to be totally flabberghasted at the change in words to this song

[squimlet]

what shall we do with the surley pirate?
rather than
what shall we do with the drunken sailor?

I mean...why?? ITs surely not that offensive is it? or perhaps it is and I am naieve

"Do 'they' think that singing the original will cause a generation of chidren to become alcoholic stowaways??"

Quote of the week, I reckon

how about "I am your partner" instead of "master" in the chorus of "In and out the dusty bluebells" ??? Honestly....thank you Sing and Sign...

I thought the 'heave ho' was as the grating was pulled upright just before the unfortunate drunken sailor was flogged?

W sang hooray too. I'm 36.

Anyone remember "Baa baa green sheep"? At least that's gone back to normal, we're still "picking up the daisies, picking up the daisies, we all jump up" after drop[[ing dead of plague.

Green sheep? FGS!

they do we all CLAP (i.e. applaud) the bone these days
actually I don't blame them as the children are only 3 but can hit quite hard already

oh I don't mind the clapping
my dd1 would have major psychological trauma if all of preschool tried to pat her
she is still having expensive therapy to deal with the trauma of all the screaming at the crocodile whilst rowrowrowing the boat

oops sorry that was me, not littlelapin after she had drunk the bottle of potion or anything

While we're on the subject, could someone explain the bell bottomed trousers, please?

(An elderly relative asked about the Rude Verse, and was told he'd be told when he was 18, then forgot to ask. Can anyone enlighten me? Or was he had?)

gunwales? not sure.

i really object to that prissy 'thank you said the master thank you said the dame thank you said the little boy' bit on the end of poor old baa baa black sheep.

haven't heard picking up daisies but would keep mouth firmly shut for that too.

Our version 'put him in the scuppers with a hose pipe on him'

We also did the fishes in the water version.

DD now sings Baa Baa black sheep, then white sheep, then multicoloured sheep. 3 verses FGS, and we have to sing all of them

We used to sing "ashes in the water" Which makes sense given the song is about the plague and all

I hate all this changing words to songs. These songs are an important part of out history. They tell us more than politically influenced text books, because they are colloquial. They have been made up by people who actually live in these times

And sailors used to get pissed

DD came back from kindergarten singing "Run rabbit, run rabbit, run run run - Here comes the farmer with his fun, fun fun" - Farmer is going to have a job shooting rabbits without his gun, hmmm?
And ring a roses has been changed to 'ashes ashes we all fall down.

Are you telling me they don't any more, SheikhYerbouti? That would be a sadder loss to our culture than changing a few song lyrics!

Well, all the sailors I have met still do, Hallgerda

Miss Polly's Dolly's doctor doesn't bring his bill any more.

jeremyspants, I find that a bit worrying, sounds like a euphemism. "Come here bunny, come and see the size of my FUN!"

I am boggling at the notion that anyone wouldn't want to explain what drunken meant!

I reckon some people wouldn't

including the poster with the drunken horse book

some people don't like to talk about anything slightly worrisome eg sex, death, horses getting pissed on rotten apples