Author Archives: Jack Jeffers

13. Blow the Man Down

Tommy Scott:

“Oh, blow the man down, bullies, blow the man down
Way aye blow the man down
Oh, blow the man down, bullies, blow him away
Give me some time to blow the man down!

As I was a walking down Paradise Street
Way aye blow the man down
A pretty young damsel I chanced for to meet.
Give me some time to blow the man down!

She was round in the counter and bluff in the bow,
Way aye blow the man down
So I took in all sail and cried, “Way enough now.”
Give me some time to blow the man down!

So I tailed her my flipper and took her in tow
Way aye blow the man down
And yardarm to yardarm away we did go.
Give me some time to blow the man down!

But as we were going she said unto me
Way aye blow the man down
“There’s a spanking full-rigger just ready for sea.”
Give me some time to blow the man down!

But as soon as that packet was clear of the bar
Way aye blow the man down
The mate knocked me down with the end of a spar.
Give me some time to blow the man down!

It’s starboard and larboard on deck you will sprawl
Way aye blow the man down
For Kicking Jack Williams commands the Black Ball.
Give me some time to blow the man down!

So I give you fair warning before we belay,
Way aye blow the man down
Don’t ever take head of what pretty girls say.
Give me some time to blow the man down!”

Background: This is another sea shanty that my friend Tommy knows from his childhood.

Context: Tommy sung this shanty while we were at a party, unprompted.

Interpretation: This song refers to rough seas and winds“blowing the man down”, meaning almost capsizing the ship, and the chaos it causes aboard the vessel.

20. Blonde Joke

 Tommy: “Ok, so a blonde is pissed cause she thinks her husband is cheating on her. So she goes to a gun shop and buys a handgun. Then she comes home to find her husband in bed with this absolutely banging, super hot redhead. So the blonde grabs the gun and holds it to her own head. And the husband jumps out of bed, and is all “no don’t shoot, don’t shoot!” But the blonde, who’s crying at this point says to the husband, “Shut up…you’re next!” 

Background: My friend Tommy is very drawn to jokes that may be seen as mildly uncouth or offensive, and Blonde jokes are a quintessential aspect of that.

Context: While we were hanging out, Tommy asked if I wanted to hear a joke and I agreed.

Interpretation: This is a classic “blondes are dumb” joke. The joke is that the woman is going to kill her husband, the other woman, and herself, but is going to kill herself first because she doesn’t know that she will die if she shoots herself first, therefore being unable to kill her husband.