# Sloop John B.- what's it about, really? **URL:** \ **Category:** Cafe Society\ **Created:** [November 24, 2002, 2:28am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/sloop-john-b-whats-it-about-really/138431 "2002-11-24T02:28:31Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 2
**Author:** ![scottburlin](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/35a633/32.png) [@scottburlin](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/scottburlin)\ **Post date:** [July 21, 2015, 5:37pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/sloop-john-b-whats-it-about-really/138431/21 "2015-07-21T17:37:05Z")
John Bethel was a sea Captain from Govenours Harbor, Eleuthera, The Bahamas. The “Sloop John B” was an actual boat (sloop) that Captain John Bethel built in the front yard of his house. He then rolled it down hill on logs and launched it into the harbour. Captain Bethel used the Sloop John B for many heays in commerce, both in The Bahamas and along the eastern seaboard of the United States, from Key West all the way up the New Foundland. At some point the boat hit a reef and sunk. Someone wrote a poem, the another someone put that poem to music. That song became a sailors sea song and was adapted widley and sang by many sailors. for many many years, depicting the drama on a typical sea voyage. Carl Sanburg, the famous American poet, found it and included it in a book he wrote about folk music. The Kingston Trio recorded it and made it popular in the states. Johnny Cash also recorded it as “I Wanna Go Home” before Al Jardine brought it to Mike Wilson in the late 1960’s. The rest is history. Whome ever came up with the lyrics being about LSD was on dope themselves. It is nothing more that a sea-diddy sang by sailors. In June of 2014, I stayed in the Sea Captains House, which is over 300 years old. This story is common knowledge on Eleuthera. Go to VRBO and search for The Sea Captains House, Eleuthera. Angelicka Bacchus, a realtor and restruant owner on Eleuthera can tell you more details. ---
**Author:** ![Jophiel](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/jophiel/32/66_2.png) [@Jophiel](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Jophiel)\ **Post date:** [July 21, 2015, 5:42pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/sloop-john-b-whats-it-about-really/138431/22 "2015-07-21T17:42:21Z")
In my head, the line “my grandfather and me” always conjured an image of a young kid who takes a job aboard a boat that his grandfather is working on, thinking that it’ll be an easy gig. Instead, he gets into a fight with his grandfather, gets hazed by the crew as the new guy and is generally miserable – wishing he could just “go home” which is of course impossible on a working vessel. So, basically, a stock _Deadliest Catch_ plot line decades before anyone cared about crab fishing. ---
**Author:** ![cjepson](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/a9adbd/32.png) [@cjepson](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/cjepson)\ **Post date:** [July 21, 2015, 6:22pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/sloop-john-b-whats-it-about-really/138431/23 "2015-07-21T18:22:12Z")
I agree that the song has no actual drug references (beyond alcohol), but some of the lyrics are sufficiently ambiguous that, in the context of the times, they could be, and perhaps intentionally were, pressed into service as double entendres. Particularly the line “This is the worst trip I’ve ever been on”, which is really made to stand out by having the backing vocals and instrumentation drop out almost completely for that one line. Don’t tell me that at least some of the group members didn’t have a chuckle over that (the same way the Byrds did when they sang about being “eight miles high” in an airplane heading for England). ---
**Author:** ![Ethilrist](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/ethilrist/32/4604_2.png) [@Ethilrist](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ethilrist)\ **Post date:** [July 21, 2015, 7:11pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/sloop-john-b-whats-it-about-really/138431/24 "2015-07-21T19:11:49Z")
Seems pretty straightforward to me… > [@](#): > > My grampa & I, we got in a fight. > Let’s get out of here. > Captain’s not on the ship; guess we can’t leave yet so now I’m bummed. > First mate broke into the Captain’s stuff, now he’s been arrested. Still can’t leave yet. > Let’s check the rigging… what, the captain’s not back yet? Shit. > The cook, he went crazy and stole most of my food and ate what he didn’t steal. Christ. Worst. Cruise. EVER. > CAPTAIN!!! ---
