WEEK 12 | Sailors - The Hog-Eye Man

What a scandal! The Hog-Eye Man stood out from the list of songs and enchanted me with its catchy lyrics and energetic tone. I found myself humming the tune and envisioned a melody that resembled the movement of a galloping horse.

Putting all that aside, the imagery in this song depicts a shocking tale (well, at least one that was shocking at the time it was originally sung). Upon first glance, the term "hog-eye" appears vague and suggestive of an ambiguous man that comes to visit Sally Jane in the garden. Who is this hog-eye man and why does the narrator have such disdain for him?

The general definition of Hog Eye is a barge in a canal and "navvy" is likened to mean someone who navigates. This focuses the story around a man who navigates the barges that go to San Francisco. If the narrator alludes to going off to Sally Jane and "a hog-eye," his tone of voice suggests that he is off to take care of business with this hog-eye. Perhaps seamen were not welcomed ashore by people or were not desirable mates for families with young ladies; or maybe this particular seaman was just an individual to be weary of. The latter interpretation sounds more likely than the former.

Therefore we must consider what kind of man would strike controversy if he were to meet up with a young woman and what actions he would take that would give the song its saucy melody. To address the second question first, the actions would most obviously allude to a sexual nature. This is evident in the lyrics referring to Sally, whose hair is loose and hanging to her knees, shelling peas in the garden while the hog-eye is sitting on her knees.

Then we focus on the identity of the hog-eye: who is this man? Needless to say, I conducted a great effort to research this topic and from my findings I conclude that the hog-eye freed to in this song is a black man. Thus, the controversy would be a reference to an interracial relationship.

Go fetch me down my ridin' cane,

For I'm goin' to see my darlin' Jane

And a hog-eye, 

Railroad navvy with his hog eye,

Row ashore with a hog-eye,

Oh, she wants a hog-eye man

Oh the hog-eye men are all the go 

When they come down to San Francisco

Now it's who's been here since I've been gone,

A railroad navvy with his sea boots on

Oh Sally in the garden pickin' peas,

Her golden hair hangin' down to her knees

Oh Sally in the garden, shellin' peas, 

With her young hog-eye all a-sittin'on her knees

Oh a hog-eye ship and a hog-eye crew,

A hog-eye mate and skipper too

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The blonde hair represents Sally Jane, the black strand of hair represents the black man, the weaving of the blonde and black hair alludes to their relationship, and the pea flower - reminiscent of the peas Sally was shelling in the garden - indicates the insemination or blossoming of their relationship.

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