{title: South Australia}
{artist: Traditional}
{album: 19th-century capstan shanty; modern recording by The Longest Johns (Cures What Ails Ya, 2020)}
{key: D}
{tempo: 130}
{difficulty: beginner}
{phase: 1}
{strand: M}
{feel: roar}
{lead_voice: any}
{lead_mode: call_response}
{lead_demand: easy}
{harmony: M,H}
{a_cappella: no}
{kit: gtr,bod,fdl}
{set_role: driver}
{lang: en}
{country_tags: trad}
{copyright: pd}
{tags: campfire,capstan,chorus,longest-johns,public-domain,shanty,singalong,traditional}
{video: youtube:Ke06RfR4YX0}
{credit: The Longest Johns - 'South Australia' (with lyrics). Traditional capstan shanty, mid-1800s (PD composition). The Longest Johns arrangement is the modern canonical reference.}

{c: Capstan shanty - sung while pushing the capstan bars to raise the anchor on grain ships from South Australia in the 1850s-1900s. Long-form: many verses, communal chorus, built for sustained physical work.}
{c: Composition is public domain (pre-1928 traditional). Modern arrangement (c) The Longest Johns.}

{start_of_verse}
In [D]South Australia I was born
Heave [A]away, haul [D]away
In [D]South Australia 'round Cape [G]Horn
We're [D]bound for South [A]Aus[D]tralia
{end_of_verse}

{start_of_chorus}
Haul a[D]way, you [G]rolling [D]king
Heave [A]away, haul [D]away
Haul a[D]way, you'll hear me [G]sing
We're [D]bound for South [A]Aus[D]tralia
{end_of_chorus}

{start_of_verse}
As [D]I walked out one morning fair
Heave [A]away, haul [D]away
'Twas [D]there I met Miss [G]Nancy Blair
We're [D]bound for South [A]Aus[D]tralia
{end_of_verse}

{start_of_chorus}
Haul a[D]way, you [G]rolling [D]king
Heave [A]away, haul [D]away
Haul a[D]way, you'll hear me [G]sing
We're [D]bound for South [A]Aus[D]tralia
{end_of_chorus}

{start_of_verse}
I [D]shook her up, I shook her down
Heave [A]away, haul [D]away
I [D]shook her round and [G]round the town
We're [D]bound for South [A]Aus[D]tralia
{end_of_verse}

{start_of_chorus}
Haul a[D]way, you [G]rolling [D]king
Heave [A]away, haul [D]away
Haul a[D]way, you'll hear me [G]sing
We're [D]bound for South [A]Aus[D]tralia
{end_of_chorus}

{start_of_verse}
There [D]ain't but the one thing grieves my mind
Heave [A]away, haul [D]away
To [D]leave Miss Nancy [G]Blair behind
We're [D]bound for South [A]Aus[D]tralia
{end_of_verse}

{start_of_chorus}
Haul a[D]way, you [G]rolling [D]king
Heave [A]away, haul [D]away
Haul a[D]way, you'll hear me [G]sing
We're [D]bound for South [A]Aus[D]tralia
{end_of_chorus}

{start_of_verse}
And as you [D]wallop 'round Cape Horn
Heave [A]away, haul [D]away
You'll [D]wish to God you'd [G]never been born
We're [D]bound for South [A]Aus[D]tralia
{end_of_verse}

{start_of_chorus}
Haul a[D]way, you [G]rolling [D]king
Heave [A]away, haul [D]away
Haul a[D]way, you'll hear me [G]sing
We're [D]bound for South [A]Aus[D]tralia
{end_of_chorus}

{c: ===== HOW IT'S PERFORMED =====}
{c: Capstan shanty rhythm: very steady pulse, like footsteps around the capstan. Don't rush.}
{c: One shantyman calls the verse line; everyone joins on "Heave away, haul away" and the chorus.}
{c: 3+ minute song if you do all the verses. Build energy across the verses.}
{c: For kids in the room: this is the easy way in — they yell "HEAVE AWAY! HAUL AWAY!" between every verse line. That's the whole job. Hand them a percussion instrument (bodhrán, claves, even pots) and let them pound on the "heave/haul" beats.}

{c: ===== FIDDLE PART =====}
{c: Optional - shanties were traditionally voice-only. The Longest Johns add modern instrumentation including fiddle/violin.}
{c: Key: D major. Driving pulse, not ornamental.}
{c: Suggested fiddle line (doubles the vocal melody, ABC notation, key D, 4/4):}
{c:   |: A2 d2 d2 f2 | e2 d2 c#2 A2 | d2 e2 f2 g2 | f2 e2 d4 :|}
{c: Or improvise: D major scale with strong emphasis on the 1 and 5 (D and A). No flashy runs - this is work music.}
{c: Concertina: drone D and A throughout for a sea-organ feel.}
{c: Mandolin: tremolo on chord roots for sustained intensity.}

{c: ===== WHY THIS SONG =====}
{c: One of the loudest, most communal shanties in the entire repertoire. Pairs with Roll the Old Chariot and Drunken Sailor as a triple-bill of "everyone in the room must yell." Built for kitchen parties, deck parties, and end-of-set crowd-pleasers.}