> Danny Spooner > Songs > Rowing Song

Row On

[ Roud 2084 ; Mudcat 13562 ; words trad., tune Tim Laycock]

Row On is a song from George Payne Rainsford James’ book Arabella Stuart: A Romance from English History (New York: Harper & Brothers, 1844, page 103). At first glace it looks like a lover’s lament, but from the context it is clear that it is a hidden warning for the rowing messenger not to dock at Arabella Stuart’s prison house to pick up a secret letter.

The 1846 log book of Nantucket whaler Three Brothers contained another version of Row On with slightly different lyrics. Gale Huntington printed it in his 1964 book Songs the Whalemen Sang, noting that he had “not been able to find this song in print”.

Tim Laycock sang Row On on his 1980 album Capers & Rhymes. He noted:

The words of Row On were noted down in the log book of an American whaling ship, The Three Brothers in 1846, and published in Songs the Whalemen Sang by Gale Huntington. I have adapted the words, and fitted a tune of my own.

His words adaptions include using the first verse as chorus and changing the last line of the chorus from “Thou must not come to-night” to “There’s dawn beyond the night”. Tim Laycock also sang Row On with the New Scorpion Band in 1999 on their first CD, Folk Songs and Tunes From the British Isles. They noted:

Our text comes from Songs the Whalemen Sang by Gale Huntington, and was written in the log book of The Three Brothers, a whaling ship from Nantucket working in the North Atlantic in 1846. Whaling was a high-risk occupation in the days of sail and hand­held harpoons, and songs such as this must have provided a welcome release from the bloody work of whale catching. No tune was given, so this one was made by Tim [Laycock].

Dave Webber and Anni Fentiman sang Row On on their 1996 album Bonnet & Shawl.

Danny Spooner sang the Rowing Song on his 2002 album Launch Out on the Deep. He noted:

Martyn Wyndham-Read taught me this song on one of his many visits to Australia. The words are a fusion of love and anxiety that must have been the constant companion of coastal families who gained their living from the sea. I think it originates from North America and while the words are old the tune is contemporary. It’s a great song to sing.

John Roberts and Tony Barrand sang Row On in 2003 on their CD Twiddlum Twaddlum. They commented:

The text of this song is in Gale Huntington’s Songs the Whalemen Sang, from the logbook of the whaleship Three Brothers, Nantucket, 1846. The English singer Tim Laycock gave it a tune. It, too, [like A Pilgrim’s Way] was sung at the memorial for Steve Adams. Row on, Steve!

Paul and Liz Davenport sang Row On, Row On on their 2018 album Shadows in the Mist. They noted:

A poem, dated 1846 and found in the logbook of the Nantucket whaler Three Brothers. was set to this lovely tune by Tim Laycock. The whalers frequently noted such sentiments in the backs of their logbooks. It remains for us and for many of our friends one of the most beautiful and optimistic of songs. It may be found in its original form in Gale Huntington’s Songs the Whalemen Sang, published in 1964.

David Milton sang Row On on his 2018 CD Songs From the Bell Man. He noted:

These words were found in the 1846 journal of the New Bedford whaler Three Brothers. The tune was added by Tim Laycock. Coastal tragedies aren’t just a thing of the past, I actually came across this song when I was singing at a concert raising money for the victims of the 2004 Tsunami in Indonesia. I also sang this song at my son’s wedding in a 1000 year old monastery in Germany—because of that beautiful memory I always hear these words as a love song, though I know others will hear it in their own way.

Ninebarrow sang Row On on their 2018 CD The Waters and the Wild. They noted:

This is a song we’ve known for years. In fact, it was a version sung by Jon [Whitley]’s dad which we heard first. The words were found by Gale Huntington, in an 1864 journal kept by a crewmember on a New Bedford whaling ship called The Three Brothers. Dorset-based folk singer, Tim Laycock, put it to a beautiful tune and very kindly gave us his blessing to record a version of the song for this album.

