Help Me to Raise 'Em

                                    Traditional United States

           

            I head this first from the Menhaden Chanteymen of Beaufort, N.C. with whom I once had the pleasure of singing in Norfolk, VA.  This is a different version, from the Northern Neck Chantey Singers of VA.

            The ship sends two motorized net-boats out, with crew, to surround the fish with the net, the captain running one, the mate running the other.  When they've closed the purse, they  haul the fish up to the surface by hand with some help from the donkey engine on the main boat.  Slow, hard work, some days.

 

January Men and Then Some

 

            Will you help me to raise 'em boys,

             Oh honey

          Will you help me to raise 'em boys,

             Oh honey

          Will you help me to raise 'em boys,

             see her when the sun goes down

                  

          All the weights on the mate boat

 

          I got a long tall yellow gal

 

          Her name is Evalina, boys

 

          All the weight's on the captain boat

 

          All the weight's on the donkey man

 

 

 

Help Me to Raise 'Em is recorded on the album Herrings in the Bay