Tasting the Salt Air

This is Shanghaied on the Willamette’s second recording, released in May, 1999. Tasting the Salt Air continues the maritime theme, with trips inland for whiskey, hogs and humor. Total playing time is about 44 minutes.

Order from CDBaby

About the cover art.

Track List

On a Yankee Whaler (Hobo Jim) listen
When the Tide Goes Out (Brian Robertson) listen
Otho's Song (Traditional) listen lyrics
Nautical But Nice (Gordy Euler) listen lyrics
Running Down to Cuba (Traditional) listen lyrics
A Matter of Policy (T. Dart) listen
Rollin' Down to Old Maui (Traditional) listen
Wild Hog in the Woods (Traditional) listen lyrics
Wooden Boat (Keola Beamer) listen
Wild Goose (Traditional) listen lyrics
Maid on the Shore (Traditional) listen lyrics
Paddy Kelly's Brew (Traditional) listen
Einstein the Genius (Henry Jankiewicz) listen

Selected Lyrics

Otho’s Song

I was comin’ ‘round the mountain and the wind did blow, honey.
Comin’ ‘round the mountain and the wind did blow,
Couldn’t here a thing but the rudder blade row,
Honey, oh darling of mine.

Well, I ain’t got no whiskey but I will have some, honey (yes I will),
I ain’t got no whiskey but I will have some,
When this boat gets to Washington,
Honey, oh darling of mine.

Well, I ain’t got no money but I will have some, honey (uh-huh),
ain’t got no money but I will have some,
When this boat gets to Washington,
Honey, oh darling of mine.

I’ll go up to the office and I’ll see G.L., honey
Goin’ up to the office and I’ll see G.L.,
Get some money just as sure as hell, (It’s - )
Honey, darling of mine.

And on my way I’ll stop at Wardell’s, honey,
And on my way I’ll stop at Wardell’s,
I’ll get some whiskey just as sure as hell, (It’s - )
Honey, darling of mine.

So when we get them mules I’ll say, darlin’
When we get them mules I’ll say
"I’ll feed ‘em corn and you feed ‘em hay,"
Honey, oh darling of mine.

Oh, when we reach that boat I’ll say, darlin’
When we reach that boat I’ll say
"I ain’t gonna work, gonna drink all day."
Honey, o darling of mine.

I was a-comin’ ‘round the mountain and the wind did blow, honey.
Comin’ ‘round the mountain and the wind did blow,
Couldn’t here a thing but the rudder blade row,
Honey, oh darling of mine.

I’s ‘comin’ ‘round the mountain and the wind did blow, honey.
Couldn’t here a thing but the rudder blade row, (It’s - )
Honey, oh darling of mine.

Honey, oh darling of mine. Go to top of page.

Nautical But Nice

Jack Tar sailed into the harbor after many long years at sea
"When I come ashore it’s Judies I want, not to mention some grog," said he.
"But I've got to be careful, I'm a little bit fearful, for the last time in this town was I
I lost my advance, not to mention my pants, but I won a free trip to Shanghai."

Refrain: "So heave her up, get out of my way
`Be a bully,' is my advice.
Being thick in the head is better than dead
Forget being nautical but nice!"

Jack's ship anchored in the harbor and the crew rowed into shore
At hand were dozens of Judies not to mention grogmeisters galore
And Jack took a fancy to a Judy named Nancy
Who charmed him with whiskey and rye
Called him her honey while she stole all his money
And doped him for a trip to Shanghai. (Refrain)

Jack finally woke up in the harbor on the deck of a ship in full sail.
"It's happened, again," says Jack to himself, as he holds his head at the rail.
If I'm not a-fightin' I end up a-lightin'
With a girl who adores me on the sly
Because I am thick it's all very quick
That I'm bound again for Shanghai. (Refrain)

Now you'd think after hearing of the five-gallon jar the lesson would surely be learned.
That by coming ashore after years at sea you'd be parted from all you had earned.
But it's hard to resist all the things you have missed
Good rum and a maid's roving eye
When you've over-enjoyed it's hard to avoid
The crimp who'll send you to Shanghai. (Refrain)

Go to top of page.

