Poor Old Man theme is also found in the BWI's. It's used as a rowing song, ring games & elsewhere. Abrahams collected (see "Deep the Water, Shallow The Shore") it as "Johhny Come Down With A Hilo" (first shanty in the book) but the 4 lines ends off with the fourth line always with the same melody as heard in the Dead Horse verisons, "poor old man" (as well as the 3rd line always being very close to "Johnny Come Down To Hilo"), so one migth even say it's 2 line verse with a 2 line chorus. Abrahams only has one 4 line, I'm no longer sure if he has more verses on the field tapes (I'll have to one day pull them out from where ever they're hiding) or not but I do know that I've added a good few. I do remember that what Abrahams has was at least repeated a good few times.



The poor old man he sick in bed,
He want somebody to 'noint his head
Oh, Johny come down with a hilo,
Poor old man


Barry