BARNACLE BILL THE SAILOR
(Robison / Luther)

Frank Luther - 1929
Carson Robison & His Pioneers - 1929
Hoagy Carmichael & His Orch. - 1930
Louis Jordan's Elks Rendezvous Band - 1938

Also recorded by:
Ned Cobben; Tex Morton; Bobbie Comber; John Valby;
Bob Thiele & His New Happy Times Orch.








As recorded by FRANK LUTHER:

Who's that knocking at my door
Who's that knocking at my door
Who's that knocking at my door
Cried the fair young maiden

It's only me from over the sea
Said Barnacle Bill the Sailor
I'm all lit up like a Christmas tree
Said Barnacle Bill the Sailor
I'll sail the sea until I croak
I fight and swear and drink and smoke
But I can't swim a bloody stroke
Said Barnacle Bill the Sailor

Are you young and handsome, sir
Are you young and handsome, sir
Are you young and handsome, sir
Cried the fair young maiden

I'm old and rough and dirty and tough
Said Barnacle Bill the Sailor
I drink my gin, I dip my snuff
Said Barnacle Bill the Sailor
I drink my whiskey when I can
Whiskey from an old tin can
For whiskey is the life of man
Said Barnacle Bill the Sailor

I'll come down and let you in
I'll come down and let you in
I'll come down and let you in
Cried the fair young maiden

Well, hurry before I bust in the door
Said Barnacle Bill the Sailor
I'll cuss and fuss and rant and roar
Said Barnacle Bill the Sailor
I'll spin you yarns and tell you lies
I'll drink your wine and eat your pies
I'll kiss your cheek and black your eyes
Said Barnacle Bill the Sailor

Sing me a love song low and sweet
Sing me a love song low and sweet
Sing me a love song low and sweet
Cried the fair young maiden

Sixteen men on a dead man's chest
Sang Barnacle Bill the Sailor
Yo heave ho and a bottle of rum
Sang Barnacle Bill the Sailor
Oh, hi-rig-a-jig and a jaunting car (sic)
A-hi-a-ho what are you most done (sic)
Hooray my boys for the ????? run (sic)
Sang Barnacle Bill the Sailor

Tell me that we soon shall wed
Tell me that we soon shall wed
Tell me that we soon shall wed
Cried the fair young maiden

I've got me a wife in every port
Said Barnacle Bill the Sailor
The handsome gals is what I court
Said Barnacle Bill the Sailor
With my false heart and flatterin' tongue
I courts 'em all both old and young
I courts 'em all, but marries none
Said Barnacle Bill the Sailor

When shall I see you again
When shall I see you again
When shall I see you again
Cried the fair young maiden

Never again, I'll come no more
Said Barnacle Bill the Sailor
Tonight I'm sailin' from the shore
Said Barnacle Bill the Sailor
If you wait for me to come
Settin' and waitin' and suckin' your thumb
You'll wait until the day of your doom
Said Barnacle Bill the Sailor

Good-bye!


********************


As recorded by HOAGY CARMICHAEL & HIS ORCH.
Bix Beiderbeck, cornet
Bubber Miley, trumpet
Benny Goodman, clarinet
Tommy Dorsey, trombone
Bud Freeman, tenor sax
Eddie Lang, guitar
Joe Venuti, violin
Gene Krupa, drums
Carson Robison, vocals
Hoagy Carmichael, piano and vocals
Recorded May 21st 1930. New York.


Who's that knocking at my door
Who's that knocking at my door
Who's that knocking at my door
Cried the fair young maiden

It's only me from over the sea
(Said Barnacle Bill the Sailor)
I'm all lit up like a Christmas tree
(Said Barnacle Bill the Sailor)
I'll sail the seas until I croak
I'll fight and swear and drink and smoke
But I can't swim a bloody stroke
(Said Barnacle Bill the Sailor)

(Instrumental Break)

I'll come down and let you in
I'll come down and let you in
I'll come down and let you in
Cried the fair young maiden

Well, hurry before I bust in the door
(Said Barnacle Bill the Sailor)
I'll rare and tear and rant and roar
(Said Barnacle Bill the Sailor)
I'll spin you yarns and tell you lies
I'll drink your wine and eat your pies
I'll kiss your cheeks and black your eyes
(Said Barnacle Bill the Sailor)

(Instrumental Break)

He's Barnacle Bill the Sailor!


********************


As featured in the 1935 Popeye cartoon "Beware Of Barnacle Bill",
with the voices of William Costello as Popeye, William Pennell as
Bluto (playing Barnacle Bill), and Mae Questel as Olive Oyl:


OLIVE:
Popeye, dear, we cannot wed
Popeye, dear, we cannot wed
Popeye, dear, we cannot wed
I love another sailor

POPEYE: Who's the guy that won your heart
OLIVE: It's Barnacle Bill the Sailor
POPEYE: Who's the guy that thinks he's smart
OLIVE: It's Barnacle Bill the Sailor
POPEYE:
Why, that false heart and flattering tongue
He courts them all, both old and young
He courts them all, but marries none
Your Barnacle Bill the Sailor

OLIVE:
But he's strong and handsome, too
But he's strong and handsome, too
But he's strong and handsome, too
My Barnacle Bill the Sailor

POPEYE:
I'll twist his toes and squeeze the nose
Of Barnacle Bill the Sailor
I'll mop the place with his false face
The Barnacle Bill the Sailor
I'll grab him by his dirty neck
And when I'm through he'll be a wreck
I'll sweep and smear and swab the deck
With Barnacle Bill the Sailor

OLIVE:
Who's that knocking at my door
Who's that knocking at my door
Who's that knocking at my door
Tell the fair young maiden

BARNACLE BILL:
It's only me from over the sea
It's Barnacle Bill the Sailor
I've come to take you away with me
I'm Barnacle Bill the Sailor
Hurry before you get me sore
I'll rare and tear and rant and roar
Hurry before I bust in the door
It's Barnacle Bill the Sailor

OLIVE:
Here I come to let you in
Here I come to let you in
Here I come to let you in
My Barnacle Bill the Sailor

(Barnacle Bill and Popeye begin to fight)

BILL: No one ever challenged me
POPEYE: Says Barnacle Bill the Sailor
BILL: I'm the terror of the sea
POPEYE: Says Barnacle Bill the Sailor
BILL:
A fee and a fi and a fo and a fum
Yo heave ho and a bottle of rum
?????? sailor, your day is done
Oh, says Barnacle Bill the Sailor

(Popeye eats his spinach and defeats Bill)

OLIVE:
Popeye, dear, I love you best
Popeye, dear, I love you best
Popeye, dear, I love you best
When will we get married

POPEYE:
I've changed me mind so you can wed
Your Barnacle Bill the Sailor
You're nothing more than cabbage head
Ev'ry dame's a selfish cat
They only turn and leave ya flat
Just the way ya did to that
Poor Barnacle Bill the Sailor
Goodbye!


(Transcriptions by Mel Priddle - March 2013)