A Drop of Nelson's Blood

"A Drop of Nelson's Blood" is a sea shanty, also known as "Roll the old chariot along" (Roud No. 3632) The origins are unclear, but the title comes from the line: "A drop of Nelson's blood wouldn't do us any harm". Often described as a "walkaway" or "runaway chorus" or "stamp and go" sea shanty, the song features on the soundtrack of the 2019 film Fisherman's Friends . ^[1] The chorus comes from the 19th century Salvation Army hymn, 'Roll the old chariot'.

Each line is sung three times and describes something that the singing sailors would miss while at sea for a long time. The last line is always "And we'll all hang on behind", although some versions say "we won't drag on behind".

Nelson's blood

Following his victory and death at the Battle of Trafalgar, Nelson's body was preserved in a cask of brandy or rum for transport back to England. Though when news of Nelson's death and return to British soil reached the general public, people either 1. argued rum would've been the better alternative or 2. wrongly assumed the body was preserved in rum to begin with. ^[2] ‘Nelson's blood' became a nickname for rum, but it can also mean Nelson's spirit or bravery. ^{[3] [4]}

The shanty was sung to accompany certain work tasks aboard sailing ships, especially those that required a bright walking pace. Although Nelson is mentioned in the title, there is no evidence that the shanty dates from the time of Nelson, who died in 1805.

Origins

Sheet music for Roll de Ole Chariot Along (1901 version)

The term 'Roll the chariot' was used by religious groups in the 19th century in England. The Primitive Methodist preacher William Clowes mentions the phrase several times in his journals (1810 to that of 1838) describing his work spreading the word of God. ^[5] In the 1880s, 'Roll the old Chariot' was used by the Salvation Army as a campaign hymn. At around the same time Gospel singers from America were touring in the UK, singing gospel songs. ^[6]

‘Roll the old chariot along'

Refrain:
Roll the old chariot along
And we'll roll the old chariot along
And we'll roll the old chariot along
And we'll all hang on behind.

If the devil's in the way, We'll roll it over him x 3
And we'll all hang on behind.

Early recordings (Gospel version)

One of the oldest known recordings, dates from the early 1920s and is held by the Library of Congress. The wax cylinder was donated by Robert Winslow Gordon. ^{[7] [8]}

• An African-American spiritual version was recorded by Paul Robeson in the 1920s
• 1930 Roll the Old Chariot Along by Rev. T.T. Rose ^[9]
• Fela Sowande titled ‘Roll de ol chariot' was recorded in the 1950s

In print

• An early publication of the song in America was published in 'Cabin and plantation songs' (1901). ^[10]
• Alec John Dawson in an article that was published in The Standard in 1906. ^[11]
• The song is mentioned by James Madison Carpenter in his collection of songs published in 1920.
• According to John Greenway in his book Folk Nation: Folklore in the Creation of American Tradition, it became a protest song for the coal miners.

Notable recordings (shanty version)

• 1978 American folksinger, Mary Benson of Portland, Oregon, used the shanty on her album 'Sea Songs Seattle' by Folkways Records.
• 1983 Jim Mageean and Johnny Collins sang "Roll the Old Chariot" on their album, Strontrace!. ^[12]
• 2006 Jarvis Cocker appeared on the album Rogue's Gallery: Pirate Ballads, Sea Songs, and Chanteys
• 2010 David Coffin posted a version on YouTube which now has over five million views as of November 2021 ^[13]
• 2012 Storm Weather Shanty Choir released an album named after the song which features the song as the opening track.
• 2013 The Wellington Sea Shanty Society released a version of the song on their album Now That's What I Call Sea Shanties Vol. 1.
• 2015 The Last Ship (TV series) season 2 episode "A More Perfect Union" includes a version with the crew singing a verse featuring the name of their ship: "We'll be alright because we sail the Nathan James".
• 2021 Industrial/Steampunk band Abney Park released a version on their album "Technoshanties"
• 2022 Nathan Evans recorded the song under the title "Roll the Old Chariot" on The Wellerman Album
• 2023 The Longest Johns added their version to their album "The C-Sides", under the title "Drop of Nelsons Blood" ^[14]

References

1. "Roud Folksong Index". The Vaughan Williams Memorial Library. Retrieved 14 January 2021.
2. The Scandalous Decision to Pickle Admiral Horatio Nelson in Brandy |, 19 February 2016, retrieved 8 February 2024
3. Ben McFarland and Tom Sandham. "A brief history of battlefield boozing". Spectator Life. Archived from the original on 28 January 2021. Retrieved 11 November 2023.
4. "A rum deal: The origins of Nelson's blood - Sailors drinking rum on the mess deck". Royal Museums Greenwich . 13 October 2015. Retrieved 7 February 2024.
5. Holliday Bickerstaffe Kendall · (23 December 2010). History of the Primitive Methodist Church. Cambridge University Press. p. 85. ISBN   9781108024846 . Retrieved 20 January 2021.
6. Ward, Andrew (2000), "Dark Midnight When I Rise: The Story of the Jubilee Singers Who Introduced the World to the Music of Black America".
7. "Audio Recording - Roll the Old Chariot Along and Haul the Woodpile Down". Library of Congress. Retrieved 18 January 2021.
8. Gordon, Robert Winslow. "Folk-Songs of America: The Robert Winslow Gordon Collection, 1922-1932". Folk-Songs of America: The Robert Winslow Gordon Collection, 1922-1932. Retrieved 10 January 2021.
9. "Rev. T.T. Rose And Singers – Roll The Old Chariot Along / See The Sign Of Judgement (Shellac)". August 1930 – via www.discogs.com.
10. Fenner, Thomas P. (1901). Cabin and Plantation Songs (3rd ed.). G. P. Putnam's sons. pp. 106, 107. Retrieved 20 January 2021.
11. Dawson, A. J. (17 November 1906). "The Folklore of the Sea. Chanties and their uses". The Standard: 7.
12. "Roll the Old Chariot Along / A Drop of Nelson's Blood". Mainly Norfolk: English Folk and Other Good Music. MainlyNorfolk. Retrieved 15 January 2021.
13. David Coffin - "Roll the Old Chariot" , retrieved 23 November 2021
14. Drop of Nelsons Blood | The Longest Johns Music , retrieved 17 July 2023

External links

• Example version with lyrics.
• Clip from the Fisherman's Friends film

Sources

• Waltz, Robert B.; David G. Engle. "Roll The Old Chariot Archived 28 January 2021 at the Wayback Machine ". The Traditional Ballad Index: An Annotated Bibliography of the Folk Songs of the English-Speaking World, hosted by California State University, Fresno, Folklore Archived 17 April 2008 at the Wayback Machine , 2007.
• "Roll the Old Chariot" Roud Folksong Index, hosted by the Vaughan Williams Memorial Library (VWML)