**Author:** ![drad\_dog](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/aeb1de/32.png) [@drad\_dog](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/drad_dog)\ **Post date:** [July 21, 2015, 7:23pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/sloop-john-b-whats-it-about-really/138431/25 "2015-07-21T19:23:09Z")
> [@cjepson](#): > > I agree that the song has no actual drug references (beyond alcohol), but some of the lyrics are sufficiently ambiguous that, in the context of the times, they could be, and perhaps intentionally were, pressed into service as double entendres. Particularly the line “This is the worst trip I’ve ever been on”, which is really made to stand out by having the backing vocals and instrumentation drop out almost completely for that one line. Don’t tell me that at least some of the group members didn’t have a chuckle over that (the same way the Byrds did when they sang about being “eight miles high” in an airplane heading for England). We sang this song in 5th grade. Everyone knew it predated any psychedelic meaning. “Pressed into service” by whom? Nobody then. People on threads now, maybe. To chuckle at that would be witless. That would make Beavis and Butthead look subtle. The Byrds song was intentional. ---
**Author:** ![BobLibDem](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/boblibdem/32/3149_2.png) [@BobLibDem](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/BobLibDem)\ **Post date:** [July 21, 2015, 7:25pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/sloop-john-b-whats-it-about-really/138431/26 "2015-07-21T19:25:40Z")
I want to know what’s up with the cook and why he tossed the grits. And he took the corn, too! Whatever for? ---
**Author:** ![Johnny\_L.A](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/johnny_l.a/32/1084_2.png) [@Johnny\_L.A](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Johnny_L.A)\ **Post date:** [July 21, 2015, 7:26pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/sloop-john-b-whats-it-about-really/138431/27 "2015-07-21T19:26:06Z")
> [@scottburlin](#): > > Whome ever came up with the lyrics being about LSD was on dope themselves. That was parody. Or perhaps satire. 😉 ---
**Author:** ![Bridget\_Burke](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/7cd45c/32.png) [@Bridget\_Burke](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Bridget_Burke)\ **Post date:** [July 21, 2015, 7:38pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/sloop-john-b-whats-it-about-really/138431/28 "2015-07-21T19:38:41Z")
> [@drad\_dog](#): > > We sang this song in 5th grade. Everyone knew it predated any psychedelic meaning. “Pressed into service” by whom? Nobody then. People on threads now, maybe. To chuckle at that would be witless. That would make Beavis and Butthead look subtle. The Byrds song was intentional. Pressed into service by the Beach Boys & many of their fans. We were quite young then & got a chuckle out of finding a new layer of meaning in old lyrics. A “witless” chuckle? Lord Save Us from solemn Fifth Graders… ---
**Author:** ![drad\_dog](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/aeb1de/32.png) [@drad\_dog](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/drad_dog)\ **Post date:** [July 21, 2015, 7:46pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/sloop-john-b-whats-it-about-really/138431/29 "2015-07-21T19:46:54Z")
> [@Bridget\_Burke](#): > > Pressed into service by the Beach Boys & many of their fans. We were quite young then & got a chuckle out of finding a new layer of meaning in old lyrics. > > A “witless” chuckle? Lord Save Us from solemn Fifth Graders… Hnnhh Hnnhh She said “layer” Thanks. for a second I thought I got faked out. This might be real, very real. ---
**Author:** ![terentii](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/terentii/32/212_2.png) [@terentii](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/terentii)\ **Post date:** [July 21, 2015, 9:40pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/sloop-john-b-whats-it-about-really/138431/30 "2015-07-21T21:40:51Z")
> [@BobLibDem](#): > > I want to know what’s up with the cook and why he tossed the grits. And he took the corn, too! Whatever for? To make moonshine, maybe? 😕 ---
**Author:** ![TreacherousCretin](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/treacherouscretin/32/476_2.png) [@TreacherousCretin](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/TreacherousCretin)\ **Post date:** [July 22, 2015, 4:32am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/sloop-john-b-whats-it-about-really/138431/31 "2015-07-22T04:32:08Z")
> [@scottburlin](#): > > …Johnny Cash also recorded it as “I Wanna Go Home” before Al Jardine brought it to **Mike Wilson** in the late 1960’s… _Brian_ Wilson. Excellent post though. ---
**Author:** ![FairyChatMom](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/fairychatmom/32/21906_2.png) [@FairyChatMom](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/FairyChatMom)\ **Post date:** [July 22, 2015, 12:05pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/sloop-john-b-whats-it-about-really/138431/32 "2015-07-22T12:05:29Z")
> [@scottburlin](#): > > It is nothing more that a sea-\*diddy \*sang by sailors. Sorry to pick a nit, but it’s ditty. ---
