Ephemera

When Mom needed to move into an assisted living facility nearly ten years ago, we closed down the family home where she had lived for forty years. Every effort was made at that time to get rid of the junk, give away the good stuff (because she had too much of it….), and take care of the important documents, photos, and other ephemera.

But we ran out of time. Mom’s hope chest, for instance, was not gone through. Instead, we packed up the contents in a Rubbermaid bin, moved it with her into her tiny apartment, and promised that one day soon, she and her five kids would sit down together and sort it out.

All these years later, and with Mom no longer a part of our Party of Six, we still haven’t gotten around to it. We plan to soon, though, perhaps when we siblings gather to celebrate Mom’s birthday in a couple of weeks from now. In the meantime, my brother has emptied the contents of a locked metal box and found a gem or two.

Here is the poem (or, I think I can more accurately say, drinking song….) my father and his immigrant shipmates wrote and performed aboard the M.S. John Ericsson, on their way from Scotland to New York City, in December of 1946. I’m typing it out exactly as it appears on this 65-year-old piece of paper.

Finding this puts the capstone on how it is to be a first-generation American, the daughter of a Scot. I hope you get a kick out it, too.

“John Ericsson Sailing Song”
(Sung to the tune of Glory, Glory Halleluya)

The bunch of us are sailing on the Johnny Ericsson
(Repeat two times)
And there isn’t a drink on the ship

CHORUS
Lordy Lordy what a helluva helluva ship
(Repeat two times)
Is the Johnny Ericsson

We wanted first class cabins but they put us in a bunk
People seasick right and left and lordy how it stunk
We’d rather be ashore and feeling very very drunk
Than sailing on the Johnny Ericsson

CHORUS

They had a dancing party and we thought it would be fun
But the ship was tossing madly and the phono wouldn’t run
The needle wasn’t sharp enough, the records they were bum
On the Johnny Ericsson

CHORUS

They organized the races and we all began to bet
The odds were pretty awful, and now we’re all in debt
The horses did the running, and the steward he did sweat
On the Johnny Ericsson

CHORUS

We sit around all evening and we try to pass the time
The U.S. gives us coke, but what we really want is wine
When they bring out the brandy then we’ll all be feeling fine
On the Johnny Ericsson

CHORUS

But in spite of all our grumbling we are here to sing tonight
And in the Christmas spirit it isn’t right to fight
So we’ll try to love the U.S. Lines with all our heart and might
On the Johnny Ericsson

LAST CHORUS (slowly with much feeling)
Glory, Glory what a lovely lovely ship
(Repeat two times)
Is the Johnny Ericsson

We’d like to thank the Captain and the Officers and Crew
They are good sports and what is more we know they’ll bring us to
America where most of us will start our lives anew
Cause we’re sailing on the Johnny Ericsson

REPEAT LAST CHORUS

Words by the John Ericsson passengers Glee Club. Song first introduced at M.S. “John Ericsson” Christmas party at Sea Dec 25, 1946

Posted by Katy on 03/29/11 at 07:12 AM

Fallible Comments...

Oh what a cool momento! Thanks for sharing! My Grandfather wrote a journal of his trip oversees in WWII and I treasure his way of sharing memories and the funny things they did and the way he described some of what he saw. I wished I had known when I was younger what a great writer he was - I would have encouraged him to write more before cancer stole him from us. I have a copy though of his thoughts to share someday with MY kids - and carry on that heritage! Thansk for sharing this!

Posted by Susan Baganz on 03/29/11 at 08:00 AM
That is AWESOME! What a fun guy your dad must’ve been, and what an expressive piece of history. Thank you for sharing!

Posted by Kathy Frazier on 03/29/11 at 08:43 AM
Hey..this blog is example of one fine piece of writing..it is highly informative and beneficial…thanks a lot for sharing your thoughts and expertise on such important and valuable issues…Adorable Pictures as well…..keep posting..! ! !Visit this : Large Dinner Parties

