John Kanakanaka

from Laugh While You May by Gráinneog

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JOHN KANAKA-NAKA
Trad.
Main Vocal, Sam
Possibly the most enduring and widespread sea shanty from the South Pacific. Just as shanties in the Atlantic accumulated Afro-Carribean and Latin American influences as time went by, those in the Pacific took on words and tune structures from Polynesian cultures.
In our rendition we use the more European 'Too-Rye-Ay' as the refrain due to our general pallid Celtic-ness. A more accurate spelling would be 'Tulai-E!' of course so if that works better for you then please feel free to sing along using that.

lyrics

I thought I heard the Old Man say,
John Kanaka-naka too-rye-ay!
Tomorrow is your sailing day!
John Kanaka-naka too-rye-ay!
Too-Rye-Ay, oh Too-Rye-Ay!
John Kanaka-naka too-rye-ay!

I thought I heard the bosun say,
There's work tomorrow but no work today.

Oh she would not steer and she would not stay,
She shipped on water night and day.

Now the Bosun said 'Before I'm through,'
'You'll curse your mother for having you.'

We're a kiwi ship with a kiwi crew,
And we're the bullies to see her through.

credits

from Laugh While You May, released June 19, 2021
Sammy Leary - Vocals, Banjo
Alan Knight - Backing Vocals
Helen Cobbett - Backing Vocals
Ben Cobbett - Backing Vocals
Andy Spence - Backing Vocals, Bodrahn

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Gráinneog Auckland, New Zealand

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