Bobby Shaftoe (William Whittaker)

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  • (Posted 2023-12-20)  CPDL #78380:     
Editor: David Anderson (submitted 2023-12-20).   Score information: Letter, 8 pages, 495 kB   Copyright: Personal
Edition notes:
  • (Posted 2017-06-10)  CPDL #44935:        (Sibelius 8)
Editor: Ian Haslam (submitted 2017-06-10).   Score information: A4, 5 pages, 82 kB   Copyright: CPDL
Edition notes:

General Information

Title: Bobby Shaftoe
Composer: Anonymous (Traditional)
Arranger: William Whittaker
Lyricist:

Number of voices: 4vv   Voicing: SATB, minor AB divisi
Genre: SecularPartsongFolksong

Language: English
Instruments: A cappella

First published: 1914 Stainer & Bell
Description:  Note by Whittaker: The Shaftoes were a well-known family in the North, and the song is the outcome of a tale of the love of a lady for one of the family went to sea to escape her attentions. The tune and the verse are perhaps the best known and most popular of all North Country songs, with the single exception of “The Keel Row.” Under the title of “Brave Wully Forster” the air appears in a manuscript book dated 1694, now in the possession of the Society of Antiquaries of Newcastle-on-Tyne.

External websites:

Original text and translations

English.png English text

Bobby Shaftoe’s gone to sea,
Silver buckles on his knee,
He’ll come back and marry me
Bonny Bobby Shaftoe.

Bobby Shaftoe’s bright and fair,
Combing down his yellow hair,
He’s my ain for evermair
Bonny Bobby Shaftoe.

Bobby Shaftoe’s gone to sea,
Silver buckles on his knee,
He’ll come back and marry me
Hurrah for Bobby Shaftoe!