Posted by Christmas Parties on 08/23/11 at 02:05 AM

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Personal blog of christian writer & fallible mom Katy McKenna Raymond in Kansas City, Missouri Katy is represented by Rachelle Gardner at WordServe Literary Read more Katy at LateBoomer.net Follow Katy on Twitter Follow Katy on Facebook Recent Posts Soul Train Live Out Your Dream And Discard The Box Tears In A Bottle From The Young Mom I Once Was, To You I Can’t Help Falling What A Difference Ten Years Makes The Next Best Thing To Robert Redford The Memory Keeper’s Daughter Where Have All The Years Gone Fun With Kiki Cullen Stuck On Mom Ten Years Later, Our Girls From Northern Ireland Remembered The Thrift of Grief Job Security The Party’s Over Search Advanced Search Syndicate Login E me at katy @ ngenius.com	Ephemera When Mom needed to move into an assisted living facility nearly ten years ago, we closed down the family home where she had lived for forty years. Every effort was made at that time to get rid of the junk, give away the good stuff (because she had too much of it….), and take care of the important documents, photos, and other ephemera. But we ran out of time. Mom’s hope chest, for instance, was not gone through. Instead, we packed up the contents in a Rubbermaid bin, moved it with her into her tiny apartment, and promised that one day soon, she and her five kids would sit down together and sort it out. All these years later, and with Mom no longer a part of our Party of Six, we still haven’t gotten around to it. We plan to soon, though, perhaps when we siblings gather to celebrate Mom’s birthday in a couple of weeks from now. In the meantime, my brother has emptied the contents of a locked metal box and found a gem or two. Here is the poem (or, I think I can more accurately say, drinking song….) my father and his immigrant shipmates wrote and performed aboard the M.S. John Ericsson, on their way from Scotland to New York City, in December of 1946. I’m typing it out exactly as it appears on this 65-year-old piece of paper. Finding this puts the capstone on how it is to be a first-generation American, the daughter of a Scot. I hope you get a kick out it, too. “John Ericsson Sailing Song” (Sung to the tune of Glory, Glory Halleluya) The bunch of us are sailing on the Johnny Ericsson (Repeat two times) And there isn’t a drink on the ship CHORUS Lordy Lordy what a helluva helluva ship (Repeat two times) Is the Johnny Ericsson We wanted first class cabins but they put us in a bunk People seasick right and left and lordy how it stunk We’d rather be ashore and feeling very very drunk Than sailing on the Johnny Ericsson CHORUS They had a dancing party and we thought it would be fun But the ship was tossing madly and the phono wouldn’t run The needle wasn’t sharp enough, the records they were bum On the Johnny Ericsson CHORUS They organized the races and we all began to bet The odds were pretty awful, and now we’re all in debt The horses did the running, and the steward he did sweat On the Johnny Ericsson CHORUS We sit around all evening and we try to pass the time The U.S. gives us coke, but what we really want is wine When they bring out the brandy then we’ll all be feeling fine On the Johnny Ericsson CHORUS But in spite of all our grumbling we are here to sing tonight And in the Christmas spirit it isn’t right to fight So we’ll try to love the U.S. Lines with all our heart and might On the Johnny Ericsson LAST CHORUS (slowly with much feeling) Glory, Glory what a lovely lovely ship (Repeat two times) Is the Johnny Ericsson We’d like to thank the Captain and the Officers and Crew They are good sports and what is more we know they’ll bring us to America where most of us will start our lives anew Cause we’re sailing on the Johnny Ericsson REPEAT LAST CHORUS Words by the John Ericsson passengers Glee Club. Song first introduced at M.S. “John Ericsson” Christmas party at Sea Dec 25, 1946 Posted by Katy on 03/29/11 at 07:12 AM Fallible Comments... Oh what a cool momento! Thanks for sharing! My Grandfather wrote a journal of his trip oversees in WWII and I treasure his way of sharing memories and the funny things they did and the way he described some of what he saw. I wished I had known when I was younger what a great writer he was - I would have encouraged him to write more before cancer stole him from us. I have a copy though of his thoughts to share someday with MY kids - and carry on that heritage! Thansk for sharing this! Posted by Susan Baganz on 03/29/11 at 08:00 AM That is AWESOME! What a fun guy your dad must’ve been, and what an expressive piece of history. Thank you for sharing! Posted by Kathy Frazier on 03/29/11 at 08:43 AM Hey..this blog is example of one fine piece of writing..it is highly informative and beneficial…thanks a lot for sharing your thoughts and expertise on such important and valuable issues…Adorable Pictures as well…..keep posting..! ! !Visit this : Large Dinner Parties Posted by Christmas Parties on 08/23/11 at 02:05 AM Page 1 of 1 pages Name: Email: Location: URL: Add a fallible comment... Remember my personal information Notify me of follow-up comments? Next entry: Ephemera, Part Two Previous entry: And You Think To Yourself << Back to main


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Ephemera

Personal blog of christian
writer & fallible mom
Katy McKenna Raymond
in Kansas City, Missouri