SLOOP  JOHN  B.

​Traditional (Bahamian) folk song
UNDER CONSTRUCTION
Everything needs to be checked
Beats per bar = 4
Beat symbol = Dot ( . ) or equivalent
Buttons 2 to 5  plus 03*  (inside low)
Buttons 5 to 8   (either row, high) 
​​
As can be observed on youTube, for this traditional song, there are many variants, including the one below, in both lyrics and musical interpretation.

​Most sing the chorus after each verse, and repeat at end.  Many sing a further background repeat (or equivalent) in line 3, as indicated, and sometimes also at end of line 4, for verses and chorus.

​Accordion Notation - Either row, high
​Verse 1 of 3:

 .5   |    "7      .7 "7      .7       .8*    |  .:7    .5   |    :7     "7   "7   .8*   |  ::7   |
We    come  on the sloop John      B,   my   grand-fath-er  and     me

    .:7      "7    "8*  |     :8    .8*   .7   |   ::7*~ | ~:
 Round Nas-sau      town we did     roam____

   "5   "5* .6*  |    ::6~ | ~.           .6   "6  "7*  .7   |   ::8*~ | ~:   
Drink-in' all   night  (repeat?)  got  in - to   a       fight  (repeat?) 
 
   "7*  ;7*  |    ;7   "7    .7      .6~ | ~.   "7* . 7*  "6 .6*  |   ::6~  | ~.:     
Well,   I       feel so broke  up___       I   wan-ta go    home___
​

Chorus:
​
 .5   |   "7     .7  "7      .7    .8*   |    .:7     .5   |    :7   "7    "7     .8*   |  .:7   
​So     hoist up the John   B      sails,  See   how the main sail     sets

   .5  |   "7  .7    "7     .7   .8* |    ;8      "8   .7    .7  |    ::7*~ | ~:
Call     for the cap-tain  a  -  shore, let  me  go      home__

  .5    .5   .6*  |      ::6~ | ~.             .6  "6  "7*  .7   |   ::8*~ | ~:   
Let  me  go      home  (repeat? )    I  wan-na go    home  (repeat? )
 
   .7*  .7*  |    ;7   "7    .7      .6~ | ~.   "7*  .7*  "6 .6*  |   ::6~  | ~.:     
Well,   I       feel so broke  up__        I   wan-ta go    home

​
Accordion Notation - Inside row, low
​Verse 1 of 3:

 .2   |    "4      .4 "4      .4       .4*    |  .:4    .2   |    :4     "4   "4   .4*   |  ::4   |
We    come  on the sloop John      B,   my   grand-fath-er  and     me

    .:4      "4    "4*  |     :5    .4*   .4   |   ::3*~ | ~:
 Round Nas-sau      town we did     roam___

   "2  "o3*  .2*  |     ::3~ | ~.             .3   "3  "3*  .4   |   ::4*~ | ~:
Drink-in'   all     night  (repeat?    got  in - to   a       fight  (repeat?)
 
   "3*  ;3*  |    ;4   "4    .4      .3~ | ~.   "3*  .3*  "3  .2*  |   ::3~ | ~.:    
Well,   I       feel so broke  up___       I   wan-ta  go    home___
​

Chorus:
​
 .2   |   "4     .4  "4      .4     .4*    |  .:4     .2   |    :4   "4    "4     .4*   |  .:4   
​So     hoist up the John  B's      sail   See   how the main sail     sets

   .2  |   "4  .4    "4     .4   .4* |    ;5      "5   .4    .4   |    ::3*~ | ~.
Call     for the cap-tain  a  -  shore, let  me  go       home__

  .2    .2   .2*  |     ::3~ | ~.                 .3  "3  "3*  .4   |    ::4*~ | ~:
Let  me  go      home  ( repeat? )    I  wan-ta  go       home  ( repeat? )

   .3*  .3*  |    ;4   "4    .4      .3~ | ~.   "3*  .3*  "3  .2*  |   ::3~ | ~.:    
Well,   I       feel so broke  up__        I   wan-ta  go    home___
​

NOTE:  The tilde symbol ( ~ )indicates that this note should be held for the additional time indicated.

Embedded youTube VIDEOS

Total of 10 videos in various keys:   Ab=1    A=1   C,D=1   D=1    E=1    F=2   G=3
Key:  Ab   

Tempo:  125 bpm

Group: Beach Boys

​Posted by:  Elvind Madland
Key:  A   

Tempo:  130 bpm

Group:  Reliant K

​Posted by:  ChristianHardToFind
Key:  C  from time 0:40 to 2:53
         D  from  3:20 to End.

​Tempo:  130 bpm

Singer:  Tom Fogerthy & Randy Oda

​Posted by:  SOUTHERN REBEL
Key:   D  

​Tempo:  125 bpm

Singer: Roger Whittaker

​Posted by:  Memo Music
Key:   E  

​Tempo:  140 bpm

Group: The Weavers

​Posted by:  Carlo Schena
Key:  F   

Tempo:  120 bpm

Group: Steel Rhythm Steel Drum Band

​Posted by:  Steel Rhythm Steel Drum
​                                                        Band
​Key:   F  

​Tempo:  135 bpm

Performer:  Dick Dale?

​Posted by:  Dick Dale - Topic
Key:  G

​Tempo:  135 bpm

Group:  Mainland Kitchen Band

​Posted by:  Mainland Kitchen Band

Really great melodic accordion playing, perfectly matched to the strong vocals and guitar.
Key:  G  
​
Group:  Kilkenny Krew

Posted by: outportoutlaw
Key:   G  

​Tempo:  145 bpm

Group:  The Kingston Trio

​Posted by:  CompVid101
Background Materials, Information & Links
​LYRICS

​

​
​
Verse 1




​Chorus




Verse 2




Verse 3


​
As noted earlier, for this traditional song, there are many variants, in both lyrics (below) and musical interpretation (youTube videos above).
​Most sing the chorus after each verse, and repeat at end.  Many sing a further background repeat (or equivalent) in line 3, as indicated, and sometimes also at end of line 4, for verses and chorus.
​
​We come on the sloop John B, my grandfather and me
Around Nassau town we did roam
Drinkin' all night . . .  got into a fight
Well, I feel so broke up I wanna go home

So hoist up the John B's sail, see how the mainsail sets
Call for the captain ashore, let me go home
Let me go home . . . I wanta go home
Well, I feel so broke up ​I wanna go home
​
​The first mate, he got drunk, broke in the captain's trunk
The constable had to come and take him away
Sheriff John Stone . . . please let me alone
I feel so broke-up I wanna go home.

The poor cook, he got the fits, he threw away all of my grits
He took and ate up all of my corn
Let me go home . . . please let me alone
This is the worst trip I've ever been on
​
BackgroundLinks:
Click HERE for additional (wikipedia) info about this song.