The Amphitrite

"The Amphitrite – (or sometimes called “The Skippers Erudition)"
Song
Language	English (Geordie)
Written	c 1824
Published	1824
Songwriter(s)	Robert Gilchrist

"The Amphitrite" (or sometimes called “The Skippers Erudition" to distinguish it from other poems of the same or similar names) is a Geordie folk song written in the 19th century by Robert Gilchrist, in a style deriving from music hall.

This song tells the tale of a coal keel (or keel boat)

The Amphitrite was the name of a Tyne coal carrying keelboat. The song, written by Robert Gilchrist tells of the ship and its crew.

The comments made in the 1891 edition of Allan’s Tyneside Songs (marked July 30, 1829 E G), is “The following production records some of the ludicrous mistakes made by the intrepid navigators of the coal keels. They are a healthy race of men, and for strength and activity have long been justly famous. Intelligence is making rapid advances amongst them.”
Very few of the versions show any chorus; those which do give it as a plain Fal-de-ral.....

THE AMPHITRITE
also called “The Skippers Erudition”
Tune "Gee-ho! Dobbin

Verse 1
Frae Team gut to Whitley, wi' coals black an' brown,
For the Amphitrite loaded, the keel had come down --
But the bullies ower neet had their gobs se oft wet.
That the nyem o' the ship yen an' a' did forget.

Verse 2
To find out the nyem, now each worried his chops,
An' claw'd at his hips fit to murder the lops --
When the skipper, whee hungry was always most bright,
Swore the pawhogger luggish was called Empty Kite.

Verse 3
Frae the Point round the Girt, a' the time sailin' slow,
Each bullie kept bawlin', "The Empty Kite, ho!"
But their blairin' was vain, for née Empty Kite there,
Though they blair'd till their kites were byeth empty and sair.

Verse 4
A' slaverin', the skipper ca'd Geordie an' Jem,
For to gan to Newcassel and ax the reet nyem --
The youngest he thought myest to blame in this bore,
So P. D. an' his marrow were e'en pawk'd ashore.

Verse 5
Up Shields Road as they trudg'd I' their myest-worn-out soles,
Oft cursin' the Empty Kite, skipper, an' coals --
At the sign o' the Coach they byeth ca'd, it befell,
To mourn their hard case, an' to swattle some yell.

Verse 6
Here a buck at a sirloin hard eatin' was seen,
Which, he said, wi' the air myed his appetite keen;
"Appetite!" cried the bullies—like maislins they star'd,
Wide gyepin' wi' wonder, till "Crikes!" Jemmy blair'd.

Verse 7
"The Appetite, Geordie! smash, dis thou hear that?
The varry outlandish, cull nyem we forgat.
Bliss the Dandy, for had he not tell'd uz the nyem,
To Newcassel we'd wander'd byeth weary and lyem!"

...
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