Title: Roll the Old Chariot Along
Written by: Traditional 

Imagine a whaling expedition set in the icy realms of the 19th century Arctic. Join the crew of the Volunteer as they embark upon a perilous quest in pursuit of precious whale oil. But beware, dear friends, for danger lurks upon these tempestuous waters.

You’ve guessed it… Here is the third and final chapter in my EP inspired by and dedicated to the epic TV show that is “The North Water”.

I finish the project with a salty reworking of the sea shanty, "Roll the Old Chariot Along”. It’s not done in a sea shanty style and I changed the lyrics, but other than that you can almost smell the seagulls… ;-)

Sea shanties were work songs sung by sailors during their arduous tasks aboard ships. They were used to help coordinate collective efforts, synchronize movements, and maintain morale while performing physically demanding tasks like hoisting sails or hauling anchor. The rhythmic nature of shanties aided in providing a steady tempo for tasks, fostering a sense of unity among the crew. Beyond their functional role, sea shanties also served as a form of entertainment, storytelling, and a means of preserving maritime traditions.

“Roll the Old Chariot Along” is derivative of an older sea shanty called “A Drop of Nelson’s Blood” which is a reference to the rum that was used to preserve Admiral Nelson’s body for transportation back to Blighty after his death at the Battle of Trafalgar in 1805.

The chorus of “Roll the Old Chariot “ was a popular term in the early 1800s signifying the work of spreading of the word of God.

I dropped the Nelson reference and instead introduced one of my own, incorporating a little of the Greenland Sound, which the Whalers would have had to pass to get to arctic whaling waters.

The story goes that this song began life as a spiritual number that grew into a becoming a sea shanty. I take it a step further in its evolution away from the shanty into some sort of folk number.

Roll The Old Chariot Along

Banged Up (Live at Castle Hill 10/09/24)

Final orders

Jazz, Classical, Ambient, Progressive Rock, Jazz Fusion, Electronic, 

To Them Who Drift Aimlessly

Star

John Stone

These are dark dark days and dark dark nights 
Do our best days lie behind us? 
As I made my way on frosted feet 
Would I stumble, would I fall?
I lift my eyes in search of light
Only clouds fill the horizon 
In the dark I see  there no-one near
Is  there nothing to rely on? 

But surely there are better days
The beating of the drum 
Will fade away, the clouds will clear
Are there better worlds and better times and better thing to come?

Then I saw the star
It’s courageous light
Had travelled far 
To be there that night
Pushing through the clouds
‘cross the scudding  sky
A message from afar
And it gave me hope that beyond the night
There’s a blazing sky
That’s filled with light
There are better worlds 
and better lives
And brighter days by far
I remember that one night I saw the star.

So I looked around Though the light was dim
but my eyes grew strong from the fire within
Now I see that there are other’s near
With their eyes ablaze as they conquered fear
And we walked together arm in arm 
As together we would Am feel no harm
Though clouds may still obscure our view
We could feel a future better, bright and new


Star

hammering loop

J.J. Terrell sings
Roy Roy plays & remastered

Lyrics by J.J. Terrell

In
The last horizon
Lies
The past - is never done for me
Show 
Of hands for the other son
Feel
All the clover
The wash of the street
The rain is over
Touch it and see
They fly nowhere
Far
Out into somewhere
The stars in the trees
Will bring the mare back home
As far as she sees
He sings a lonely song
Can't you just please
The King that got you here
The time, has become, a button of tea
Shine
The trade winds find you
They follow the geese
Which fly beside you
Young as the hills
Of a gentle trace
When
Aboding fortress
How can it be
The river it runs to me
Scream that we're free
From inside a dungeon
Feel the stiff breeze
Along the Hudson
Their hands and their knees
Wore out from trusting them

I don’t know where I’m going but know where I am (remastered)

The Whips cover of the Joni Mitchell classic released in 2007 on 'The Other Creek' album.

The Other Creek

Big Yellow Taxi by The Chief Whips

The Sisters of Suave

Davey Crockett

Darkest Days (demo version)

“I'm in a Rock'n'Roll band. We've never recorded a ballad." ~ John King 1976.

John King and the Argonauts are a Humber Delta Blues band with a penchant for hard and fast Rock’n’Roll.

“The Humber Delta Blues is more than just a genre—it's a cultural expression and a testament to the rich musical heritage of the region. It celebrates the resilience, creativity, and passion of the people, making it a truly distinctive and captivating musical experience.”

In case you're wondering where all the old cowboy tunes went... https://soundcloud.com/john-king-frontier

Roll The Old Chariot Along

John King and the Argonauts

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