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Sea shanties and maritime music

A chanty is a seaman's work song, and the Chanty Man is its leader – the acknowledged foresinger, forehand of the working crew. Black and blue from the thuggery of Shanghai Brown's boarding-house – or Patch Eye Curtin's, or Katie Wilson's; split-lipped, broken-nosed, ear-slit, scalp-torn; cheated and shown by cozen and crimp; sick of soul and body; his chief earthly possessions a port, pannikin, and spoon, and a pair of leaky sea-boots...

And still he could sing! Blessed was the ship that could boast one good man of his tribe. Thrice blessed she that could boast one in each watch.

William Brown Meloney IV, Everybody's Magazine, 1915

This Day in History (February 29, 1908)

This Day in History (January 8, 1806)

The death of Lord Nelson was a national tragedy like no other for England. "From Greenwich to Whitehall Stairs, on the 8th of January, 1806, in one of the greatest Aquatic Processions that ever was beheld on the River Thames" drifted the royal shallop (barge). The event is referenced in the modern lament, Carrying Nelson Home. Nelson is mentioned in nearly a dozen other songs.

Try a random shanty sampling

Billy Boy
Heaving shanty

Where hev ye been all the day, Billy Boy, Billy boy
Ch: Where hev ye been all the day, me Billy Boy?
I've been walkin' all the day
With me chamin' Nancy Grey
Ch: And me Nancy kittl'd me fancy Oh me charmin' Billy Boy.

Is she fit to be yor wife, Billy Boy, Billy Boy?
Is she fit to be yor wife, me Billy Boy?
She's as fit to be me wife
As the fork is to the knife
And me Nancy, etc.

Can she cook a bity o' steak, Billy Boy, Billy Boy?
Can she cook a bit o' steak, me Billy Boy?
She can cook a bit o' steak,
Aye, and make a gairdle cake
And me Nancy, etc.

Can she make an Irish Stew, Billy Boy, Billy Boy?
Can she make an Irish Stew, me Billy Boy?
She can make an Irish Stew,
Aye and "Singin' Hinnies" too.
And me Nancy, etc.
Roll and Go
Hauling shanty

There was a ship - she sailed to Spain
Ch: O. Roll and go;
There was a ship - she sailed to Spain
Ch: O Tommy's on the topsail yard!

There was a ship came home again,
There was a ship came home again.

What d'ye think was in her hold?
What d'ye think was in her hold?

There was diamonds, there was gold,
There was diamonds, there was gold.

What was in her lazareet?
What was in her lazareet?

Good split peas and bad bull meat,
Good split peas and bad bull meat.

Many sailormen gets drowned,
Many sailormen gets drowned.
Good Morning Ladies, All
Hauling shanty

Now a long goodbye to you, my dear
Ch: With a heave-oh haul
And a last farewell, and a long farewell
Ch: And good morning, ladies, all

For we're outward bound to New York Town
And you'll wave to us till the sun goes down.

And when we get to New York town,
Oh it's there we'll drink, and sorrows drown.

When we're back once more in London Docks,
All the pretty girls will come in flocks.

And Poll, and Bet, and Sue will say:
"Oh it's here comes Jack with his three years' pay."

So a long goodbye to you, my dear,
And a last farewell, and a long farewell.
The Lawlands o' Holland
Forecastle song

The love that I hae chosen,
I'll therewith be content;
The saut sea sall be frozen
Before that I repent.
Repent it sall I never
Until the day I dee;
But the Lawlands o' Holland
Hae twinn'd my love and me.

My love he built a bonny ship,
And set her to the main,
Wi' twenty-four brave mariners
To sail her out and hame.
But the weary wind began to rise,
The sea began to rout,
And my love and his bonny ship
Turned withershins about.

There sall nae mantle cross my back,
Nor kaim gae in my hair,
Neither sall coal nor candle light
Shine in my bower mair;
Now sall I choose anither love
Until the day I dee,
Sin' the Lawlands o' Holland
Hae twinn'd my love and me.

Noo haud your tongue, my daughter dear,
Be still, and bide content;
There's ither lads in Galloway;
Ye needna sair lament.
O, there is nane in Galloway,
There's nane at a' for me.
I never lo'ed a lad but ane,
And he's drown'd in the sea.
Mainsail Café, 2026 Contact