{title: Roll the Old Chariot}
{artist: Traditional}
{key: D}
{tempo: 110}
{difficulty: beginner}
{tags: shanty, capstan, traditional, singalong}
{video: youtube:rFjnfsRoQo4}
{credit: The Longest Johns - 'Drop of Nelson's Blood / Roll the Old Chariot' (Official Music Video). Traditional shanty (PD composition); arrangement (c) The Longest Johns.}

{c: Traditional capstan shanty. Public domain. Sometimes called "A Drop of Nelson's Blood."}
{c: This is the perfect first shanty for teaching a campfire crowd — minimal lyrics, maximum chorus.}

{c: Verse 1}
A [D]drop of Nelson's blood wouldn't [G]do us any [D]harm
A drop of Nelson's blood wouldn't [A]do us any harm
A [D]drop of Nelson's blood wouldn't [G]do us any [D]harm
And we'll [A]all hang on be[D]hind

{c: Chorus}
And we'll [D]roll the old chariot a[G]long
We'll [D]roll the old chariot a[A]long
We'll [D]roll the old chariot a[G]long
And we'll [A]all hang on be[D]hind

{c: Verse 2}
A [D]plate of Irish stew wouldn't [G]do us any [D]harm
A plate of Irish stew wouldn't [A]do us any harm
A [D]plate of Irish stew wouldn't [G]do us any [D]harm
And we'll [A]all hang on be[D]hind

{c: Chorus}

{c: Verse 3 — make these up. Floating verses are the tradition. Examples:}
{c: "A night out on the shore" / "A nice fat cook" / "A roll in the clover" / "A long spell in the sun"}
A [D]night out on the shore wouldn't [G]do us any [D]harm...

{c: Chorus, then verse, repeat as long as the crowd is into it}

{c: PRACTICE NOTES}
{c: Boom-chuck strum, moderate tempo, nothing fancy. The chord progression is dead simple — D, G, A — and the song is built for endless verse-chorus-verse-chorus.}
{c: Lead the chorus loud the first time so the crowd knows what to sing back.}
{c: For mandolin: chop on 2 and 4. Capstan shanty wants a steady, rolling pulse.}