Davy Jones' Locker

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Davy Jones' Locker is an idiom for the bottom of the sea — the resting place of drowned seamen. It is used as a euphemism for death at sea (e.g. to be "sent to Davy Jones' Locker")^[1]; Davy Jones is a nickname (used primarily by sailors) for what would be the devil of the seas. The origins of the name are unclear, and many theories have been put forth, including incompetent sailors, a pub owner who kidnapped sailors, or that Davy Jones is another name for the devil - as in, "Devil Jonah."

The story's reputation has been widespread among sailors since its popularization and nautical traditions have been created around Davy Jones. He is also very popular in the broader culture.

Contents 1 Origin 1.1 Literature 1.2 Theories 1.3 Etymology 1.4 Reputation 2 In popular culture 2.1 Movies 2.2 Television 2.3 Games 2.4 Music 2.5 Print 3 References

[edit] Origin

[edit] Literature

Daniel Defoe mentions the phrase in his 1726 book "The Four Years Voyages of Capt. George Roberts": "Heaving the rest into David Jones's locker, i.e. the sea." It appears not to have yet taken on the later connotations of misfortune.^[2]

The earliest known reference to Davy Jones's negative connotation occurs in The Adventures of Peregrine Pickle by Tobias Smollett, published in 1751:

This same Davy Jones, according to sailors, is the fiend that presides over all the evil spirits of the deep, and is often seen in various shapes, perching among the rigging on the eve of hurricanes, ship-wrecks, and other disasters to which sea-faring life is exposed, warning the devoted wretch of death and woe.^[3]

He is described in the same story as having saucer eyes, three rows of teeth, horns, a tail, and blue smoke coming from his nostrils.^[2]

In 1824, Washington Irving mentions Jones's name in his "Adventures of the Black Fisherman.":

He came, said he, in a storm, and he went in a storm; he came in the night, and he went in the night; he came nobody knows whence, and he has gone nobody knows where. For aught I know he has gone to sea once more on his chest, and may land to bother some people on the other side of the world; though it's a thousand pities, added he, if he has gone to Davy Jones's locker.^[2]

[edit] Theories

The exact origin of "Davy Jones" is unclear, and many explanations have been proposed. David Jones was a pirate on the Indian Ocean in the 1630s,^[4] but most scholars agree that he was not famous enough to gain such lasting global fame. ^[2] Sources have cited the British pub owner who is referenced in the 1594 song "Jones's Ale is Newe." He may be the same pub owner who supposedly threw drunken sailors into his ale locker and then dumped them onto any passing ship.^[2] He could also be Duffer Jones, a notoriously myopic sailor who often found himself overboard.^[5]

Others have suggested more supernatural meanings. Some believe the name came from Welsh sailors who would call upon Saint David for protection in times of mortal danger.^[2] Some also think it is just another name for the devil.^[2] Some call him Deva, Davy or Taffy, the thief of the evil spirit. Some think Jonah became the "evil angel" of all sailors, as the story of Jonah involved his shipmates realizing Jonah was an unlucky sailor and cast him overboard. Naturally, sailors of previous centuries would identify more with the beset-upon shipmates of Jonah than with the unfortunate man himself. It is therefore a possibility that "Davy Jones" grew from the root "Devil Jonah" - the devil of the seas. Upon death, a wicked sailor's body supposedly went to Davy Jones's locker (a chest, as lockers were back then), but a holy sailor soul went to Fiddler's Green.^[2]

[edit] Etymology

Davy may come from Duppy, a West Indian term for a malevolent ghost, or from Saint David, also known as Dewi, the patron saint of Wales, while Jones may have come from the prophet Jonah,^[3] whose story is considered bad luck for sailors. Some also believe that the name Davy could come from the word "Daeva" which is an evil spirit in Persian mythology that loves to cause harm and destruction.^[2]

[edit] Reputation

Jones' reputation causes fear among sailors, and many refuse to discuss Davy Jones in any great detail.^[2] Not all traditions dealing with Davy Jones are fearful. In traditions associated with sailors crossing the Equatorial line, there was a "raucous and rowdy" initiation presided over by those who had crossed the line before, known as shellbacks, or Sons of Neptune. The eldest shellback was called King Neptune, and the next eldest was his assistant who was called Davy Jones.^[2]

[edit] In popular culture

[edit] Movies

Davy Jones is the main villain in the film Pirates of the Caribbean: Dead Man's Chest (2006), played by Bill Nighy.

