Leave Her Johnny

Song Overview

• Theme: Departure and the struggles of seafaring life
• Refrain: A repeated call to leave the ship

Key Lines and Meanings

1. "Leave Her, Johnny, Leave Her":
   • Central refrain emphasizing the need to leave the ship
2. "It's a hard pull to the next payday":
   • Highlighting the difficulty and long intervals between paydays
3. "And it's time for us to leave her":
   • Signaling the end of the voyage
4. "For the voyage is done":
   • Confirmation that the journey is complete
5. "The winds don't blow":
   • Implying stagnation or the end of favorable conditions
6. "All the winds were foul and the work was hard":
   • Reflecting on the challenging conditions during the voyage
7. "The skipper was bad, but the mate was worse":
   • Criticism of the leadership on the ship
8. "He'll blow you down with a spike and a curse":
   • Describing the harsh treatment from the mate

Emotional Tone

• Nostalgic: Reminiscing about past hardships and leadership issues
• Resolute: The decision to leave and end the voyage

Structure

• Typical Shanty Form: Call and response, easy to sing along with
• Repetition: Reiterates the central message and feelings