This video shows Ninebarrow live at St Dunstan’s Church, Cranbrook, on 31 January 2020:

The Exmouth Shanty Man sang Row On in 2022 on their WildGoose album Tall Ships and Tavern Tales. They noted:

We leave the tavern in song, looking forward with hope for tomorrow. American Gale Huntingdon found the words in a whaleship logbook and Dorset singer Tim Laycock gave them a tune.

Lyrics

Row On in Arabella Stuart

Row on, row on! Another day
May shine with brighter light;
Ply, ply the oars, and pull away,
Thou must not come to-night.

Clouds are upon the summer sky,
There’s thunder on the wind;
Pull on, pull on, and homeward hie,
Nor give one look behind!

Bear where thou go’st the words of love;
Say all that words can say,
Changeless affection’s strength to prove,
But speed upon the way.

Oh! like yon river could I glide
To where my heart would be;
My bark should soon outsail the tide,
That hurries to the sea.

But yet a star shines constant still
Through yonder cloudy sky,
And hopes as bright my bosom fill,
From faith that cannot die!

Row on, then, row! God speed thy way!
Thou must not linger here;
Storms hang about the closing day;
To-morrow may be clear.

Row On in the Three Brothers’ journal

Row on row on another day
May shine with brighter light
Ply, ply the oars and pull away
Thou must not come tonight

Clouds are upon the summer sky
There’s thunder on the wind
Pull on, pull on and homeward hie
Nor give one look behind

Bear where thou goest the word of love
Say all that words can say
Changeless affections strength to prove
But speed upon the way

Oh like yon river would I glide
To where my heart would be
My bark should soon outsail the tide
That hurries to the sea

But yet a star shines constant still
Through yonder cloudy sky
And hope as bright my bosom stills
From faith that can not die

Row on row on God speed the way
Thou must not linger here
Storms hang about the closing day
Tomorrow may be clear

The New Scorpion Band sings Row On

Clouds are upon the summer sky,
There’s thunder on the wind.
Pull on, pull on and homeward go,
Nor give one look behind.

Chorus (after each verse):
Row on, row on, another day
May shine with brighter light.
Ply, ply the oar and haul away,
There’s dawn beyond the night.

Oh like yon river would I glide
To where my heart would be,
My barque would soon outsail the tide
That hurries to the sea.

Speak if you hear the words of love,
Say all that words can say.
Changeless affection strength to prove,
But speed upon the way.

But yet a star shines constant still
In yonder cloudy sky,
And hope as bright my bosom fills
With love that cannot die.

Row on, row on, God speed the way,
Thou must not linger here.
Storms hang around the closing day,
Tomorrow may be clear.

Danny Spooner sing Rowing Song

Dark clouds are on the summer sky,
There’s thunder in the wind.
Row on, row on and homeward hie,
Nae give one look behind.

Chorus (after each verse):
Row on, row on, another day
May shine with brighter light.
Ply, ply the oars and haul away,
There’s dawn beyond the night.

Bear where thou goest these words of love,
Say all that words can say.
Changeless affection strength may prove,
But speed upon the way.

Like yonder river would I glide
To where my love would be,
My barque would soon outsail the tide
That flows towards the sea.

Row on, row on, God speed the way,
Thou canst not tarry here.
Clouds gather round the closing day,
Tomorrow may be clear.

John Roberts and Tony Barrand sing Row On

Clouds are upon the summer sky,
There’s thunder in the wind.
Pull on, pull on and homeward hie,
Nor give one look behind.

Chorus (after each verse):
Row on, row on, another day
May shine with brighter light.
Ply, ply the oars and pull away,
There’s dawn beyond the night.

Bear where thou goest the words of love,
Say all that words can say.
Changeless affection, strength to prove,
But speed upon the way.

Like yonder river would I glide
To where my heart would be,
My barque should soon outsail the tide
That hurries to the sea.

But yet a star shines constant still
Through yonder cloudy sky,
And hope as bright my bosom fills
From faith that cannot die.

Row on, row on, God speed the way,
Thou canst not linger here.
Storms hang about the closing day,
Tomorrow may be clear.

(repeat first verse)