Santiana

Heave her up and away we go
Ch. Heave Away Santiana
Heave her up and away we go
Ch. All along the plains of Mexico

We're outward bound from Liverpool
Oh the sails are set and the hatches full

We're outward bound for Mexico
To Mexico where the whalefish blow

In Mexico where the land lies low
Where there ain't no snow and the whalefish blow

In Mexico so I've heard say
There's many a charming senorita gay

Them gals is fine with their long black hait
They'll rob yiz blind an' skin yiz bare

Them Spanish gals I do adore
They all drink vino an' ask for more

In Mexico I long to be
With a tight-waiste gal all on my knee

Why do them yellar gals love me so
Because I don't tell them all I know

When I was young and in my prime
I'd have them yellar gals two at a time

But now I'm old and getting grey
Rum's my sweetheart every day

Santiana gained his name
At Molly del Rey he gained his fame

An' General Taylor ran away
An' Santiana gained the day

Twas on the field at Molly del Rey
Santiana lost a leg that day

We're outward bound for Mexico
To Mexico where the whalefish blow

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Santiana was a windlass shanty popular with Merchant Jack and also used by whalemen to lighten their pulley hauling. The figure around whom the shanty was woven was Antonio Lopez de Santa Anna, who lived from 1795 to 1876 and was the last president of Mexico prior to the annexation of California, New Mexico and Texas by the United States. Defeating the French at Vera Cruz, the Spaniards at Zampico and the Yankees at the Alamo he was brought to a halt at Molina del Rey (the Molly del Ray of the Shantymen) by American troops under General Taylor.Many British sailors deserted their ships to join during the Mexican war of 1846-48 to join Santiana' raggle taggle army. For some strange reason, the rebel in them maybe, they favored the Mexicans and not the Americans. This is probably why most shantymen sang a lie "Santiana gained the day ... General Taylor ran away"