Good Ship Venus: Difference between revisions
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===A few other verses=== | |||
{{poemquote|The Captain's wife was Mabel | {{poemquote|The Captain's wife was Mabel | ||
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== HMS ''Venus'', RN == | == HMS ''Venus'', RN == | ||
Five ships of the [[Royal Navy]] have borne the name | Five ships of the [[w:Royal Navy|Royal Navy]] have borne the name HMS Venus between 1758 and 1972. The most recent was a [[w:HMS Venus (R50)|destroyer]] launched in 1943, which was converted into a [[w:Type 15 frigate|fast frigate]] in 1951, and served during the 1950s and 60s, to the surprise of those who assumed the name in the song to be apocryphal. (She was a sister ship of [[w:HMS Troubridge (R00)|HMS ''Troubridge'']], whose name inspired the fictional "HMS ''Troutbridge''" in the long-running BBC radio comedy ''[[The Navy Lark]]'' of the same period). | ||
== Recordings == | == Recordings == | ||
| Line 55: | Line 55: | ||
| alt = | | alt = | ||
| type = | | type = | ||
| artist = [[Sex Pistols]] | | artist = [[w:Sex Pistols|Sex Pistols]] | ||
| album = [[The Great Rock 'n' Roll Swindle (album)|The Great Rock 'n' Roll Swindle]] | | album = [[w:The Great Rock 'n' Roll Swindle (album)|The Great Rock 'n' Roll Swindle]] | ||
| released = 26 February 1979 | | released = 26 February 1979 | ||
| recorded = 1979 | | recorded = 1979 | ||
| studio = | | studio = | ||
| venue = | | venue = | ||
| genre = [[Punk rock]] | | genre = [[w:Punk rock|Punk rock]] | ||
| length = 3 | | length = {{Duration|m=3|s=37}} | ||
| label = [[Virgin Records|Virgin]] | | label = [[w:Virgin Records|Virgin]] | ||
| writer = Traditional; arranged by [[Steve Jones (musician)|Steve Jones]] | | writer = Traditional; arranged by [[w:Steve Jones (musician)|Steve Jones]] | ||
| producer = [[Dave Goodman (record producer)|Dave Goodman]] | | producer = [[w:Dave Goodman (record producer)|Dave Goodman]] | ||
}} | }} | ||
Notable recordings include the [[Oscar Brand]] 1952 version, and the [[United Kingdom|British]] [[punk rock|punk]] band [[Sex Pistols]], which appears on their ''[[The Great Rock 'n' Roll Swindle (album)|Great Rock 'n' Roll Swindle]]'' album, and appears as the finale track in the film of the same name. Released as part of a double-A side, it reached No. 3 in the UK singles chart in 1979 and was the band's biggest selling single. | Notable recordings include the [[w:Oscar Brand|Oscar Brand]]'s 1952 version, and the [[w:United Kingdom|British]] [[w:punk rock|punk]] band the [[w:Sex Pistols|Sex Pistols]], which appears on their ''[[w:The Great Rock 'n' Roll Swindle (album)|Great Rock 'n' Roll Swindle]]'' album, and appears as the finale track in the film of the same name. Released as part of a double-A side, it reached No. 3 in the UK singles chart in 1979 and was the band's biggest selling single. | ||
When a ship was required in ''[[The Goon Show]]'' it was often named the "Good Ship Venus" or "HMS ''Venus''", one of several references to dirty jokes the Goons managed to get past the 1950s BBC censors. | When a ship was required in ''[[The Goon Show]]'' it was often named the "Good Ship Venus" or "HMS ''Venus''", one of several references to dirty jokes the Goons managed to get past the 1950s BBC censors. | ||
The American [[thrash metal]] band [[Anthrax (American band)|Anthrax]] covered the Sex Pistols' version, but with different lyrics. In 2006 [[Loudon Wainwright III]] recorded it on the compilation album ''[[Rogue's Gallery: Pirate Ballads, Sea Songs, and Chanteys]]''. The American punk band [[Showcase Showdown (band)|Showcase Showdown]] also released a version of the song on a tribute to the Sex Pistols. | The American [[w:thrash metal|thrash metal]] band [[w:Anthrax (American band)|Anthrax]] covered the Sex Pistols' version, but with different lyrics. In 2006 [[w:Loudon Wainwright III|Loudon Wainwright III]] recorded it on the compilation album ''[[w:Rogue's Gallery: Pirate Ballads, Sea Songs, and Chanteys|Rogue's Gallery: Pirate Ballads]]''. The American punk band [[w:Showcase Showdown (band)|Showcase Showdown]] also released a version of the song on a tribute to the Sex Pistols. | ||
Serbian [[punk rock]] musician [[Toni Montano]] recorded a version of the song, with lyrics in the [[Serbian language]], entitled "Frigidna je bila", relying on the Sex Pistols version. | Serbian [[w:punk rock|punk rock]] musician [[w:Toni Montano|Toni Montano]] recorded a version of the song, with lyrics in the [[w:Serbian language|Serbian language]], entitled "Frigidna je bila", relying on the Sex Pistols version. | ||
In British director [[Ken Russell]]'s 2005 "Hot Pants Trilogy", "The Goodship Venus" short was billed as a musical trip around [[Cape Horn]] with "as horny a crew of sex-crazed sailors who ever sailed the seven seas." The trilogy received its world premiere at the Oldenburg Festival, Germany in Sept 2005. | In British director [[w:Ken Russell|Ken Russell]]'s 2005 "Hot Pants Trilogy", "The Goodship Venus" short was billed as a musical trip around [[w:Cape Horn|Cape Horn]] with "as horny a crew of sex-crazed sailors who ever sailed the seven seas." The trilogy received its world premiere at the Oldenburg Festival, Germany in Sept 2005. | ||
== In popular culture == | == In popular culture == | ||
Latest revision as of 08:01, 22 November 2022
"Good Ship Venus", also known as "Friggin' in the Riggin", is a bawdy drinking song devised to shock with ever increasingly lewd and debauched sexual descriptions of the eponymous ship's loose-moraled crew. The tune usually used (especially for the chorus) is "Go In and Out the Window".