Running Down To Cuba

To Cuba's coast we are bound, me boys
Way me boys for Cuba
To Cuba's coast, boys, don't ya make a noise
And we're running down to Cuba

The captain he will set the sail
Flinging the water out over the rail

Oh my God how the wind do blow
Runnin' south from the ice and the snow

I got a gal that's nine feet tall
Sleeps in the kitchen with her feet in the hall

Give me a gal that will dance fandango
Round like a melon and sweet as a mango

To Cuba's coast we are bound away
To Cuba's coast at the breakin' of the day

Go to top of page.

Wild Hog in the Woods

There is a wild hog in these woods
Doodle-um day, doodle-um day
There is a wild hog in these woods
Doodle-um oh-day
There is a wild hog in these woods
Catch him boys, don’t let him get away
Cut him down, cut him down
Catch him if you can

Old Bangham did a huntin’ ride
A sword and a pistol at his side

Old Bangham rode to the wild hog’s den . . .
He spied the bones of a thousand men

Bangham blew his hunting horn
The wild hog crashed through oak and thorn

Old Bangham drew his hunting knife
He swore he’d take the wild hog’s life

They fought nine hours on that day
Till the wild hog fled, he slunk away

Old Bangam did you win or loose?
He swore by God he’d won his shoes

There is a wild hog in these woods . . .

Go to top of page.

Wild Goose

Did you ever see a wild goose, sailin over the ocean?
Ranzo, Ranzo, way - hey
They’re just like the pretty girls, when they gets a notion!
Ranzo, Ranzo, way - hey

As I was out walkin’ down by the river
I spied a pretty fair maid with her tops’ls all aquiver

I said, "My pretty fair maid, and how are you this morning?"
She said, "None the better, for the seein’ of you!"

Did you ever see a wild goose, sailin’ over the ocean?
They’re just like the pretty girls, when they gets a notion!

Maid on the Shore

There is a young maiden, she lives all alone
She lives all alone on the shore-o
There is nothing she can find to comfort her mind
But to roam all alone on the shore, shore, shore
But to roam all alone on the shore, shore, shore

'Twas of the young captain who sailed the salt sea
Lend the winds blow high blow, low
I will die, I will die, the young captain did cry
If I don’t have that maid on the shore, shore, shore
If I don’t have that maid on the shore

I have lots of silver, I have lots of gold
I have lots of costly ware-o
I’ll divide, I’ll divide with my jolly ships crew
If the row me that maid on the shore, shore, shore
If the row me that maid on the shore

After much persuasion they got her aboard
Let the winds blow high, blow low
They replaced her away in his cabin below
Here’s adieu to all sorrow and care, care, care
Here’s adieu to all sorrow and care

They replaced her away in his cabin below
Let the winds blow high, blow low
She’s so pretty and sweet, she’s so neat and complete
She’s sung captain and sailors to sleep, sleep, sleep
She’s sung captain and sailors to sleep

Then she robbed him of silver, she robbed him of gold
Let the winds blow high, blow low
She robbed him of costly ware-o
Then took his broadsword instead of an oar
And paddled her way to the shore, shore, shore
And paddled her way to the shore

Me men must be crazy, me men must be mad
Me men must be deep in dispair-o
For to let you away from my cabin so gay
And to paddle your way to the shore, shore, shore
And to paddle your way to the shore

Your men was not crazy, your men was not mad
Your men was not deep in dispair-o
I deluded your sailors as well as yourself
I’m a maiden again on the shore, shore, shore
I’m a maiden again on the shore

There is a young maiden, she lives all alone
She lives all alone on the shore-o
There is nothing she can find to comfort her mind
But to roam all alone on the shore, shore, shore
But to roam all alone on the shore, shore, shore

Go to top of page.

About the Cover Art

The cover illustration is based on a 1912 photograph taken aboard the bark Levi G. Burgess on her way from Portland, Oregon to Nusahgak, Alaska. The original photograph is Oregon Historical Society Photographic archive number OrHi12221. Research and concept by Jonathan Lay, graphic art by Kimberley Gardner, logo design by Dorothy Dehn, Dehn Graphics.