Lyrics:
To me way, hey, hey, EEYYUAGH!
We’ll pay Paddy Doyle for his boots
To me way, hey, hey, EEYYUAGH!
We’ll all throw muck at the cook
To me way, hey, hey, EEYYUAGH!
We’ll all shave under the chin
To me way, hey, hey, EEYYUAGH!
We’ll all drink whiskey and gin
Additional Verses
From the singing of Peter Bellamy:
To me way ay, ay-ay,
For the crusty old man on the poop.
Lyrics Published in textsShantymen and Shantyboys (1951)
Published in William C. Foerflinger’s 1951 book, Shantmen and Shantyboys: Songs of the Sailor and Lumberman.
Way ah, we’ll pay Paddy Doyle for his boots!
Way ah, who stole poor Paddy Doyle’s boots?
Way ah, we’ll bowse her up and be done!
Lyrics Sung by Sam Eskin (1951)
As recorded on his 1951 Folkways recording Sea Shanties and Loggers’ Songs (FW02019)
To me way-hey, and away-ah
We’ll pay Paddy Doyle for his boots
We’ll bunt up the sail with a fling, aye
And pay Paddy Doyle for his boots
We’ll tauten the bunt and we’ll sing, aye
And pay Paddy Doyle for his boots
We’ll all drink brandy and gin, aye
And pay Paddy Doyle for his boots
To me way-hey, and away-ah
We’ll pay Paddy Doyle for his boots
Lyrics Sung by Alan Mils (1957)
As recorded on his 1957 Folkways recording Songs of the Sea (FW02312)
To me way-hey, and away-ah
We’ll pay Paddy Doyle for his boots
We’ll bunt up the sail with a fling, aye
And pay Paddy Doyle for his boots
We’ll tauten the bunt and we’ll sing, aye
And pay Paddy Doyle for his boots
We’ll all drink brandy and gin, aye
And pay Paddy Doyle for his boots
To me way-hey, and away-ah
We’ll pay Paddy Doyle for his boots
Lyrics Published in Shanties From the Seven Seas (1961)
Version C. from Stan Hugill’s 1961 book, Shanties From the Seven Seas.
We’ll sing, way!
An’ we’ll heave!
An’ we’ll pay Paddy Doyle for his boots!
So we’ll heave!
With a swing!
An’ we’ll pay Paddy Doyle for his boots!
Lyrics Published in Chanteying Aboard American Ships (1962)
As published by Frederik Pease Harlow in his 1962 book, Chanteying Aboard American Ships.
To me way-ay-a-yah!
Oh, Paddy can’t dive for his boots!
To me way-ay-a-yah!
We’ll pay Paddy Doyle for his boots!
We’ll roll up the sail as we sing, a-yah
And pay Paddy Doyle for his boots!
We’ll toss up the bunt with a fling, a-yah
And hang Paddy Doyle for his boots!
We’ll all drink whiskey and gin, a-yah
And hang Paddy Doyle for his boots!
To me way-ay-a-yah!
We’ll all sling soot at the cook!
• More Recordings •
About the Song:
“Paddy Doyle’s Boots” is one of the most unique songs in the entire sea shanty tradition. Its earliest known publication was in 1909 with a single line given in National Magazine’s song collection, Heart Song Dear to the American People. It is one of the only (if not the only) bunting shanties, characterized by all voices singing in chorus throughout versus the more typical call-and-response form. These songs were reserved for sailors bunching the sails to create a parachute-type effect on square-rigged ships (ships with square or rectangular sails). Otherwise, sails would be perfectly flat and would not catch the wind as well. Upon the last syllable of each line, sailors would heave in unison to lift the sail onto the yard. Think of it as a sailor’s version of chanting, “one, two, three, PULL!” The shanty also fits under the broader short drag shanty category.
There are many theories as to who Paddy Doyle was. A. L. Lloyd claims in the liner notes of his 1958 compilation with Ewan MacColl, Off to Sea Once More, Vol. II (Stinson Records SLP 81), that he “Was a Liverpool boarding housekeeper.” Joanna Colcord goes further in her 1938 book, Songs of American Sailormen, saying that “the shanty [is] doubtless related in the mind of the singers to the sea-superstition that it brings bad luck to leave port with bills unpaid.” However, it is worth noting that Colcord erroneously mentions Doyle keeping “a cow’s horn in the back yard,” around which he would make sailors march so they could tell potential employers that they had “been three times around the Horn,” which is actually a detail of Paddy West, not Paddy Doyle. Stan Hugill points this out in his 1969 book, Shanties and Sailors’ Songs. Hugill also claims Paddy Doyle is the only bunting shanty, but acknowledges that “Johnny Boker” was sometimes used instead in its place.
Contrary to Colcord, William Doerflinger in his 1951 book Shantymen and Shantyboys: Songs of the Sailor and Lumberman proposes an alternate theory. Doerflinger echoes that Doyle was a boarding housekeeper, but differs from Colcord in thinking that Doyle had a reputation for selling sea boots of poor quality. Despite the widespread belief in Paddy Doyle, he currently exists only in folklore with no real-life counterpart found.
Related Songs: Who’s Going to Pay Paddy Doyle? (Ron Baxter / David Ryan)
I learned this song from A. L. Lloyd & Ewan MacColl’s recording on their 1957 album, Blow Boys Blow.