**Author:** ![Ethilrist](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/ethilrist/32/4604_2.png) [@Ethilrist](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ethilrist)\ **Post date:** [July 22, 2015, 12:09pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/sloop-john-b-whats-it-about-really/138431/33 "2015-07-22T12:09:35Z")
Unless it’s a chanty; that’d be monks. ---
**Author:** ![dougie\_monty](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/439d5e/32.png) [@dougie\_monty](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/dougie_monty)\ **Post date:** [July 22, 2015, 3:05pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/sloop-john-b-whats-it-about-really/138431/34 "2015-07-22T15:05:04Z")
The tune appeared in a collection of folk music in one of the books I used in a piano class in college. Drug song, indeed! :rolleyes: ---
**Author:** ![Exapno\_Mapcase](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/exapno_mapcase/32/1051_2.png) [@Exapno\_Mapcase](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Exapno_Mapcase)\ **Post date:** [July 22, 2015, 3:41pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/sloop-john-b-whats-it-about-really/138431/35 "2015-07-22T15:41:21Z")
> [@FairyChatMom](#): > > Sorry to pick a nit, but it’s ditty. Pretty sure he was referring to the rap version by Puff Diddy. ---
**Author:** ![dougie\_monty](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/439d5e/32.png) [@dougie\_monty](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/dougie_monty)\ **Post date:** [July 22, 2015, 4:55pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/sloop-john-b-whats-it-about-really/138431/36 "2015-07-22T16:55:18Z")
> [@Exapno\_Mapcase](#): > > Pretty sure he was referring to the rap version by Puff Diddy. Puff Diddy… If you ask me, the “druggies” aren’t the characters in the songs, but the weirdoes who think up those kookie names… :rolleyes: ---
**Author:** ![cjepson](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/a9adbd/32.png) [@cjepson](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/cjepson)\ **Post date:** [July 23, 2015, 3:44am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/sloop-john-b-whats-it-about-really/138431/37 "2015-07-23T03:44:40Z")
> [@drad\_dog](#): > > We sang this song in 5th grade. Everyone knew it predated any psychedelic meaning. “Pressed into service” by whom? By Brian Wilson, it would seem. He changed the lyric from the original “This is the worst trip since I’ve been born” to “This is the worst trip I’ve ever been on.” It is believed by many that this change was likely intended as a subtle reference to acid. Just sayin’. I have no proof. ---
**Author:** ![drad\_dog](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/aeb1de/32.png) [@drad\_dog](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/drad_dog)\ **Post date:** [July 23, 2015, 5:23am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/sloop-john-b-whats-it-about-really/138431/38 "2015-07-23T05:23:34Z")
> [@cjepson](#): > > By Brian Wilson, it would seem. He changed the lyric from the original “This is the worst trip since I’ve been born” to “This is the worst trip I’ve ever been on.” It is believed by many that this change was likely intended as a subtle reference to acid. Just sayin’. I have no proof. Believed by who? Both ways could reference acid anyway. Man you’re stretching around like a yogi. Brian did acid. Any beach boys song with the word trip is a possible. Al Jardine brought this song to the group. But There’s got to be more interesting references to cite. This would be the most mundane example if it is. ---
**Author:** ![dougie\_monty](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/439d5e/32.png) [@dougie\_monty](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/dougie_monty)\ **Post date:** [July 23, 2015, 7:56am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/sloop-john-b-whats-it-about-really/138431/39 "2015-07-23T07:56:50Z")
This reminds me of a passage from Tom Lehrer’s song “Smut”: _When correctly viewed Ev’rything is lewd! I could tell you things about Peter Pan, and the Wizard of Oz, there’s a dirty old man!_ In short, as in “Sloop John B,” some people will see what they want to see. ---
**Author:** ![FriarTed](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/friarted/32/1052_2.png) [@FriarTed](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/FriarTed)\ **Post date:** [July 23, 2015, 8:48am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/sloop-john-b-whats-it-about-really/138431/40 "2015-07-23T08:48:49Z")
> [@johnpost](#): > > zombie or no > > it’s a folk song. people make folk songs about the mashed potatoes on their dinner plate (the same goes for poetry). They also make models of Devil’s Tower from those mashed potatoes. I’m not saying this song is about aliens. But, aliens. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/sloop-john-b-whats-it-about-really/138431.md?page=1) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/sloop-john-b-whats-it-about-really/138431.md?page=3)