# The Sloop John B **URL:** \ **Category:** Cafe Society\ **Tags:** music\ **Created:** [August 24, 2023, 12:45pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-sloop-john-b/989032 "2023-08-24T12:45:21Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 14\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![SCAdian](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/scadian/32/3292_2.png) [@SCAdian](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/SCAdian)\ **Post date:** [August 24, 2023, 12:45pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-sloop-john-b/989032/1 "2023-08-24T12:45:21Z")
Has anybody ever done a recording of “The Sloop John B” (aka “The Wreck of the John B”, The John B Sails", &c) that includes the last two verses? ---
**Author:** ![What\_Exit](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/what_exit/32/10652_2.png) [@What\_Exit](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/What_Exit)\ **Post date:** [August 24, 2023, 12:49pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-sloop-john-b/989032/2 "2023-08-24T12:49:19Z")
What are the last 2 verses? I think the Weavers did a pretty complete traditional version. But unsure now. ---
**Author:** ![Crane](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/crane/32/3495_2.png) [@Crane](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Crane)\ **Post date:** [August 24, 2023, 12:55pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-sloop-john-b/989032/3 "2023-08-24T12:55:17Z")
Kingston Trio ---
**Author:** ![Peter\_Morris](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/peter_morris/32/359_2.png) [@Peter\_Morris](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Peter_Morris)\ **Post date:** [August 24, 2023, 1:01pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-sloop-john-b/989032/4 "2023-08-24T13:01:39Z")
> [@What\_Exit](#): > > What are the last 2 verses? Exactly. Sloop John B. is a traditional song of uncertain origin and unknown authorship. There are many different versions. Some include verses not found in other versions. Some have verses in a different order. Some include extra lines or omit lines from familiar verses. Some have a different rhythm and don’t fit the tune sung by the Beach Boys. Please quote the last two verses of the version you mean. ---
**Author:** ![Crane](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/crane/32/3495_2.png) [@Crane](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Crane)\ **Post date:** [August 24, 2023, 1:15pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-sloop-john-b/989032/5 "2023-08-24T13:15:53Z")
Original publication [here](https://r.search.yahoo.com/_ylt=AwrNOPsqV.dkgcgO7UlXNyoA;_ylu=Y29sbwNiZjEEcG9zAzIEdnRpZANMT0NVSTEwMkJfMQRzZWMDc3I-/RV=2/RE=1692911530/RO=10/RU=https%3a%2f%2fen.wikisource.org%2fwiki%2fThe_John_B._Sails/RK=2/RS=wsTToJTmJcRYZAyi1JF5rUl9Dm0-) ---
**Author:** ![gnoitall](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/bb73d2/32.png) [@gnoitall](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/gnoitall)\ **Post date:** [August 24, 2023, 1:20pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-sloop-john-b/989032/6 "2023-08-24T13:20:52Z")
> [@What\_Exit](#): > > What are the last 2 verses? The verses that were playing in the lost alternate ending to _Big_. ---
**Author:** ![silenus](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/silenus/32/166_2.png) [@silenus](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/silenus)\ **Post date:** [August 24, 2023, 1:25pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-sloop-john-b/989032/7 "2023-08-24T13:25:21Z")
The last two verses are kinda stupid, so I can see why they aren’t recorded. ---
**Author:** ![Kropotkin](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/kropotkin/32/18045_2.png) [@Kropotkin](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Kropotkin)\ **Post date:** [August 24, 2023, 1:36pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-sloop-john-b/989032/8 "2023-08-24T13:36:40Z")
The early formats for recordings and radio play also put limits on the lengths of songs. Carl Sandburg’s The American Songbag, published in 1927, doesn’t include the last two verses of Gallienne’s 1916 version, and as Peter\_Morris noted above, Gallienne’s is not the first or definitive version. ---
**Author:** ![Earl\_Snake-Hips\_Tucker](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/earl_snake-hips_tucker/32/3269_2.png) [@Earl\_Snake-Hips\_Tucker](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Earl_Snake-Hips_Tucker)\ **Post date:** [August 24, 2023, 5:04pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-sloop-john-b/989032/9 "2023-08-24T17:04:35Z")
There’s a version from the 1930s on youtube. Don’t recall whether they include the last verses, but they pronounce the word “hoist” as “heist.” ---
**Author:** ![SCAdian](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/scadian/32/3292_2.png) [@SCAdian](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/SCAdian)\ **Post date:** [August 24, 2023, 6:18pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-sloop-john-b/989032/10 "2023-08-24T18:18:05Z")
> [@Crane](#): > > Original publication [here](https://r.search.yahoo.com/_ylt=AwrNOPsqV.dkgcgO7UlXNyoA;_ylu=Y29sbwNiZjEEcG9zAzIEdnRpZANMT0NVSTEwMkJfMQRzZWMDc3I-/RV=2/RE=1692911530/RO=10/RU=https%3a%2f%2fen.wikisource.org%2fwiki%2fThe_John_B._Sails/RK=2/RS=wsTToJTmJcRYZAyi1JF5rUl9Dm0-) The _real_ original publication [here](https://archive.org/details/harpersnew134various/page/82/mode/2up). 😃 Yes, that’s the version I’m asking about. Everyone seems to have just recorded the first three verses. ---
**Author:** ![SCAdian](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/scadian/32/3292_2.png) [@SCAdian](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/SCAdian)\ **Post date:** [August 24, 2023, 6:25pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-sloop-john-b/989032/11 "2023-08-24T18:25:59Z")
> [@silenus](#): > > The last two verses are kinda stupid, so I can see why they aren’t recorded. Good point. I had to laugh at the captain’s pig, though. ---
**Author:** ![Jaycat.again](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/jaycat.again/32/11525_2.png) [@Jaycat.again](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Jaycat.again)\ **Post date:** [August 24, 2023, 9:44pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-sloop-john-b/989032/12 "2023-08-24T21:44:28Z")
For those who haven’t heard the definitive version: [https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fJwis5FA3mA](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fJwis5FA3mA) ---
**Author:** ![Elendil\_s\_Heir](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/7cd45c/32.png) [@Elendil\_s\_Heir](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Elendil_s_Heir)\ **Post date:** [August 25, 2023, 12:53am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-sloop-john-b/989032/13 "2023-08-25T00:53:02Z")
Heh. The Beach Boys song’s Sheriff John Stone was the mystery person in our SDMB Botticelli round not long ago. ---
**Author:** ![markn\_1](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/f9ae1b/32.png) [@markn\_1](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/markn_1)\ **Post date:** [August 25, 2023, 5:30pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-sloop-john-b/989032/14 "2023-08-25T17:30:16Z")
> [@silenus](#): > > The last two verses are kinda stupid, so I can see why they aren’t recorded. Well, all of the verses are kinda stupid, but the Beach Boy’s version is still a great song. I really want to see someone do a video somehow connecting the first verse with Rick and Morty. I can’t believe it hasn’t been done yet.