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Blow the Man Down is an old sea shanty. The lyric "Blow the man down" refers to the act of knocking a man to the ground in a fight.
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Lyrics
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The full lyrics are
Chorus:
Oh, blow the man down, bullies, blow the man down
Way aye blow the man down
Oh, blow the man down, bullies, blow him away
Give me some time to blow the man down!
As I was a walking down Paradise Street
Way aye blow the man down
A pretty young damsel I chanced for to meet.
Give me some time to blow the man down!
Chorus
She was round in the counter and bluff in the bow,
Way aye blow the man down
So I took in all sail and cried, "Way enough now."
Give me some time to blow the man down!
Chorus
So I tailed her my flipper and took her in tow
Way aye blow the man down
And yardarm to yardarm away we did go.
Give me some time to blow the man down!
Chorus
But as we were going she said unto me
Way aye blow the man down
There's a spanking full-rigger just ready for sea.
Give me some time to blow the man down!
Chorus
But as soon as that packet was clear of the bar
Way aye blow the man down
The mate knocked me down with the end of a spar.
Give me some time to blow the man down!
Chorus
It's starboard and larboard on deck you will sprawl
Way aye blow the man down
For Kicking Jack Williams commands the Black Ball.
Give me some time to blow the man down!
Chorus
So I give you fair warning before we belay,
Way aye blow the man down
Don't ever take head of what pretty girls say.
Give me some time to blow the man down!
Chorus
References in the lyrics
Paradise Street is a street in Liverpool, England that was frequented by sailors whose ships had docked at the port. A traditional explanation of its origins is that the Black Ballers were fast packet ships of the American Black Ball Line that sailed between New York and Liverpool towards the end of the 19th century.
Sailors reached America about 4 weeks after leaving Liverpool and returned about 3 weeks later. The speedy journey meant that sailors were paid earlier than those on other lines making the Black Ball ships very popular.
Sailors were regularly beaten on these ships and being "blown down" was a man on the deck floor as a result.
In popular media
It was also featured in a commercial for Shell Gas, animated by Richard Williams.
It was also sung by Sheldon and Penny in the popular TV series The Big Bang Theory, season 2 episode 18 (The Work Song Nanocluster).
It was also used in the 1930's adaptation of Popeye by Fleischer Studios as the background music for Bluto.
It is the basis for a common seafaring song on the cartoon television show, Little Bear, based on books by Maurice Sendak.
The theme song to the television cartoon SpongeBob SquarePants is set to the same melody and tempo as "Blow the Man Down". The episode "I Was A Teenage Gary", Gary, SpongeBob, and Squidward (all snails) "meow" to Blow The Man Down.
In the 1990 movie "What About Bob," Bill Murray mumbles the chorus while walking outside the home of Dr. Leo Marvin (played by Richard Dreyfuss).
External links
This entry is from Wikipedia, the leading user-contributed encyclopedia. It may not have been reviewed by professional editors (see full disclaimer)
