"Spanish Ladies" (Roud 687) is a traditional British naval song, typically describing a voyage from Spain to the Downs from the viewpoint of ratings of the Royal Navy. Other prominent variants include an American variant called "Yankee Whalermen", an Australian variant called "Brisbane Ladies", and a Newfoundland variant called "The Ryans and the Pittmans".

A broadside ballad by the name "Spanish Ladies" was registered in the English Stationer's Company on December 14, 1624.^{[citation needed]} Roy Palmer writes that the oldest text he has seen is from the 1796 logbook of HMS Nellie. The timing of the mention in the Nellie's logbook suggests that the song was created during the War of the First Coalition (1793–96), when the Royal Navy carried supplies to Spain to aid its opposition to revolutionary France. It probably gained in popularity during the later Peninsular War when British soldiers were transported throughout the Iberian Peninsula to assist rebels fighting against the French occupation.^{[citation needed]} After their victory over the Grande Armée, these soldiers were returned to Britain but forbidden to bring their Spanish wives, lovers, and children with them.

The song predates the proper emergence of the sea shanty. Shanties were the work songs of merchant sailors, rather than naval ones. However, in his 1840 novel Poor Jack, Captain Frederick Marryat reports that the song "Spanish Ladies"—though once very popular—was "now almost forgotten" and he included it in whole in order to "rescue it from oblivion". The emergence of shanties in the mid-19th century then revived its fortunes, to the point where it is now sometimes included as a "borrowed song" within the genre.

"Spanish Ladies" is the story of British naval seamen sailing north from Spain and along the English Channel. The crew are unable to determine their latitude by sighting as the distance between Ushant to the south and the Scillies to the north is wide. Instead, they locate themselves by the depth and the sandy bottom they have sounded. Arthur Ransome, in his novel Peter Duck, suggests that the succession of headlands on the English shore indicates the ship tacking up-channel away from the French coast, identifying a new landmark on each tack. However, one verse (quoted below) states that they had the wind at southwest and squared their mainsails to run up the Channel, rather than beating against a northeasterly.

This is the text recorded in the 1840 novel Poor Jack. It is one of many. Notable variations are shown in parentheses after each line.

Farewell and adieu to you, Spanish ladies, (alt: "...to Spanish ladies" alt: "... to you fair Spanish Ladies")
Farewell and adieu to you, ladies of Spain; (alt: "...to ladies of Spain;" alt: "...to you ladies of Spain;")
     For we have received orders (alt: "...'re under orders")
     For to sail to old England, (alt: "To sail back to England")
But we hope in a short time to see you again. (alt: "And we may ne'er see you fair ladies again." alt: "And never to see you fine ladies again"))

(Chorus:)
We'll rant and we'll roar, like true British sailors,
We'll rant and we'll roar across the salt seas; (alt: "We'll range and we'll roam all on the salt seas;")
     Until we strike soundings
     In the Channel of old England,
From Ushant to Scilly 'tis thirty-five leagues. (alt: "34" or "45".)

Then we hove our ship to, with the wind at the sou'west, my boys, (alt: "We hove our ship to, with the wind from sou'west, boys")
Then we hove our ship to, for to strike soundings clear; (alt: "...deep soundings to take;" "...for to make soundings clear;")
     Then we filled the main topsail (alt: "'Twas 45 (or 55) fathoms with a white sandy bottom")
     And bore right away, my boys, (alt: "So we squared our main yard")
And straight up the Channel of old England did steer. (alt: "And up channel did make." or "...did steer")

So the first land we made, it is called the Deadman, (alt: "The first land we sighted was callèd the Dodman")
Next Ram Head, off Plymouth, Start, Portland, and the Wight; (alt: "Next Rame Head off Plymouth, Start, Portland, and Wight;")
     We sailèd by Beachy, (alt: "We sailed by Beachy / by Fairlight and Dover")
     By Fairly and Dungeness,
And then bore away for the South Foreland light. (alt: "Until we brought to for..." or "And then we bore up for...")

Now the signal it was made for the Grand Fleet to anchor (alt: "Then the signal was made...")
All in the Downs that night for to meet; (alt: "...that night for to lie;")
     Then stand by your stoppers, (alt: "Let go your shank painter, / Let go your cat stopper")
     See clear your shank painters,
Hawl all your clew garnets, stick out tacks and sheets. (alt: "Haul up your clewgarnets, let tack and sheets fly")

Now let every man take off his full bumper, (alt: "Now let ev'ry man drink off his full bumper")
Let every man take off his full bowl; (alt: "And let ev'ry man drink off his full glass;")
     For we will be jolly (alt: "We'll drink and be jolly")
     And drown melancholy,
With a health to each jovial and true hearted soul. (alt: "And here's to the health of each true-hearted lass.")

Some traditional English performances of the song can be heard on the British Library Sound Archive:

The folk song collectors Edith Fowke, Laura Boulton and Helen Creighton recorded versions from traditional singers in Canada, particularly in Nova Scotia.