Salty Sea Shanties and Songs, arh Repertoire...
A'haaar!
Do not share these resources with other shipmates, choirs etc. Non Salty Seadogs should source their materials direct so that composers of songs and arrangers are rewarded and supported in their work. Consult Pauline as to the best way to do it.
B
Benjamin Bowmaneer
The origins of this song are unclear, the most noted source seems to be from the Penguin Book of English Folksongs. Our favoured understanding of the song is about the futility of war and how politicians can instigate it from their cosy offices miles away from the action.
The phrase “Castors away!” that appears repeatedly in the song may be a reference to cheering by throwing one’s hat in the air — a ‘castor’ is a type of beaver felt hat. Or it might be a variation of “cast us away” implying a nautical connection. The main character in the song is not actually the Benjamin Bowmaneer of the title, but an unnamed tailor (Politician!).
This shanty probably started ashore as "Knock a Man Down", sung by the negro dock workers stowing cotton into the holds of ships in the ports around the Gulf of Mexico. But the tune proved very popular, particularly with the hard-case "packet rats" of the Black Ball Line and other Western Ocean packets, and soon many different sets of words were set to it.
"The Shores of Botany Bay", also known as "Botany Bay", is a traditional Irish song. The song's narrator is a bricklayer who emigrates from Ireland to Australia after being fired from his job on a ship.
This is believed to be a halyard shanty is of and although popular in the West Indies may have originated as a cotton screwing song in the Gulf Ports of the USA.
Crossing the Bar
Originally a poem by Alfred Lord Tennyson, written in the last two years of his life. Tennyson is believed to have written the poem (after suffering a serious illness) while on the sea, crossing the Solent from Aldworth to Farringford on the Isle of Wight. First set to music by Rani Arbo, during her time as a member of Salamander Crossing.
Drop of Nelson's blood (aka "Roll the ole chariot along")
The origins of this song are unclear, the most noted source seems to be from the Penguin Book of English Folksongs — the old, and now
The shanty was sung to accompany certain work tasks aboard sailing ships, especially those that required a bright walking pace. It is believed to originate in the early 19th century or before, during a period when ships' crews, especially those of military vessels, were large enough to permit hauling a rope whilst simply marching along the deck. With the advent of merchant packet and clipper ships and their smaller crews, which required different working methods, use of the shanty appears to have declined or shifted to other, minor tasks
Haul away me laddies
Tune traditional (round the corner Sally) Words traditional (South Austrailia)
John Kanakanaka
This was a “long haul” chantey, used at the halyards for hoisting up the sails. Many Hawaiians worked aboard ships that sailed the Pacific, and were renowned for their excellent seamanship. English-speaking sailors often had difficulty pronouncing their names, however and so called them by the Hawaiian name "Kanaka," which means "Hawaiian Man." The lyrics "tu lai-e" also come from the Hawaiian language, and are a remnant of the chantey singing tradition of combining the music and language of different seafaring cultures.
Leave her Johnny
This was, traditionally, the last chantey the crew would sing before disem-barking. It was used when warping (pulling) the ship into the pier, or when pumping the bilges for the last time. Although it at first sounds like the crew is sentimental about leaving the ship, the lyrics describe the horrible conditions that they suffered through during the voyage. Since it was the 1ast song of the journey, the sailors took the opportunity to vent their feelings about how they were treated without fear of reprisal.
Mingulay Boat Song
The "Mingulay Boat Song" is a song written by Sir Hugh S. Roberton (1874–1952) in the 1930s. The melody is described in Roberton's Songs of the Isles as a traditional Gaelic tune, probably titled "Lochaber".The tune was part of an old Gaelic song, "Òran na Comhachaig" (the 'Creag Ghuanach' portion); from Brae Lochaber.
Risk
A round by Vivienne Couch from the NVN songbook To Grace the Earth. She says "On the walls of Aman Education Centre, Aberdare there are large interesting photographs under which are different positive quotations. One of the scenes is of a large sailing boat and the quotation beneath it reads "A ship in the harbour is safe but that's not what ships were made for"
For available material click here
S
Seidamadei
A Norwegian nonsense folk song. This version from Helen Yeomans, is in two parts and may also be sung as a round.
Windy Old Weather
Source: Shantypedia
In Shanties from the Seven Seas, Stan Hugill calls this "The Fishes", and gives nearly 30 verses for his version 4 of Blow the Man Down. When sung to that tune, or the one given here it was popular at topsail halyards, but he also gives an earlier version used at the capstan and often at pumps as well. This version is apparently Scottish, and the chorus runs:
Blow the wind southerly, southerly, southerly, Blow bonny breeze, blow my lover to me.
Sharp and Whall also give similar versions, and Whall says that sometimes each member of the crew had to take his turn at singing a verse, and if one of them couldn't think of a fish, all hands would chip in with the chorus and thus save the situation.
Haisboro' Light Happisburgh (pronounced Hazeboro') lies on the north coast of Norfolk, and is the site of the earliest known human settlement in Northern Europe.
