Posted by Terence McManus on August 08, 1997 at 01:37:43:
In Reply to: Re: Nice Sailors and Naughty Songs (WAS 'The Maid of Amsterdam') posted by Forrest Brownell on August 07, 1997 at 17:47:12:
I remember singing "A Roving", as we called the song, in music lessons at primary school in England in the 1950s. Although boisterous I don't remember that it was thought bawdy. The version we sang must have been bowdlerised to be in the school song book and to be acceptable to the music teacher.
Although there were still double meanings to some of the phrases I did not pick them up until recently when I read one of Tristan Jones' books ("Wayward Sailor" I think).
I don't think the mothers would disapprove of the version we sang as it is unlikely that Captain Flint or Ted Walker would enlighten them as to the "old salts'" interpretation of what remained.
As for the G.A. I can't imagine her approving of anything outside of Hymns Ancient and Modern.