Johnny's Gone to Hilo

DESCRIPTION: Shanty. "If I should die and be buried at sea, A mermaid's sweetheart I would be. Johnny's gone to Hilo! Heelo! Hilo! My Johnny's gone, what shall I do? Johnny's gone to Hilo."
AUTHOR: unknown
EARLIEST DATE: 1956
KEYWORDS: shanty mermaid/man sailor death separation
FOUND IN: US(SE)
REFERENCES (1 citation):
Chase-AmericanFolkTalesAndSongs, p. 157, "Johnny's Gone to Hilo" (1 text, 1 tune)
Roud #481
NOTES [34 words]: Possibly a fragment of another Hilo shanty, though the form is unusual -- but the text is so short that I can't identify the original. It is not (based on its form) a version of "Tommy's Gone to Hilo." - RBW
File: Cha157

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