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Oh, blow the man down, bullies, blow the man down,
Way, aye, blow the man down;
Oh, blow the man down, bullies, blow him away,
Give me some time to blow the man down!
As I was a walking down Paradise Street,
Way, aye, blow the man down;
A pretty young damsel I chanced for to meet,
Give me some time to blow the man down!
She was round in the counter and bluff in the bow,
Way, aye, blow the man down;
So I took in all sail and cried, "Way enough now,"
Give me some time to blow the man down!
So I tailed her my flipper and took her in tow,
Way, aye, blow the man down;
And yardarm to yardarm away we did go,
Give me some time to blow the man down!
But as we were going she said unto me,
Way, aye, blow the man down;
"There's a spanking full-rigger just ready for sea,"
Give me some time to blow the man down!
But as soon as that packet was clear of the bar,
Way, aye, blow the man down;
The mate knocked me down with the end of a spar,
Give me some time to blow the man down!
It's starboard and larboard on deck you will sprawl
Way, aye, blow the man down;
For Kicking Jack Williams commands the Black Ball,
Give me some time to blow the man down!
So I give you fair warning before we belay,
Way, aye, blow the man down;
Don't ever take head of what pretty girls say,
Give me some time to blow the man down!
And give me some time to blow the man down!
A variant was collected as Blow The Man Down and published as #107 in Ballads And Sea Songs From Nova Scotia by W. Roy Mackenzie, editor (Cambridge, Harvard University Press, 1928; reprinted by Folklore Associates, Hatboro, PA, 1963).
Note: The original Black Ball Line was an American packet service begun in 1818 between Liverpool and New York.
