Bully in the Alley
A pulling shanty as John Short of Watchet sang it to Cecil Sharp, for 2 to 4 singers: the soprano is the shantyman and sings each call alone, and everyone answers "Way ay bully in the alley" in harmony, landing together on "Way" and "bully", where Sharp marks the pulls. The refrain comes first, then three verses.
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The first verse
Words: traditional sea shanty (as sung by John Short, Watchet; printed 1914)Tune: traditional sea shanty (as sung by John Short, Watchet; printed 1914)
So help my bob I'm bully in the alley;Way ay bully in the alley,So help my bob I'm bully in the alley;Way ay bully in the alley.
About Bully in the Alley
Bully in the Alley is a pulling shanty that Cecil Sharp took down from John Short of Watchet. Sharp wrote that he had no other version of it and knew of no printed one. He marks with arrow-heads the notes the crew pulled on, two in each chorus, on "Way" and on the "bully" right after it. Our arrangement is read from his English Folk-Chanteys of 1914, in G as printed, on the harmony of his piano part, with verses 2 and 3 made from the two lines he prints after the tune. This is the refrain and three verses for 2 to 4 singers: the soprano is the shantyman, and everyone answers "Way ay bully in the alley".
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