Learn Sea Songs: History, Origins and Resources on Shanty Music

Sea shanties are folk songs with a fascinating- and unexpected- history. What are their origins? How were they used on ships? How can you learn more about them? Check out this episode of Songs that Speak, where I introduce you to the wonderful world of sea songs and sea shanties, and leave you with lots of resources to learn more!

Learn to sing Roll the Old Chariot Along:    • Easy Folk Songs to Sing: Learn a Sea ...  

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LYRICS
And a drop of Nelson’s blood wouldn’t do us any harm (3x)
And we’ll all hang on behind

CHORUS
And we’ll roll the old chariot along
We’ll roll the olden chariot along
We’ll roll the old chariot along
And we’ll all hang on behind

And a nice glass of whiskey wouldn’t do us any harm (3x)
And we’ll all hang on behind

CHORUS

If my father will go, he shall wear a starry crown (3x)
And we’ll all hang on behind

CHORUS (2x)

CREDITS
Writer and Producer: Saro Lynch-Thomason
Singer and Editorial Advice: Nicole Singer, www.nicolesinger.com
Script Editor: Ben Fink
Editorial Advice: Rochelle Hudson

SHANTY RESOURCE LIST
Many thanks to Nicole Singer, who compiled this list to help singers interested in shanties learn more. This is just a sampling of a more extensive list. To get the full list, message Saro at [email protected].

Calendar of online singing events, including chantey sings, pub sings, ballad swaps, and more (note time zones!): https://www.bostonsongsessions.org/vi...

Go Sailing:
Flagship Niagara League: https://sailfnl.org/sail/
The Sloop Clearwater and sister ships: https://www.clearwater.org/the-sloop/
Call of the Sea: https://callofthesea.org/

Festivals:
Chantey Blast (CT, January)
Youth Traditional Song Weekend (MA, January)
Chicago Maritime Festival (IL, February)
New England Folk Festival Association’s annual festival (MA, April)
Mystic Seaport Museum’s Sea Music Festival (CT, June)
Portsmouth Maritime Festival (NH, September)
New Bedford Working Waterfront Festival (MA, September)
Raise the Rafters - new event! (WA, November)

Musicians and Groups informed by maritime experience:
The Johnson Girls, Bennett Konesni, Bob Walser, Jeff Warner, Geoff Kaufman, Craig Edwards, A.J. Wright, David Coffin, The Boarding Party, Ken Schatz, The Northern Neck Chantey Singers, Georgia Sea Island Singers, Ellen Cohn, Celeste Bernardo, Don Sineti, The Barrouallie Whalers

MORE CREDITS
*Sources:
“Sea Chanteys and Sailors’ Songs: An Introduction for Singers and Performers, and a Guide for Teachers and Group Leaders,” by Stuart M. Frank (Sharon, MA: Kendall Whaling Museum, 2000)
“Songs of the Sailor and Lumberman” by William M. Doerflinger (Glenwood, IL: Meyerbooks, 1972)
“A Deep Dive into Sea Shanties” by Stephen Winick, https://blogs.loc.gov/folklife/2021/0...
“‘Screwing Cotton by the Day:’ Multiracial Labor and Musicking on the 19th-Century American Waterfront,” by Gibb Schreffler, 2019
“Twentieth Century Editors and the Re-envisioning of Chanties: A Case Study of “Lowlands [Away],” by Gibb Schreffler, 2012
“‘A Favorite African Tune’”: Rowing Songs, Corn Songs, and Other Inland Sources of the “Sea” Chanty Genre,” by Gibb Schreffler, 2015
“A Statement, During the January 2021 #ShantyTok Trend,” by Gibb Schreffler, 2021

*Images & Film:
Many images provided by New York Public Library Digital Collections, Library of Congress, Prints & Photographs Division, Farm Security Administration/Office of War Information Black-and-White Negatives, FreeIMG.net and Picryl.com
“Man’s Viral Sea Shanty on TikTok Lands Him a Record Deal” by TODAY
“Postman-turned-Tikok star Nathan Evans talks about his viral path to fame” by GMA
“Quarantinewhile: Stephen Colbert Predicted the TikTok Sea Shanty Craze” by CBS
“King Elizabeth’s Speech,” Pirates of the Caribbean: At World’s End, by Disney
“The Shadow of the Mainsail,” 1932 Etching by Arthur Briscoe, The British Museum
“The Capstan,” 1925 Etching by Arthur Briscoe, The British Museum
“Walking up the Topsail,” 1931 Etching by Arthur Briscoe, The British Museum
“Four men on rigging folding sails,” 1931 Etching by Arthur Briscoe, The British Museum
“The Banjo Player” by William Sidney Mount, The Long Island Museum
“The Well Known Packet Ship…” by Alberto http://audium.blogspot.com
The Noble Fisher-Man. Or, Robin Hood's preferment (1685-1695?) [Euing 302] https://creativecommons.org/licenses/...
Wave vector created by Starline

*Music & Sounds:
“Contrarian” by Blue Dot Sessions
“Sliabh- Cathal” by Aislinn
Pop noise by Vilkas Sound, http://bit.ly/VilkasSoundYoutube
Chime noise by Mattleschuck
Foghorn noise by Phonoflora
Seagulls and waves by Nachtmahrtv