Sailor’s Chanties (1906) [pdf] | Hacker News Reader

Sailor’s Chanties (1906) [pdf]

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I'm fond of Stan Roger's "Barret's Privateers", which recreates the spirit of Nova Scotian raiders on American ships.

https://youtu.be/3T0Ruhb734U

While we're sharing, here's an epic Mariner's Revenge Song by The Decemberists

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iPAr7kL-mmg

I’ve been addicted to The Longest Johns “Bones in the Ocean”

https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=WVkD4lgXTEU

I don't know if they're historic shanties or not but The Dreadnoughts are pretty good to

https://youtube.com/playlist?list=PLaBKtbsBqZjpmcq2cJEp6HxxS...

David Coffin leading a sing along of "Roll the Old Chariot" at the 2010 Portsmouth Maritime Folk Festival still gives me goosebumps.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=49FWp7WLYKw

That was pretty awesome!

I've seen the tiktok meme taken up on twitter, but somehow it's always the same song (Wellerman) and only about 2-3 variants of it being reposted.

Is this a bigger thing with more variety that's going on on tiktok, or is it just the one that went viral with a few variants alongside?

I'm not on Tiktok, but I've seen a few others posted on Twitter, like this one: https://twitter.com/EKingstonBooks/status/134990668753737318...

Yeah, it's a bit of a trend, there's more than this one song going round on tiktok

I know of this one, which is "Leave her Johnny".

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8Fow61Zsn2s

For once I can actually get into something in the Zeitgeist. TikTok has something actually great - layering voices. Amazing. Never thought I'd say that about TikTok.

The in game song "Sea Shanty 2" has been one the bigger memes in the "Old-school Runescape" community ( a bigger community than you would expect)

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BJhF0L7pfo8&ab_channel=OldSc...

Not aware of the tiktok meme, however there are a few uk based acapella groups specializing in sea shanties. 'The longest johns' are one of my favorites.

"Wellerman" is certainly the most popular, but there have been several! Lately I've been seeing people take up "Leave Her Johnny", "The Last Shanty", and even some labor songs like "Process Man"/"The Chemical Worker's Song"

It's been surprisingly fun watching the various takes blow up on TikTok.

Can someone explain Internet’s sudden interest in sea shanties that seems to have exploded in 2020?

IIRC it's been trending on TikTok for a couple of weeks

This article goes into some details how it started on TikTok by Scottish musician Nathan Evans https://edition.cnn.com/2021/01/15/entertainment/sea-shanty-...

FWIW, I remember the sea shanties being wildly popular in the Assassin's Creed gaming community when they got introduced in AC Black Flag (or was it AC Rogue?) and they have been added to every following game that features sea travel.

Seems to be aligned with the current Zeitgeist.

The sea-song trend has been simmering on social media for a while, before boiling over just now and since before the start of the pandemic. This "Drunken Sailor" video https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GgwOHnr3xVE got a fair bit of attention in about 2019. One or two professional groups have also been having some success. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WjC9HMlysmA Assassin's Creed IV does seem likely to have been the starting point.

There is also a group called The Fisherman's Friends from Port Isaac in Cornwall UK. They had a hit record and a film made about them (typical British dramatised RomCom). I think this made a lot of people conscious of the sea shanty.

https://thefishermansfriends.com/

I doubt most authentic sea shanties were ever under copyright to begin with. I remember learning a handful of them in the 1980s in primary school, back before they were trending online---back in 'pre-history' before the web was invented.

My pet theory is that it’s an expression of people who are hungry for tradition.

Especially a tradition that embodies camaraderie in the face of isolation.

Perhaps the rising popularity (and recent discounts) of Sea of Thieves?

Well serendipity makes them reappear, and once they are exposed to mainstream audiences, well, they are very simple, very rythmic music made for easy recall and easy chanting no matter your skill. And as said in other comments, they bring a mix of pirate/adventure/old-times lore that seems cool. I’d also add that to insecure young men they will seem safer to chant. Same as with martial music.

And lots of 'bass'!

"Soon may the Wellerman come" remix with bass:

https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=zDTaeqUEWNQ

Isn't it mostly one sea shanty that's making the rounds on TikTok? Just like we had Dreams being catapulted into the Billboard charts again, not the whole Fleetwood Mac oeuvre?

Wellerman

Well, they're about working hard and living in confined spaces with limited social interactions. It was basically a matter of time ever since quarantine started.

Assassin's Creed IV - Black Flag had a lot (30+) sea shanties.

It was quite a few years ago - but perhaps it was the spark.

They're heavily designed for community building. The call/response format means it's easy to join after hearing it once or twice. The lyrics are usually a limerick of sorts, and the chorus never changes.

The tune is designed to carry itself without musical accompaniment, has limited range, and is easy to harmonize with. The coarse lyrics about various hardships and simple tune almost lend itself to voices that aren't particularly sweet, and that gives it a charming character of it's own.

Now, given that people have been quarantined for months on end, sea shanties are a drop in for a want for community.

https://twitter.com/mattblaze/status/1350596044715925506

https://www.rottentomatoes.com/m/the_lighthouse_2019

The Sex Pistols had a go at this in 1980. Skip the video if you are easily offended: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WCWXdl2DAs0

Obligatory wikipedia reference: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Good_Ship_Venus

That was post both Rotten and Sid, so “Swx Pistols” is being generous

Ah true, according to https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Great_Rock_%27n%27_Roll_Sw... lead vocals Steve Jones

There were two albums, "Rogues Gallery" [1] and "Son of Rogues Gallery" [2] which came out in 2006 and 2013 that featured an eclectic mix of artists (some quite well known, e.g. Dr. John, Zappa, Sting) doing these kinds of songs. They don't all hit the mark, but I highly recommend checking them out.

[1] https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kTj-8waBk7E&list=PLD33DA971B...

[2] https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3UvEKdehBrw&t=906s

I hope people start singing these in bars when bars open again. I bet you could get a pub to join if you and a group of friends suddenly started singing these or other kinds of folk songs.

They remind me of Dr Dirty http://johnvalby.com/

Shanties, just my 2¢ nitpick.

...and really bad eggs

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