Guitar: The Handsome Cabin Boy (Including lyrics and chords)

My friend Gari pointed out to me that in his opinion, the best version he had heard of one of my recent uploads 'Sullivan's John' was by a group called 'Sweeney's Men'. I looked them up and while I could not find their version of that song, I listened to 'The Handsome Cabin Boy' which I did not know. I liked it so much that I decided to indulge myself and make my own recording of this song.

I have since found an extra verse which I did not sing in this recording but have included below.

The Handsome Cabin Boy
Capo at 2nd fret, so I am really playing and singing in the key of Bm

Am G Am
It's of a pretty female as you may understand
C Am
Her mind being bent for rambling into a foreign land
C Am
She dressed herself in sailors clothes or so it does appear
G Am
And she hired with a captain to serve him for a year.

The captain's wife, she being on board, she seemed in great joy
To think her husband had engaged such a handsome cabin boy
And now and then she'd slip him a kiss, and she would 'a liked to toy
‘T was the captain found out the secret of the handsome cabin boy

Her lips they were like roses, her hair was all in a curl
The sailors often smiled and said, "he looks just like a girl"
But eating of the captain's biscuit, her colour did destroy
And the waist did swell of pretty Nell, the handsome cabin boy

It was in the Bay of Biscayne, our gallant ship did plough
One night among the sailors was a fearful flurry and row
They tumbled from their hammocks, for sleep it did destroy
They swore about the groaning of the handsome cabin boy

"Oh doctor, dear, oh doctor", the cabin boy did cry
"My time has come, I am undone, and surely I must die"
The doctor cam a-runnin', and smilin' at the fun
To think a sailor lad should have a daughter or a son.

The sailors, when they saw the joke, they all did stand and stare.
The child belonged to none of them, they solemnly did swear.
The captain's wife she says to him "My dear I wish you joy
For it's either you or me's betrayed the handsome cabin boy"

So each man took his tote of rum, and he drunk success to trade
And likewise to the cabin boy, who was neither man nor maid
"Here's hoping wars don't rise again, our sailors to destroy
And here's hoping for a jolly lot more like the handsome cabin boy"

I have just produced a book of songs under the title "50 Songs from the 'threelegsoman' collection". It is available as a printed book or as an eBook and can be found at:

[MyMoppet]

Lovely version. Great video. I enjoyed this so much. I have a full version of The Handsome Cabin Boy if you haven't found one yet. I just uploaded it. I thing i have Gari's favorite, Sullivan's John also but dont' know when I will find. I've moved a lot and am still unpacking. I will add as I find. You have a wonderful voice! I am glad I found your video. My best, Moppet.

[gdgest]

Excellent performance of a variant of The Female Cabin Boy from the 19th century. Kenneth Peacock commented in his book, Songs Of The Newfoundland Outports: "This is the bawdiest and certainly the best of the cabin-boy-turned-maid ballads. The fact the the captain's wife is along on the voyage adds fascinating complications." He also suggested another related song: Blue Jacket And White Trousers. Thanks for sharing. :-)

[SirCoughsalot]

Nice job. I love this song. I'm going to give it a whirl sometime soon.

[Hagarviking]

Cracking version I first heard many years ago from Sweeneys Men. Thanks from a fellow Manxie.

[garibelon]

Hello Tony
I enjoyed your version very much. :) ♪♪♪♪♪
I play this song some times for myself. But I don't find a way to sing and play it that others may like... :))
All the best
gari ♫

PS: You got a private message.

[armadillozenith]

I like this very much! I first heard it on a jukebox in Ludlow in the 80s, of all places, Kate Bush's version. I later acquired that single. I love her arrangement (and the oddity of the tale told) but it's a pleasure to also hear your very different take on this traditional ballad!
PS I have always thought 'bear' rather than trad.'have' would make better sense before 'a daughter or a son', since it was the act of birth, not of becoming a parent as such, that was of note for a cabin 'lad' :-)

[threelegsoman]

@gdgest Thanks Ger and as usual, thank you for the extra information.

[threelegsoman]

@dreadnoughthi With the aid of the internet and YouTube I am able to hear new songs and find the lyrics. I have a fairly good 'ear' and am able to pick up the tunes quite quickly, though I must admit, not always accurately, but that is how folk songs were passed down originally, so I feel I am keeping up the tradition.

[threelegsoman]

@cathal627 I may not have it quite right, it is so much like the tune of Spancil Hill

[Ewwtuba]

No offense here...but for some odd reason  your version here sounds  a bit
to me like the Ballad of Gillgan's Isle. lol  Don't get me wrong, I've loved this old songfor many years, and your take on it is unusual and unique, and I like it a
I'm just sayin'. :-)

[edelahaye]

The melody used here is the one of Spancill Hill. The melody of the Handsome Cabin Boy is different :