From “Pappie” and a group of Andros Island men, 1935.

Source: The Alan Lomax, Mary Elizabeth Barnicle, Zora Neale Hurston Collection at the Archive of Folk Culture in the American Folklife Center at Library of Congress AFS 507A.

The marvelous singing of the Bahamian singers is not to be missed. The field recordings have now been released by Rounder Records as part of the Alan Lomax Collection. This track can be heard on Deep River of Song: Bahamas 1935 – Chanteys and Anthems from Andros and Cat Island.

1. Solo: Swing away and let me go
   Chorus: Ho, the last one
   Solo: Swing away and let me go
   Chorus: Ho, the last one.
2. Oh heave this line and levee go
   Oh let me go to the water side.
3. Oh we walk down to the water side
   Let me run this boat to the water side.
4. Let’s pull this boat down in the sea.
5. Oh heave this line and levee go
   Broke this line and levee go.
6. Come pull this line an levee go
   And swing your tail and levee go.
7. Swing your tail and levee go.
8. Young gal come swing your tail,
   Swing your tail like a grouper tail.
9. Swing your tail like a snapper tail
   Swing your tail like a snapper tail.
10. Young gal come swing your tail
    Swing your tail like a barracuda tail.
11. Oh young gal come swing your tail
    Swing your tail to the waterside.
12. Oh the last one shall come again.
    The last one from down below.
13. Oh the last one for the ninety-nine
    Oh the last on for the thirty-nine.
14. Swing away and let me go
    Swing away and let me go.