“Go to Sea Once More” is a sea shanty about a sailor who, once ashore, gets very drunk and loses all his clothing and hard-earned money when a prostitute steals them. Though he has sworn to never work at sea again, this situation forces him to accept a position on a whaling ship bound for the Arctic Sea, having to endure terrible conditions such as the freezing cold. The sailor’s name varies slightly in the different versions of the song, though typically he is named Jack Tarr, Jack Sprat, or Jack Wrack. The song urges sailors to avoid strong drink and the hard lifestyle that comes with it, and to “get married instead”. The exact origins of the song can be traced to the English Merchant Navy, likely from the 1700 – 1900 period
Songs with Banjo from Harold Hagler
