Words: Will Rivers
Music: traditional arr. Will Rivers

A bawdy shanty with a tangled history, possibly descended from the field hollers of African-American slaves via minstrel shows. We’ve given it a local rewrite.

I ain’t never seen the likes since I been born,
A Dalston hipster with sea boots on.

Johnny come down to Hilo, poor old man,
Oh wake her, oh shake her,
Oh wake that girl with the blue dress on,
Johnny come down to Hilo, poor old man.

Them West End girls – they dress so fine,
’Cos they ain’t got money on their mind.

But an East End girl with East End style,
Makes livin’ in London more worthwhile.

I’m off to see sweet Sarah Jane,
So it’s out the window and down the drain.

She ain’t never missed a party, she’s some fun,
She drinks her beers like oxygen.

She loves to dance, she stays out late,
She’s a damn good kisser and a damn cheap date.

I shook her up, I shook her down,
I shook her all round Hackney town.

Oh move to the city, oh buy a boat,
You can live rent-free if you can stay afloat.

Oh I thought she felt true love for me,
But she left me stranded on the River Lee.

I met pretty Anna, yeah she had charm,
So I took her up the Paddington Arm.

I ain’t never seen the likes since I been born,
A Hackney choir with sea stripes on.