"Rolling Down to Old Maui" (or Mohee) (Roud 2005) is a traditional sea song. It expresses the anticipation of the crew of a whaling vessel on its return to Maui after a season of whaling in the Kamchatka Sea.
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Origin
Although the words have been found in records going back to the mid 19th century, there is some dispute about the accuracy and provenance of the melody. The words of Rolling Down to Old Mohee have been found in a copybook of a sailor called George Piper, who was on a whaling ship between 1866-1872. Similar lyrics were recorded by Joanna Colcord in her collection in 1924, where she stated that the melody had been forgotten.
Other references point to a version recorded in the journal of the whaling ship Atkins Adams from 1855.
Versions
It has been performed and recorded by several singers and bands, including The Dreadnoughts, Kimber's Men, Todd Rundgren, Stan Rogers and Jon Boden. Its melody has also been used, in its entirety as well as in part, as the basis for many other folk songs and song parodies, such as "The Light-Ship" by Leslie Fish and "Falling Down on New Jersey" by Mitchell Burnside-Clapp.