Sea Shanty Collection

Leave Her Johnny

TTB with Piano
Duration c. 2:30

Music by Georgia Orfanides

 About “Leave Her Johnny”
Sea shanties were work songs that accompanied rhythmic labor during sea voyages.
There are records that trace the songs as early as the 16th century. The first written
record of “Leave Her Johnny” dates back to 1917. Also known as, “Leave your
Bullies” and “Time for us to Leave Hear’, “Leave Her Johnny” was unique in that
was sung on a certain occasion. It was sung during the end of a voyage, as the crew
said good bye to their ship. The ship is characterized as “her” in this piece. This
Irish shanty recounts on the difficulties faced by the crew during the voyage.
This piece would have been traditionally sung acappella, and with call and
response. This arrangement was created to honor the origins while using the piano
to represent the forward motion of the ship to port. Many rhythms have been swung
to represent the exhaustion of the crew members during their last ride at sea.

I thought I heard the Old Man say I hate to sail on this rotten tub
"Leave her, Johnny, leave her" Leave her, Johnny, leave her
Tomorrow ye will get your pay No grog allowed and rotten grub
And it's time for us to leave her And it's time for us to leave her

Leave her, Johnny, leave her Leave her, Johnny, leave her
Oh, leave her, Johnny, leave her Oh, leave her, Johnny, leave her
For the voyage is long and the winds don't blow For the voyage is long and the winds don't blow
And it's time for us to leave her And it's time for us to leave her

Oh, the wind was foul and the sea ran high
Leave her, Johnny, leave her
She shipped it green and none went by
And it's time for us to leave her

Leave her, Johnny, leave her

Oh, leave her, Johnny, leave her
For the voyage is long and the winds don't blow
And it's time for us to leave her

Georgia Orfanides (b. 2002) is a composer and vocalist from Round Hill,
Virginia. She is currently studying Vocal Music Education at James Madison
University. She hopes to teach High School Choir, and later attend graduate
school for Choral Conducting or Composition. She began composing in high
school and hopes to continue to compose and arrange for choirs
 Leave Her Johnny
for TTB Voices and Piano
Sea Shanty Arranged by Georgia Orfanides

Moderato
° 4
Tenor 1 &4 ∑ ∑ ∑ ∑
‹
4 ∑ ∑ ∑ ∑
Tenor 2 &4
‹
?4 ∑ ∑ ∑ ∑
Bass
¢ 4
Moderato
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œ ˙˙
& 4 œœ ™ œœ œœ ™ w
Jœ J œ™

{
J J œ
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œœ œœ ™™
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œ J œ œ œœ œ œ
4 J J J

5
° ∑ ∑ ∑
&
‹
& ∑ ∑ ∑
‹
? Ó Œ œ œ œ™ œ œ™ œ œ œ™ œ œ™ ‰
¢ J J
I thought I heard the old man say

w œ œ œ œ
& w Ó ‰ œJ œ Ó ‰ œJ œ

{? œœœ ™™™ œœœ ˙˙˙

J
˙˙ ˙˙ ˙˙ ˙˙

© 2022 Georgia Orfanides

2

8
° œ™ œ œ™ œ œ œ ˙ Œ ∑
& J J
‹
Leave her John - ny leave her
j
& œ™ œ œ™ œ
j œ œ ˙ Œ ∑
‹
Leave her John - ny leave her
j œ œ œ™ œ œ™
? œ™ œ œ™ œ œ œ ˙ J œ
¢ J J
Leave her John - ny leave her To - mor - row ye shall

œ œ
& Ó ‰ œœ œœ Ó ‰ œJ œ Ó ‰ œœ œœ

{
J J
˙˙ ˙˙
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11
° Ó Œ œ œ œ™ œ œ™ œ œ œ ˙ Œ œ™ œ œ™ œ
& J J J J
‹ and it's time for us to leave her Leave her John - ny

& Ó Œ œ œ œ ™ œj œ ™ j
œ œœ˙ Œ œ ™ œj œ ™ j
œ
‹ and it's time for us to leave her Leave her John - ny

? œ™ œ œ œ œ œ™ œ œ™ œ œœ˙ Œ œ™ œ œ™ œ
j
¢ J J J J
get your pay and it's time for us to leave her Leave her John - ny

œœ ˙˙
& Ó ‰ œJ œ Ó ‰ œJ ˙™ Ó ‰ œœ œœ

{
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? ˙˙ ˙˙
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© 2022 Georgia Orfanides
 3

15
° œ œ ˙ Œ œ™ œ œ™ œ œ œ œ Ó
& J J
‹ leave her leave her John - ny leave her

& œ œ ˙ Œ j
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Ó
‹ leave her leave her John - ny leave her

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¢ œ œ J J
leave her Oh leave her John - nyleave her For the

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18
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& J J J
‹ and the winds don't blow time for us to

& Ó Œ œ œ œ ™ œj œ Œ œ ™ œj œ ™ œ
j
‹ and the winds don't blow time for us to

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¢ J J J
vo - yage is long and the winds don't blow and it's time for us to

œ œ ˙˙
& ∑ Ó ‰ œJ œ Ó

{ ? ˙˙
˙˙
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© 2022 Georgia Orfanides
˙˙ Ó
4

21
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& œ œ Œ œ J ‰
‹ leave her Oh the wind was foul and the sea ran high

& œ œ ˙ Œ ∑ ∑
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¢
leave her

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‰
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24
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& J J œ œ™ J
‹
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{
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˙˙ ˙
© 2022 Georgia Orfanides
 5

