shouts through his trumpet:
"Tell the mate we got bad news
Can't get no steam for the fire in the flue,"
Stowing sugar in the hold below
(HUH)

{Chorus}

Well the captain's on the quarter deck
Scratchin' 'way at his old neck
He shouts out: "Heave the larboard lead!"
Stowing sugar in the hold below
(HUH)

{Chorus 2x}

Recordings[]

Streaming/Purchase[]

YouTube Videos[]

Gig Videos[]

Full Band Streams[]

Gaming Streams[]

[1] ttps://mudcat.org/thread.cfm?threadid=94329#3492340

[2] ttps://www.waterwaysjournal.net/2021/01/17/the-palatial-str-j-m-white/

[3] ttps://americanhistory.si.edu/collections/search/object/nmah_842570

[4] ttps://mudcat.org/thread.cfm?threadid=94329#3673644

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