Tom Tough

DESCRIPTION: "My name, d'ye see, s Tom Tough, I've seen a little service"; he has sailed with Howe and Duncan and Hawke. He's also had a family, and loves them but leaves their fate to Providence. But now he's lost an eye and a toe; other sailors will do the fighting
AUTHOR: Charles Dibdin (1745-1815)
EARLIEST DATE: 1905 (Stone-SeaSongsAndBallads)
KEYWORDS: sailor injury home
FOUND IN:
REFERENCES (1 citation):
Stone-SeaSongsAndBallads XXXV, pp. 50-52, "Tom Tough" (1 text)
Roud #13818
BROADSIDES:
Bodleian, Harding B 25(1933), "Tom Tough," A Swindells (Manchester), 1796-1853; also Harding B 11(3857), "Tom Tough," Walker (Durham), 1797-1834; also Harding B 12(164), "Tom Tuff" Burbage and Stretton (Nottingham), 1797-1807; also Harding B 12(166), "Tom Tuff. A Favorite New Song," Burbage and Stretton (Nottingham), 1800; also Harding B 28(127), "Yo Heave Ho," W. and J. Shelmerdine (Manchester), 1800-1849; also Firth b.25(531)=Harding B 11(4345), "Yo heave yo" (sic), J. Kendrew (York), 1803-1848; also Firth c.12(312), "Tom Tough," H. Such (London), 1863-1885; also Curzon b.20(17), "Yo heave ho," J. Pitts (London), n.d.; also Harding B 11(3371), "Tom Tough," W. Dixon (WOrkington), n.d.; also Harding B 16(290a), "Tom Tough," Boys (Doncaster), n. d.; also Harding B 22(298), "Tom Tough, or, Yo heave ho," unknown, n.d.
NOTES [38 words]: I've no reason to think this traditional, but it is cited often enough (see the broadside list!) that I've followed Steve Roud in indexing it.
For more on probable author Charles Dibdin, see the notes to "Blow High Blow Low." - RBW
Last updated in version 6.2
File: SSSB050

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