Hunslet Rugby - 'We've swept the seas before boys'
Posted: Wed 18 Dec, 2019 3:41 am
There are some old posts on Secret Leeds about the Hunslet club song - now known only by a few lines from its chorus. On the Hunslet former players website there's a tale that it was first sung by some Hunslet fans waiting at the Cemetery Tavern for the team to return from an important away game in the early 1890's. Allegedly it's an old Russian sea shanty taught to the fans by a veteran of the Crimean War. The first part of the story is probably true, but the stuff about the song itself is not. Overlooking the improbability of British sailors singing enemy songs, and the enemy courteously translating it into English for them, there is a much more likely source.'
'We've swept the seas before, boys' was a popular music hall patriotic song written around 1852, at the time of worries about a French invasion by the forces of Emperor Louis Napoleon (Bonaparte's grandson). The song was written by Joseph Bryan Geoghegan (1816-1889), who wrote many other songs besides. I've not found any music for it, though someone on Youtube has written their own tune to accompany the words. The original words are
1. Napoleon talks of war, boys,
And boasts his mighty force;
But vain his aim, despite his name,
To ride the world's high horse.
While waters wash the shore, boys,
Our own we will retain.
We've swept the seas before, boys,
And so we can again.
CHORUS: And so we can, so we can,
So we can again.
We've swept the seas before, boys,
And so we can again.
2. Napoleon talks of war, boys,
And of his fleet does boast.
He thinks it is quite easy
For to land upon our coast;
But let those Frenchmen try to come
Across the briny main!
We've swept the seas before, boys,
And so we can again.
3. Napoleon talks of war, boys.
His threats no fear imparts.
He may have money, ships, and men,
But has he British hearts?
And should the Eagle soar, boys,
To lord it o'er the main,
We've clipp'd his wings before, boys,
And so we can again.
4. Napoleon talks of war, boys,
But at him we can smile,
Recalling back those glorious days:
Trafalgar and the Nile.
With Waterloo and more, boys,
On many a well-fought plain,
We've beat the French before, boys,
And so we can again.
5. Napoleon talks of war, boys,
Though perhaps he don't intend
To strike—and yet he is not the first
Who's turn'd to strike his friend;
But should his cannon roar, boys,
Undaunted we'll remain.
We've beat such foes before, boys,
And so we will again.
6. Napoleon talks of war, boys,
But let him bear in mind,
That England, Ireland, and Scotland,
In Union they are joined;
And the freedom that we boast of
Those countries will maintain.
We've beat the world before, boys,
And so we can again.
The Hunslet song changes 'can' to 'shall' but - unless there's another contender, I think this must be the song that supporters used to sing, and that Peter O'Toole apparently knew all the words of.
Cheers, Paul
'We've swept the seas before, boys' was a popular music hall patriotic song written around 1852, at the time of worries about a French invasion by the forces of Emperor Louis Napoleon (Bonaparte's grandson). The song was written by Joseph Bryan Geoghegan (1816-1889), who wrote many other songs besides. I've not found any music for it, though someone on Youtube has written their own tune to accompany the words. The original words are
1. Napoleon talks of war, boys,
And boasts his mighty force;
But vain his aim, despite his name,
To ride the world's high horse.
While waters wash the shore, boys,
Our own we will retain.
We've swept the seas before, boys,
And so we can again.
CHORUS: And so we can, so we can,
So we can again.
We've swept the seas before, boys,
And so we can again.
2. Napoleon talks of war, boys,
And of his fleet does boast.
He thinks it is quite easy
For to land upon our coast;
But let those Frenchmen try to come
Across the briny main!
We've swept the seas before, boys,
And so we can again.
3. Napoleon talks of war, boys.
His threats no fear imparts.
He may have money, ships, and men,
But has he British hearts?
And should the Eagle soar, boys,
To lord it o'er the main,
We've clipp'd his wings before, boys,
And so we can again.
4. Napoleon talks of war, boys,
But at him we can smile,
Recalling back those glorious days:
Trafalgar and the Nile.
With Waterloo and more, boys,
On many a well-fought plain,
We've beat the French before, boys,
And so we can again.
5. Napoleon talks of war, boys,
Though perhaps he don't intend
To strike—and yet he is not the first
Who's turn'd to strike his friend;
But should his cannon roar, boys,
Undaunted we'll remain.
We've beat such foes before, boys,
And so we will again.
6. Napoleon talks of war, boys,
But let him bear in mind,
That England, Ireland, and Scotland,
In Union they are joined;
And the freedom that we boast of
Those countries will maintain.
We've beat the world before, boys,
And so we can again.
The Hunslet song changes 'can' to 'shall' but - unless there's another contender, I think this must be the song that supporters used to sing, and that Peter O'Toole apparently knew all the words of.
Cheers, Paul