Lyrics
The opening verse is typically something along the lines of:
'Twas on the good ship Venus,
By Christ you should have seen us,
The figurehead
Was a whore in bed,
And the mast a rampant penis.[1]
However, the lyrics exist in numerous variations. For example, the last line varies, being substituted with any of a large variety of phrases such as 'Our crest a rampant penis',[2] 'With a mouth full of dead man's penis', or 'Sucking on a red-hot penis'.[3]
The usual rhyming structure for this song is the limerick AABBA structure.
A few other verses
The Captain's wife was Mabel
She was ready, willing and able
On the floor, behind the door
Or under the kitchen table.
The first mate's name was Carter
By gad he was a farter!
When the wind wouldn't blow
And the ship wouldn't go
They'd get Carter the farter to start her.
The second mate's name was Topper
By Christ he had a whopper!
Once around the deck
Twice around his neck
And up his ass for a stopper.
Origin
It is possible that this song was inspired by an actual event, where a female convict (Charlotte Badger), sailing on the colonial brigantine Venus, persuaded members of the crew to commandeer the vessel, sailing from Port Dalrymple, Tasmania, (now part of George Town, Tasmania) in 1806.[4]
Despite various reports, the ultimate fate of the Venus is unknown. This may have led to speculation by those left behind, with fantasies leading to the creation of this drinking song. One of the verses also refers to a 'Charlotte':
The captain's daughter Charlotte
Was born and bred a harlot
Her thighs at night
Were lily white
By morning they were scarlet.
HMS Venus, RN
Five ships of the Royal Navy have borne the name HMS Venus between 1758 and 1972. The most recent was a destroyer launched in 1943, which was converted into a fast frigate in 1951, and served during the 1950s and 60s, to the surprise of those who assumed the name in the song to be apocryphal. (She was a sister ship of HMS Troubridge, whose name inspired the fictional "HMS Troutbridge" in the long-running BBC radio comedy The Navy Lark of the same period).
Recordings
| "Friggin' in the Riggin'" | |
|---|---|
| Song by Sex Pistols | |
| from the album The Great Rock 'n' Roll Swindle | |
| Released | 26 February 1979 |
| Recorded | 1979 |
| Genre | Punk rock |
| Length | 3:37 |
| Label | Virgin |
| Songwriter(s) | Traditional; arranged by Steve Jones |
| Producer(s) | Dave Goodman |
Notable recordings include the Oscar Brand's 1952 version, and the British punk band the Sex Pistols, which appears on their Great Rock 'n' Roll Swindle album, and appears as the finale track in the film of the same name. Released as part of a double-A side, it reached No. 3 in the UK singles chart in 1979 and was the band's biggest selling single.
When a ship was required in The Goon Show it was often named the "Good Ship Venus" or "HMS Venus", one of several references to dirty jokes the Goons managed to get past the 1950s BBC censors.
The American thrash metal band Anthrax covered the Sex Pistols' version, but with different lyrics. In 2006 Loudon Wainwright III recorded it on the compilation album Rogue's Gallery: Pirate Ballads. The American punk band Showcase Showdown also released a version of the song on a tribute to the Sex Pistols.
Serbian punk rock musician Toni Montano recorded a version of the song, with lyrics in the Serbian language, entitled "Frigidna je bila", relying on the Sex Pistols version.
In British director Ken Russell's 2005 "Hot Pants Trilogy", "The Goodship Venus" short was billed as a musical trip around Cape Horn with "as horny a crew of sex-crazed sailors who ever sailed the seven seas." The trilogy received its world premiere at the Oldenburg Festival, Germany in Sept 2005.
In popular culture
The chorus from the Sex Pistols' version of the song was used in the opening titles of the Channel 4 situation comedy Captain Butler; minor variations to the words (in spoken form) were added, notably by the series' lead actor Craig Charles. A Royal Navy ship Venus is the setting of the film Carry On Jack. Also, in the Television Series Man About the House, George Roper tries to teach his budgerigar 'Oscar' the song 'On Board the Good Ship Venus' in the episode 'One more for the pot' (Season 6, Episode2).[5]
References
- ^ Cray, Ed. The Erotic Muse: American Bawdy Songs (University of Illinois, 1992). pg 316.
- ^ Sebastian Hogbotle and Simon Feckes Snatches and Lays (Melbourne: Sun Books: 1973). pg. 87.
- ^ Loudon Wainwright III "Good Ship Venus" on Rogue's Gallery: Pirate Ballads, Sea Songs and Chanteys 2006
- ^ "venus". Homepages.ihug.co.nz. Archived from the original on 2009-07-05. Retrieved 2010-02-12.
- ^ "man about the house one more for the pot - Bing video". www.bing.com. Retrieved 2019-03-16.
Further reading
- Cray, Ed. The Erotic Muse: American Bawdy Songs (University of Illinois, 1992).
- Legman, Gershon. The Horn Book. (New York: University Press, 1964).
- Roud Folk Song Index 4836
