Talk:Barnacle Bill the Sailor

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Source?[edit]

What is the source of the example lyrics? We need a citation, otherwise you might just have made them up! (Delightful though they are). — Preceding unsigned comment added by 75.36.249.35 (talk) 08:05, 2 October 2011 (UTC)[reply]

Untitled[edit]

Awright, fess up - What rugby team did you play for?!?! Those lyrics sound familiar... :-p —Preceding unsigned comment added by 63.114.58.46 (talk) 22:36, 7 April 2008 (UTC)[reply]

Don't forget the verse: What if you should have disease, what if you should have disease, what if you should have disease, said the fair young maiden. What's the diff ya get the skiff said Barnacle Bill the Sailor, What's the diff ya get the skiff said Barnacle Bill the Sailor —Preceding unsigned comment added by 98.125.67.27 (talk) 21:16, 19 October 2009 (UTC)[reply]

I remember different verses which were sung on scuba trips... maybe these were adopted by us Brits? Who's that knocking at my door -> open the door you f*****g great whore Who's that coming up my stairs -> screw the stairs show us your hairs Who's that climbing on my bed -> f*** the bed, get on yer 'ed also, we never repeated the barnacle bill part — Preceding unsigned comment added by 62.25.109.197 (talk)

The way I knew the song, instead of Bill saying his response to the maiden twice he would say it once, very fast, and then instead follow up every response with "I just got paid and I wanna get laid said Barnacle Bill the sailor...'

So for example in reply to "what if I don't let you in..." You would drop from the falsetto of the maidens voice and abruptly shift into Bills voice--quickly and almost shouting the next line : "I'll pick the lock with my ten foot cock! (then slowing down and paying more attention to the melody add "said Barnacle Bill the sailor; (slowing down a bit more) I just got paid and I wanna get laid said Barnacle Bill the sailor" From a comedic perspective, imho, the added repetition of "I just got paid..." acts almost as a catch phrase throughout the song and contrasts with the sharper delivery of the gag line. Overall I think it works much better than just repeating the gag line twice (it's not going to be funnier the 2nd time). However I couldn't find any examples of the song as I knew it! Is anyone else familiar with the song being performed in the way I described? — Preceding unsigned comment added by MrGoodEgg (talkcontribs) 10:19, 29 August 2017 (UTC)[reply]

Just us folk[edit]

Open the door and lie on the floor Said Barnacle Bill the Sailor 69.19.47.211 (talk) 19:58, 21 January 2016 (UTC)[reply]

Addition of external links section[edit]

I added an external link to the earliest audio recording of the song I'm aware of. A bot removed my edit, and I undid the bots edit. I believe my original edit to be a useful improvement, as the article currently contains no examples of the song being discussed. Additionally the link does not violate any copyrights and conforms to the external links guidelines. Could a more experienced user possibly let me know if they think my original edit was appropriate and if not could you please explain why. Thanks. (Note: I just registered this account and the edit I'm referring to is only attributed to my IP address) MrGoodEgg (talk) 09:48, 29 August 2017 (UTC)[reply]

Useful, yes! But... the date of this Columbia recording is 27 February 1929. [1] Peteradamson (talk) 10:31, 16 October 2017 (UTC)[reply]

Song quoted incorrectly[edit]

It's mentioned that the Joe Venuti/Hoagy Carmichael version has Venuti singing "Barnacle Bill the Shit-head". I have a copy of this recording (despite the profanity it's widely available on compilations) and he quite clearly sings "Barnacle Bill the shitter" (which works better as a substitute for "sailor" right?). The phrase is actually repeated several times by the group and by a gravelly voice (presumably Venuti). The Carmichael version also has someone sing "I can't swim a bloody stroke" in the "shitter" verse. I know in the UK the word is considered profanity whereas in the US it is not, but I don't know what its status was there when the track was recorded. 23skidoo (talk) 17:23, 12 November 2021 (UTC)[reply]

References

  1. ^ Discography of American Historical Recordings, s.v. "Velvet Tone 1861-V (10-in.)," accessed October 16, 2017, http://adp.library.ucsb.edu/index.php/object/detail/278999/Velvet_Tone_1861-V.