A Shanty of Packet Ships and Atlantic Voyages
‘Eliza Lee’, sometimes known as ‘Clear Away the Track, Let the Bulgine Run’, is one of the most colourful sea shanties of the nineteenth century. Associated with packet ships travelling between Britain and North America, the song combines maritime adventure, humour and romance in a way that made it popular with generations of sailors.
Today it remains a favourite among sea shanty singers thanks to its lively chorus and its vivid references to Liverpool, New York and the great packet ship routes of the Atlantic.
The Packet Ship Era
The song emerged during the great age of packet ships, vessels that carried mail, cargo and passengers on regular schedules across the Atlantic. Unlike earlier merchant ships that sailed only when fully loaded, packet ships operated to a timetable and became famous for their speed and reliability.
Many versions of the song refer to well-known packet ships and shipping lines operating between Liverpool and New York, two of the busiest ports in the nineteenth-century maritime world.
Who Was Eliza Lee?
Like many figures in traditional folk songs, the true identity of Eliza Lee is uncertain. She appears as the sailor's sweetheart, remembered fondly throughout the voyage. Different versions of the song use different names, including Margaret Evans and other female characters associated with packet-ship lore.
The romantic storyline provided a contrast to the hard physical labour of shipboard life and gave sailors a familiar theme to sing about during long voyages.
What Was a Bulgine?
One of the most unusual words in the song is ‘bulgine’. Maritime researchers generally agree that this was nineteenth-century slang for an engine. The phrase ‘clear away the track and let the bulgine run’ may have originated in railway or steam-engine culture before finding its way into maritime music.
This unusual mixture of sailing-ship imagery and steam-age language provides a fascinating glimpse into a period when traditional sail and modern technology existed side by side.
Irish and African-American Influences
Researchers, including the maritime historian Stan Hugill, noted that the song appears to combine Irish musical influences with elements derived from African-American work songs. Such cultural blending was common in major ports where sailors, dock workers and travelling musicians shared songs and traditions.
The result was a distinctly Atlantic maritime song whose influences stretched across both sides of the ocean.
Capstan Shanty or Halyard Shanty?
‘Eliza Lee’ is most often classified as a capstan shanty, used while sailors walked around the capstan to raise anchors or carry out other prolonged tasks. However, some versions were adapted for hauling work, demonstrating the flexibility that was common within the sea shanty tradition.
“With Eliza Lee all on my knee, clear away the track and let the bulgine run!”
Why We Still Sing It
- It preserves memories of the famous Atlantic packet ships.
- Its chorus is lively and easy for audiences to join.
- It reflects the multicultural origins of many traditional shanties.
- Its references to Liverpool and New York connect it to real maritime history.
That last point matters to us a great deal. We started The Selsey Shantymen to bring our seafaring heritage to life, and ‘Eliza Lee’ remains a wonderful example of how maritime music carried stories, humour and memories across oceans and generations.