He appears along with his crew of half-human, half-sea creature sailors aboard The Flying Dutchman. He is portrayed as a mutated cross between a man and an octopus, with a wriggling beard of tentacles and two crustacean-esque limbs, bearing a noticeable resemblance to H.P. Lovecraft's Cthulhu. The movie also extrapolates on the origins of Davy Jones. In the movie, the story follows that Davy Jones was once an average sailor who fell in love with a beautiful woman. When he could not have her, the pain was so much that he cut out his still beating heart, and sealed it in a chest, so that he would never have to feel love or compassion ever again.

[edit] Television

In an episode of SpongeBob SquarePants, The Flying Dutchman threatens to send Mr. Krabs to Davy Jones' locker, which turns out to be a literal locker that is full of gym socks, with the name "Davy Jones" written on it.^[2]

In One Piece, Davy Jones is mentioned as being the inspiration for the Davy Back Fight. The Davy Back Fight is a pirates game where crews of pirates play games, the winners of which can take crew members from the opposing team. The number of games are chosen based on a coin system, meaning you can have either a 1-coin, 2-coin, or 3-coin game. After the selection, the coins are thrown into the ocean, supposedly payment to Davy Jones.

Davy Jones and his locker have been passively referenced numerous times in other series, including Rocko's Modern Life, The Monkees, Yo Yogi! and the live-action Batman.

[edit] Games

In "The Secret of Monkey Island", Guybrush describes the safe at the shopkeeper's on Melee Island as one of "Davey Jones' Lockers". In the third Monkey Island game, The Curse of Monkey Island, the aspirant pirate Wally describes his toughness by saying "I'm so tough, that in junior high I stuffed Davy Jones in his locker!"

In Sierra's PC game King's Quest IV: The Perils of Rosella, whenever the player swims Rosella too long in the ocean, she tires out and drowns, with the message that she has been sent back to Davy Jones' locker.

In Mega Man Battle Network 6: Cybeast Falzer/Cybeast Gregar, The character Captain Blackbeard, after being announced guilty in his court trial, says "I'll send ye all to Davy Jones' locker!"

Video games such as Banjo-Tooie, Blood Money, Wizardry 8 and Little Nemo: The Dream Master contain in-game objects that are dubbed "Davy Jones' Locker" or something similar. The PC game Zuma also contains some levels titled "Davy Jones' Locker."

In the constructible strategy game Pirates of the Spanish Main, Davy Jones appears as a unique crew for the Cursed faction, and his flagship is the Flying Dutchman.

In Ubisoft's Xbox game "Heroes of the Pacific", after sinking a Japanese light carrier, your wingman Cunningham shouts "Another flat-top sent to Davy Jones's locker!"

[edit] Music

"Davy Jones' Locker" is the song title for System 7's "The Power of Seven," Buckethead's "Bermuda Triangle" and Drexciya's "True People: The Detroit Techno Album." The band The Ocean Blue released a CD entitled "Davy Jones' Locker".

On the Beastie Boys album "Licensed to Ill", the track "Rhymin' & Stealin'" mentions Davy Jones locker with the line "My pistol is loaded - I shot Betty Crocker; Deliver Colonel Sanders down to Davy Jones' locker".

Iron Maiden mentions Davy Jones in their "No Prayer for the Dying" album, on the song "Run Silent, Run Deep"

The Devil Makes Three has a song called "The Plank," with a chorus that mentions Davy Jones' Locker: "To all our enemies, we'll see you in hell. We're gonna walk 'em off the plank into the wishing well. Down to Davy Jones' Locker where the fishes sleep. I won't be praying for you so don't be praying for me."

Australian punk band Frenzal Rhomb talk about Davy Jones in their song "Ship of Beers". In the song, the ship of beers that the band are sailing is sinking and they claim "...it won't be long 'till Davy Jones can claim me - hopefully he'll feel like a cleansing ale after all he's only human." This talks about exchanging their souls for a beer.

On his album, "Food & Liquor", rapper Lupe Fiasco makes mention of Davey Jones' Locker in the song "Pressure" featuring Jay-Z. He goes on by dropping this line..."Stones in the pocket will drag em down to Davy Jones' Locker" [1]

[edit] Print

In the comic book series "Hellboy", Davy Jones' locker is an underwater room full of jars in the shapes of men. This room is owned by the villainous Bog Roosh, a fish-like witch that draws her power from the souls of drowned sailors.

Neal Stephenson makes many references to "David Jones' Locker" in the book "Quicksilver" of "The Baroque Cycle." A reference is also made to "Davy Jones' Locker" in his book "Cryptonomicon."

Davy Jones' Locker is mentioned in Eric Linklater's juvenile fantasy The Pirates of the Deep Green Sea (1949) where Davy Jones also is a major character, a benevolent underwater monarch whose moveable court bears this name.

Davy Jones was a wooden whale and companion to the title character in John R. Neill's 1942 Oz book, Lucky Bucky in Oz.

[edit] References