"Ben Backstay" (circa 1800s)
A Favorite New Song.
Composed by Mr. [Charles] Dibdin. [1745-1814]

Philadelphia: H. & P. Rice, No. 50 Market St., 
between Front & Second Streets
[Source: 031/029@Levy;
and page 96 from "Naval Songs"
NOTE: the "Naval Songs" version is a
completely different melody and words, although
"Ben Backstay" is part of the words. It was 
contributed by V. Mott Francis, M. D. I suspect
both are from a larger work by Dibdin, and
thus have decided to include them together
for a sort of continuity.]

1. Ben Backstay lov’d the gentle Shery 
Constant as purity was she; 
Her honey words like sure’ring Mama 
Cheer’d him each voyage he made to sea; 
One fatal evening saw them parting 
While each y others sorrow dried 
They by the tear that then was starting 
They by the tear that then was starting, 
Vow’d they’d be constant ’till they died.

2. As distance from his ANNA’S beauty,
While roaring winds the sea deform,
BEN sings and well performs his duty,
And braves for love the frightful storm.
Alas! in vain, the vessel hatter’d
On a rock splitting, open’d wide;
While, lacerated, torn & shatter’d,
While, lacerated, torn & shatter’d,
BEN thought of ANNA, sigh’d & died. 

3. The semblance of each lovely feature
That BEN had worn around his neck;
Where art stood substitute for nature,
A Tar his friend sav’d from the wreck.
In fervent hope, while ANNA burning,
Blush’d as she wish’d to be a bride;
The portrait came, joy turn’d to mourning,
The portrait came, joy turn’d to mourning,
She saw grew pale, sunk down and died.


[NOTE: this version is from "Naval Songs"]

1 Ben Backstay was our boatswain, a merry, merry boy,
For no one half so merrily could pipe “All hands ahoy!”
And when it chanc’d his summons we did’t well attned,
No lad than he more merrily could handle the rope’s end.

CHORUS 1
With his ship chow, cherry chow, fal de ral de riddle dow,
Chip chow, cherry chow, fal de riddle dow.

2. While sailing once, our Captain, who was a jolly dog,
One day he gave to ev’ry mess a double share of grog;
Ben Backstay he got tipsy, all to his heart’s content,
And he being half seas over, why, overboard he went.

CHORUS 2
With his ship chow, cherry chow, fal de ral de riddle dow,
Chip chow, cherry chow, fal de riddle dow.

3. A shark was on the starboard— sharks don’t for manners stand,
But grapple all they come athwart, just like your sharks on land;
We threw out Ben some tackling, of saving him some hope’s,
But the shark had bit his head off, so he couldn’t see the ropes.

CHORUS 3
Nor sing ship chow, cherry chow, fal de ral de riddle dow,
Chip chow, cherry chow, fal de riddle dow.

4. Without a head, his ghost appeared all on the briny lake;
He piped all hands ahoy and cried, “lads, warning by me take;
By drinking grog, I lost my life; so, lest my fate you meet,
Why, never mix your liquor, lads, but always take it neat.”

CHORUS 4
And sing ship chow, cherry chow, fal de ral de riddle dow,
Chip chow, cherry chow, fal de riddle dow.