27
° œ™ œ œ œ œ œ™ œ œ™ œ œœ˙ Œ œ ™ œJ œ ™ œ
& J J J J
‹ none went by and it's time for us to leave her Leave her John - ny
j
& Ó Œ œ œ œ ™ œ œ™ œ œœ˙ Œ œ™ œ œ™ œ
j
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‹ and it's time for us to leave her Leave her John - ny
? Ó Œ œ œ œ ™ œJ œ ™ œ œœ˙ Œ œ ™ œJ œ ™ œ
¢ J J
and it's time for us to leave her Leave her John - ny

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31
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¢
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© 2022 Georgia Orfanides

6

34
°
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& œ J
‹ vo - yage is long and the winds don't blow and it's time for us to

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‹ and the winds don't blow and it's time for us to

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and the winds don't blow and it's time for us to

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& ∑ Ó ‰ œJ œ

{
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˙
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37 rit. a tempo
° œ bœ œ œ Œ bbb ∑ ∑
&
‹ leave her
& bœ œ bœ Œ bbb ∑ ∑
‹ leave her
? œ œ œ b œ œ b b œ ™ œJ œ ™ œ œ œ ™ œJ œ ™ ‰
¢ b
leave her I hate to sail on this rot - ten tub
rit. a tempo
œ b œ œ b œœ œ œ b b Ó œœ œœ œœ œœ
& b ‰ J Ó ‰ J

{? b œœ œœ œœ b œ œ b ˙˙
bœ bb ˙
˙
© 2022 Georgia Orfanides
˙˙ ˙
˙
 7

40
° bb œ ™ œ œ™ œ œ œ ˙ œ œ œ™ œ œ™ j
& b J J J œ
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& b b œ™ œ œ™
b j
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? bb œ ™ œ œ™ œ œ œ ˙ Œ ∑
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œ œ œ œ œ œ
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&

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43
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& b œ ™ œ œ œ œ J J J J
‹ rot - ten grub and it's time for us to leave her Leave her John - ny
b
&b b Ó Œ œ œ œ ™ œJ œ ™ œ œ œ ˙ Œ œ ™ œ œ ™ œj
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‹ and it's time for us to leave her Leave her John - ny

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and it's time for us to leave her Leave her John - ny

œœ ˙˙
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&b b Ó ‰ œJ œ Ó ‰ œj ˙ ™ Ó ‰ œœ œœ

{
J
? b b ˙˙ ˙˙ ˙ ˙˙
b ˙˙ Ó ‰ œJ ˙™ ˙
© 2022 Georgia Orfanides
8

47
° bb œ œ ˙ œ œ œ™ œ œ™ œ œœ œ Œ
& b J J œ œ
‹ leave her Oh leave her John - ny leave her For the
b j j
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¢ b J J
leave her leave her John - ny leave her
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b bb Ó ‰ œJ œ Ó ‰ œJ œJ ‰ Œ ‰ œJ œ œ œ œ
&

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b
˙
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50
° bb œ œ œ œ œ œ œ ™ œ œ œ œ œ ™ œ œ™ œ
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‹ vo - yage is long and the winds don't blow and it's time for us to
b
&b b Œ Œ Œ œ œ œ ™ œJ œ œ œ œ ™ œ œ™ œ
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‹ and the winds don't blow and it's time for us to

? bb Ó Œ œ œ œ ™ œJ œ œ œ œ ™ œ œ™ œ
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¢ b J
and the winds don't blow and it's time for us to
œœ œœ ˙˙
b
&b b Ó ‰ œœ œœ Ó ‰ J Ó

{
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? b b ˙˙ ˙˙ ˙˙ ˙˙ Ó
b ˙˙
© 2022 Georgia Orfanides
 9

53
° bb œ œ ˙ Œ Œ œ œ œ™ œ œ™ œ œœœ
& b J J
‹ leave her and it's time for us to leave her
b œ œ œ™
&b b œ œ ˙ Œ Œ Œ œ œœ œœ œ
‹ leave her and it's time for us to leave

? bb œ œ ˙ œ œ œ™ œ œ™
J œ œœ œ Œ œ œ
¢ b J
leave her and it's time for us to leave her and it's
˙ ˙™
& b b b ‰ œJ ˙™ ˙ Ó ‰ œœ ˙˙ ™™

{
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˙˙ Ó ‰ œœJ ˙˙™™

56
° bb œ œ œ œ™ œ œ™ œ œ œ œ
& b J J
‹ and it's time for us to leave her
b œ œ œ™
&b b ˙ œ œ œ œ œ œ
‹ her and it's time for us to leave

? bb œ ™ œ œ™
J œ œ œ ˙™
¢ b J
time for us to leave her
˙˙ ˙™
&
b
bb Ó ‰ œœ ˙˙ ™™

{
J
œ ˙™
? b b ˙˙
b Ó ‰ œœJ ˙˙™™

© 2022 Georgia Orfanides

10

58 rit.
° bb U˙™
œ œ œ™ œ Uœ ™ œ œ U
˙™
& b J J
‹ and it's time for us to leave her
Uœ U U j U
œ œ œ™
b œ œ™
&b b ˙
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‹ her and it's time for us to leave her
œ œ œ™ œ Uœ ™
? bb U˙™ œ œ œ U˙™
¢ b J J
and it's time for us to leave her
˙˙ ™™ rit.
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{
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b

© 2022 Georgia Orfanides