“Round the Corner, Sally”

Description

Short-haul or halyard shanty. "Round the corner we will go, round the corner Sally." Verses refer to women or places where women may be found.

Notes

According to Hugill "round-the-corner-sallies" are at least loose women and often full-fledged prostitutes. - SL

Dana's _Two Years Before the Mast_ lists a song "Round the Corner" as a favorite shanty in his sailing days. If it is this piece, it would provide an Earliest Date for the song -- but Colcord notes that there is no reason to identiry them. Indeed, she seems to think them distinct -- but her reason is that this song is "almost too slight" to have merited mention. This would be a stronger argument if her text didn't look rather bowdlerized. - RBW

References

  1. Colcord, p. 45, "Round the Corner" (1 text, 1 tune)
  2. Hugill, pp. 389-390, "Round the Corner, Sally" (2 texts, 1 tune) [AbEd, pp. 297-298]
  3. Sharp-EFC, XLII, p. 47, "Round the Corner, Sally" (1 text, 1 tune)
  4. DT, RNDCORNR*
  5. Roud #4697
  6. BI, Hugi389

About

Author: unknown
Earliest date: 1914 (Sharp-EFC)
Keywords: shanty sailor whore
Found in: Britain US