Sea Chanty
"Gone to Hilo" (also known as "Tom’s Gone to Hilo" or "Johnny’s Gone to Hilo") is a traditional maritime halyard shanty used by sailors to coordinate the hoisting of sails on 19th-century clipper ships. The song is characterized by its slow, melancholic tempo, making it suitable for heavy lifts but unpopular with officers who preferred faster-paced shanties.
The lyrics often reflect nostalgia and longing, telling the story of a sailor—Tommy, Tom, or Johnny—who has left for Hilo, believed to be a reference to the Peruvian port of Ilo (pronounced "Ee-low") rather than Hilo in Hawaii.
My Johnny's gone What shall I do? Johnny's gone to Hilo My Johnny's gone And I'll go too Johnny's a-gone to Hilo
Hilo-u-a Hilo My Johnny's gone What shall I do? Johnny's a-gone to Hilo
Now pull away, my bully boys Johnny's a-gone to Hilo Oh, pull away and make some noise Johnny's gone to Hilo
Hilo-u-a Hilo My Johnny's gone What shall I do? Johnny's gone to Hilo
My Johnny's gone to Old Rio Johnny's a-gone to Hilo To see them Spanish girls, I know Johnny's a-gone to Hilo
Hilo-u-a Hilo My Johnny's gone What shall I do? Johnny's gone to Hilo
My Johnny is gone and left this shore Johnny's gone to Hilo My Johnny's gone forevermore Johnny's a-gone to Hilo
Hilo-u-a Hilo My Johnny's gone What shall I do? Johnny's a-gone to Hilo
My Johnny's gone, what shall I do? Johnny's gone to Hilo My Johnny's gone and I'll go too Johnny's gone to Hilo
Hilo-you Hilo my Johnny's gone What shall I do? Johnny's gone to Hilo
My Johnny's gone to old Rio Johnny's gone to Hilo To see them Spanish girls I know Johnny's gone to Hilo
Hilo-you Hilo my Johnny's gone What shall I do? Johnny's gone to Hilo
My Johnny's gone and left us all Johnny's gone to Hilo My Johnny's gone for evermore Johnny's gone to Hilo
Hilo-you Hilo my Johnny's gone What shall I do? Johnny's gone to Hilo
My Johnny's gone what shall I do My Johnny's gone to Hilo And if he says so I'll go to My Johnny's gone to Hilo Hilo-a Hilo my Johnny's gone And I'll go too My Johnny's gone to Hilo My Johnny's sailed away to sea My Johnny's gone to Hilo A mermaid's lover he'll surely be My Johnny's gone to Hilo Hilo-a Hilo my Johnny's gone And I'll go too My Johnny's gone to Hilo My Johnny's sailed From off of these shores My Johnny's gone to Hilo I'll never see my Johnny no more My Johnny's gone to Hilo Hilo-a Hilo my Johnny's gone And I'll go too My Johnny's gone to Hilo