Leave Her Johnny | The Longest Johns | Mass Choir Community Video Project

We originally hoped for 100 submissions for this project... When almost 500 turned up, we had to rethink our plans! It’s so amazing to watch this video and see the faces of people still keeping Folk Music and Sea Shanties alive all around the globe! A huge thank you to everyone who took part, and remember to keep singing! Hopefully this video gives you a bit of optimism for the future at the end of such a dreary year. Back in 2019, we had the idea to sing a song with as many of our fans as we could. When 2020 hit, it seemed like the perfect time to do it! Since we got way more submissions that we expected, we ended up having to delay the video’s release until NOW! -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Lyrics Oh, the times were hard and the wages are low, (Leave her, Johnny, leave her!) I guess it’s time for us to go, (And it’s time for us to leave her!) Beware these packet ships, I say! (Leave her, Johnny, leave her!) They’ll steal your stores and your clothes away (And it’s time for us to leave her!) {Chorus} Leave her, Johnny, leave her Oh leave her, Johnny, leave her For the voyage is done, and the winds don’t blow and it’s time for us to leave her There’s Liverpool Pat in his tarpaulin hat (Leave her, Johnny, leave her!) And Yankee John the pocket rat (And it’s time for us to leave her!) She would not wear and she would not stay (Leave her, Johnny, leave her!) She shipped great seas both night and day (And it’s time for us to leave her!) {Chorus} It’s rotten beef and weevil-y bread, (Leave her, Johnny, leave her!) It was pump or drown the old man said, (And it’s time for us to leave her!) The sails all furled, our work is done, (Leave her, Johnny, leave her!) and now ashore we’ll take our run (And it’s time for us to leave her!) {Chorus til Finish} -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- The Longest Johns