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Tom Bowling

[ Roud 1984 ; TYG 84 ; Ballad Index DTtombow ; Charles Dibdin]

Mary and Nigel Hudleston: Songs of the Ridings

Bob Hart sang Tom Bowling at home in 1969 to Bill Leader. This recording was included in 1998 on his Musical Tradition anthology A Broadside. Rod Stradling noted:

Words and music by Charles Dibdin (1745-1814), this ‘National’ song has appeared in many books and songsters, and dozens of broadsides—but has only this once been collected from the oral tradition, if Roud’s 75 instances show the full picture. Not the sort of thing many Sharpian collectors would be interested in, nor later ones, it would appear… I remember Fred Jordan singing it on occasion.

The New Scorpion Band sang Tom Bowling on their 2004 CD Out on the Ocean. They noted:

Written by the actor, dramatist and song-writer Charles Dibdin (1745-1814), and was first heard in an entertainment called Oddities in 1789. It was an instant and lasting success. The song was inspired by Dibdin’s brother Tom, who had made a fortune in India, but was then struck by lightning, and severely disabled. He died at sea off the Cape of Good Hope.

Steve Turner sang Tom Bowling in 2023 on his Tradition Bearers album Curious Times. He noted:

Charles Dibdin (1745-1814) wrote thousands of songs of which this is probably the most famous. Written ca 1800 and traditionally played at the Last Night of the Proms by the leader of the cello section of the House orchestra. Tom Bowling was a sailor from York who died in 1797. Although this is classified as an ‘art song’ many of the source singers were noted as having it in their repertoire.

Lyrics

Bob Hart sings Tom Bowling

(spoken:) Did you ever her Tom Bowling? I sung that song in the public house when I was about 10. I believe I told you, didn’t I. Keston Sailor’s Home—I was there with me uncle, and there was an old sailor in there saying how he’d love to hear Tom Bowling again before he died. And my uncle said “You know that, boy.” I said “Yes.” He said “Sing it to him.” They used to teach us that at school, you know. Least that’s one of the songs they used to do. And, oh I come out with a hat full of pennies. I know I was pleased.

Here, a sheer hulk, lies poor Tom Bowling,
The darling of our crew.
No more he’ll hear the tempest howling
For death have broached him to.
His form was of the manliest duty,
His heart was kind and soft.
Faithful below, Tom did his duty
And now he’s gone aloft,
And now he’s gone aloft.

Tom never from his word departed,
His virtues were so rare.
His friends were many and true-hearted,
His Poll was kind and fair.
And then he seemed so blithe and jolly,
Ah, many the time and oft.
But earth has turned to melancholy,
Poor Tom has gone aloft
Poor Tom has gone aloft.

Yet, shall poor Tom find pleasant weather,
When He whom all commands
Shall give to call life’s crew together,
The word to pipe all hands.
Thus death whom kings and tars despatches,
In vain Tom’s life is doffed.
Although his body’s under hatches,
His soul has gone aloft,
His soul has gone aloft.

(spoken:) Not quite so easy as that was when I went to school!

Steve Turner sings Tom Bowling

Here a sheer hulk lies poor Tom Bowling,
The darling of our crew;
No more he’ll hear the tempest howling
For death has broached him to.
His form was of the manliest beauty,
His heart was kind and soft,
Faithful below Tom did his duty,
But now he’s gone aloft,
But now he’s gone aloft.

Tom never from his word departed,
His virtues were so rare,
His friends were many and true-hearted,
His Poll was kind and fair,
Ah, then he’d sing so blithe and merry,
Many’s the time and oft,
But mirth has turned to melancholy,
For Tom has gone aloft,
For Tom has gone aloft.

Yet shall poor Tom find pleasant weather
When he who all commands,
Shall give to call life’s crew together,
The word to pipe all hands;
Thus Death, who kings and tars dispatches,
In vain Tom’s life has doffed.
But though his body’s under hatches
His soul is gone aloft,
His soul is gone aloft.