“Cape Cod Girls”

Description

"Cape Cod Girls they have no combs, Heave away, heave away! They comb their hair with codfish bones...." "Heave away and don't you make a noise, For we're bound for Australia." Sundry lyrics on the oddities of Cape Cod girls

Notes

There is no true dividing line between this song and "South Australia"; they merge into each other. However, the difference in local colour and focus is enough that they should be separated. Some versions of "South Australia" even have a rudimentary plot, and the tune can be somewhat different. The problem is classifying the intermediate versions.... - RBW

Cross references

• cf. "South Australia (I)"
• cf. "Round the Bay of Mexico" (lyrics)

Recordings

• Charity Bailey, "Cape Cod Girls" (on GrowOn2)

References

1. Colcord, p. 91, "The Codfish Shanty" (1 text, 1 tune)
2. Hugill, 196, "South Australia" (1 text, 1 tune) [AbEd, pp. 152-153]
3. Creighton-NovaScotia 120, "Hanstead Boys" (1 fragment, 1 tune)
4. Lomax-FSNA 23, "Cape Cod Girls" (1 text, 1 tune)
5. Shay-SeaSongs, p. 84, "Cape Cod Girls" (1 text)
6. Botkin-NEFolklr, pp. 561-562, "Cape Cod Shanty" (1 text, 1 tune)
7. Pankake-PHCFSB, pp. 244-245, "Cape Cod Girls" (1 text, tune referenced)
8. Darling-NAS, pp. 316-317, "Cape Cod Girls" (1 text)
9. Silber-FSWB, p. 96, "Cape Cod Girls" (1 text)
10. DT, CAPCODGL
11. Roud #325
12. BI, LoF023