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64:'s body was preserved in a cask of brandy or rum for transport back to England. Though when news of Nelson's death and return to British soil reached the general public, people either 1. argued rum would've been the better alternative or 2. wrongly assumed the body was preserved in rum to begin with. ‘
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No. 3632) The origins are unclear, but the title comes from the line: "A drop of Nelson's blood wouldn't do us any harm". Often described as a "walkaway" or "runaway chorus" or "stamp and go" sea shanty, the song features on the soundtrack of the 2019 film
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Each line is repeated three times and describes something that the singing sailors would miss while at sea for a long time. The last line is always "And we'll all hang on behind", although some versions say "we won't drag on behind".
75:, especially those that required a bright walking pace. Although Nelson is mentioned in the title, there is no evidence that the shanty dates from the time of Nelson, who died in 1805.
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mentions the phrase several times in his journals (1810 to that of 1838) describing his work spreading the word of God. In the 1880s, 'Roll the old
Chariot' was used by the
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Ward, Andrew (2000), "Dark
Midnight When I Rise: The Story of the Jubilee Singers Who Introduced the World to the Music of Black America".
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as a campaign hymn. At around the same time Gospel singers from
America were touring in the UK, singing
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The
Traditional Ballad Index: An Annotated Bibliography of the Folk Songs of the English-Speaking World
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An early publication of the song in
America was published in 'Cabin and plantation songs' (1901).
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515:"Rev. T.T. Rose And Singers – Roll The Old Chariot Along / See The Sign Of Judgement (Shellac)"
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The term 'Roll the chariot' was used by religious groups in the 19th century in
England. The
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added their version to their album "The C-Sides", under the title "Drop of
Nelsons Blood"
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44:. The chorus comes from the 19th century Salvation Army hymn, 'Roll the old chariot'.
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Dawson, A. J. (17 November 1906). "The
Folklore of the Sea. Chanties and their uses".
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2013 The
Wellington Sea Shanty Society released a version of the song on their album
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posted a version on YouTube which now has over five million views as of
November 2021
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released an album named after the song which features the song as the opening track.
396:"A rum deal: The origins of Nelson's blood - Sailors drinking rum on the mess deck"
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One of the oldest known recordings, dates from the early 1920s and is held by the
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68:' became a nickname for rum, but it can also mean Nelson's spirit or bravery.
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467:"Audio Recording - Roll the Old Chariot Along and Haul the Woodpile Down"
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495:. Folk-Songs of America: The Robert Winslow Gordon Collection, 1922-1932
493:"Folk-Songs of America: The Robert Winslow Gordon Collection, 1922-1932"
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The Scandalous Decision to Pickle Admiral Horatio Nelson in Brandy |
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recorded the song under the title "Roll the Old Chariot" on
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Folk Nation: Folklore in the Creation of American Tradition
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The shanty was sung to accompany certain work tasks aboard
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689:, hosted by the Vaughan Williams Memorial Library (VWML)
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Rogue's Gallery: Pirate Ballads, Sea Songs, and Chanteys
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sang "Roll the Old Chariot" on their album, Strontrace!.
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Sheet music for Roll de Ole Chariot Along (1901 version)
569:"Roll the Old Chariot Along / A Drop of Nelson's Blood"
534:(3rd ed.). G. P. Putnam's sons. pp. 106, 107
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titled ‘Roll de ol chariot' was recorded in the 1950s
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If the devil's in the way, We'll roll it over him x 3
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Holliday Bickerstaffe Kendall · (23 December 2010).
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281:released a version on their album "Technoshanties"
573:Mainly Norfolk: English Folk and Other Good Music
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166:1930 Roll the Old Chariot Along by Rev. T.T. Rose
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618:Drop of Nelsons Blood | The Longest Johns Music
212:, it became a protest song for the coal miners.
669:California State University, Fresno, Folklore
201:in his collection of songs published in 1920.
429:. Cambridge University Press. p. 85.
272:Now That's What I Call Sea Shanties Vol. 1
426:History of the Primitive Methodist Church
222:1978 American folksinger, Mary Benson of
366:"A brief history of battlefield boozing"
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56:Following his victory and death at the
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648:Clip from the Fisherman's Friends film
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753:Cultural depictions of Horatio Nelson
596:David Coffin - "Roll the Old Chariot"
321:The Vaughan Williams Memorial Library
188:in an article that was published in
123:And we'll roll the old chariot along
121:And we'll roll the old chariot along
659:Waltz, Robert B.; David G. Engle. "
217:Notable recordings (shanty version)
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136:Early recordings (Gospel version)
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364:Ben McFarland and Tom Sandham.
277:2021 Industrial/Steampunk band
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130:And we'll all hang on behind.
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748:Songs about military officers
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125:And we'll all hang on behind.
110:‘Roll the old chariot along'
517:– via www.discogs.com.
7:
642:Example version with lyrics
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531:Cabin and Plantation Songs
528:Fenner, Thomas P. (1901).
265:Storm Weather Shanty Choir
157:African-American spiritual
119:Roll the old chariot along
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31:Roll the old chariot along
197:The song is mentioned by
723:English children's songs
491:Gordon, Robert Winslow.
159:version was recorded by
23:A Drop of Nelson's Blood
401:Royal Museums Greenwich
199:James Madison Carpenter
248:appeared on the album
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674:17 April 2008 at the
317:"Roud Folksong Index"
150:Robert Winslow Gordon
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733:Year of song unknown
683:Roll the Old Chariot
661:Roll The Old Chariot
718:Songs about sailors
713:Songs about alcohol
687:Roud Folksong Index
471:Library of Congress
290:The Wellerman Album
142:Library of Congress
93:Primitive Methodist
58:Battle of Trafalgar
41:Fisherman's Friends
738:Songwriter unknown
728:English folk songs
703:19th-century songs
376:on 28 January 2021
346:, 19 February 2016
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743:Songs about death
404:. 13 October 2015
296:The Longest Johns
29:, also known as "
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372:. Archived from
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228:Folkways Records
224:Portland, Oregon
186:Alec John Dawson
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708:Sea shanties
667:, hosted by
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622:, retrieved
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555:The Standard
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374:the original
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286:Nathan Evans
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258:David Coffin
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208:in his book
191:The Standard
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170:Fela Sowande
163:in the 1920s
161:Paul Robeson
146:wax cylinder
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105:gospel songs
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602:23 November
380:11 November
235:Jim Mageean
697:Categories
579:15 January
538:20 January
499:10 January
476:18 January
442:20 January
408:7 February
350:8 February
326:14 January
303:References
279:Abney Park
27:sea shanty
16:Sea shanty
95:preacher
672:Archived
194:in 1906.
177:In print
116:Refrain:
678:, 2007.
654:Sources
624:17 July
79:Origins
25:" is a
433:
144:. The
62:Nelson
294:2023
284:2022
263:2012
256:2010
244:2006
233:1983
626:2023
604:2021
581:2021
557:: 7.
540:2021
501:2021
478:2021
444:2021
431:ISBN
410:2024
382:2023
352:2024
328:2021
237:and
35:Roud
663:".
155:An
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Text is available under the Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike License. Additional terms may apply.