Do not share these resources with other shipmates, choirs etc. Non Salty Seadogs should source their materials direct so that composers of songs and arrangers are rewarded and supported in their work. Consult Pauline as to the best way to do it.
B
Benjamin Bowmaneer
The origins of this song are unclear, the most noted source seems to be from the Penguin Book of English Folksongs. Our favoured understanding of the song is about the futility of war and how politicians can instigate it from their cosy offices miles away from the action.
The phrase “Castors away!” that appears repeatedly in the song may be a reference to cheering by throwing one’s hat in the air — a ‘castor’ is a type of beaver felt hat. Or it might be a variation of “cast us away” implying a nautical connection. The main character in the song is not actually the Benjamin Bowmaneer of the title, but an unnamed tailor (Politician!).
- For available material click here
This shanty probably started ashore as "Knock a Man Down", sung by the negro dock workers stowing cotton into the holds of ships in the ports around the Gulf of Mexico. But the tune proved very popular, particularly with the hard-case "packet rats" of the Black Ball Line and other Western Ocean packets, and soon many different sets of words were set to it.
- For available material click here
"The Shores of Botany Bay", also known as "Botany Bay", is a traditional Irish song. The song's narrator is a bricklayer who emigrates from Ireland to Australia after being fired from his job on a ship.
- For available material click here
This is believed to be a halyard shanty is of and although popular in the West Indies may have originated as a cotton screwing song in the Gulf Ports of the USA.
- For available material click here
Crossing the Bar
Originally a poem by Alfred Lord Tennyson, written in the last two years of his life. Tennyson is believed to have written the poem (after suffering a serious illness) while on the sea, crossing the Solent from Aldworth to Farringford on the Isle of Wight. First set to music by Rani Arbo, during her time as a member of Salamander Crossing.
- For available material click here
Drop of Nelson's blood (aka "Roll the ole chariot along")
The origins of this song are unclear, the most noted source seems to be from the Penguin Book of English Folksongs — the old, and now
- For available material click here
The shanty was sung to accompany certain work tasks aboard sailing ships, especially those that required a bright walking pace. It is believed to originate in the early 19th century or before, during a period when ships' crews, especially those of military vessels, were large enough to permit hauling a rope whilst simply marching along the deck. With the advent of merchant packet and clipper ships and their smaller crews, which required different working methods, use of the shanty appears to have declined or shifted to other, minor tasks
- For available material click here
Haul away me laddies
Tune traditional (round the corner Sally) Words traditional (South Austrailia)
- For available material click here
John Kanakanaka
This was a “long haul” chantey, used at the halyards for hoisting up the sails. Many Hawaiians worked aboard ships that sailed the Pacific, and were renowned for their excellent seamanship. English-speaking sailors often had difficulty pronouncing their names, however and so called them by the Hawaiian name "Kanaka," which means "Hawaiian Man." The lyrics "tu lai-e" also come from the Hawaiian language, and are a remnant of the chantey singing tradition of combining the music and language of different seafaring cultures.
- For available material click here
Leave her Johnny
This was, traditionally, the last chantey the crew would sing before disem-barking. It was used when warping (pulling) the ship into the pier, or when pumping the bilges for the last time. Although it at first sounds like the crew is sentimental about leaving the ship, the lyrics describe the horrible conditions that they suffered through during the voyage. Since it was the 1ast song of the journey, the sailors took the opportunity to vent their feelings about how they were treated without fear of reprisal.
- For available material click here
Mingulay Boat Song
The "Mingulay Boat Song" is a song written by Sir Hugh S. Roberton (1874–1952) in the 1930s. The melody is described in Roberton's Songs of the Isles as a traditional Gaelic tune, probably titled "Lochaber".The tune was part of an old Gaelic song, "Òran na Comhachaig" (the 'Creag Ghuanach' portion); from Brae Lochaber.
- For available material click here
Risk
A round by Vivienne Couch from the NVN songbook To Grace the Earth. She says "On the walls of Aman Education Centre, Aberdare there are large interesting photographs under which are different positive quotations. One of the scenes is of a large sailing boat and the quotation beneath it reads "A ship in the harbour is safe but that's not what ships were made for"
For available material click here
S
Seidamadei
A Norwegian nonsense folk song. This version from Helen Yeomans, is in two parts and may also be sung as a round.
- For available material click here
Windy Old Weather
Source: Shantypedia
In Shanties from the Seven Seas, Stan Hugill calls this "The Fishes", and gives nearly 30 verses for his version 4 of Blow the Man Down. When sung to that tune, or the one given here it was popular at topsail halyards, but he also gives an earlier version used at the capstan and often at pumps as well. This version is apparently Scottish, and the chorus runs:
Blow the wind southerly, southerly, southerly, Blow bonny breeze, blow my lover to me.
Sharp and Whall also give similar versions, and Whall says that sometimes each member of the crew had to take his turn at singing a verse, and if one of them couldn't think of a fish, all hands would chip in with the chorus and thus save the situation.
Haisboro' Light Happisburgh (pronounced Hazeboro') lies on the north coast of Norfolk, and is the site of the earliest known human settlement in Northern Europe.
- For available material click here