August 2024 “South Australia”

One of the most beloved shanties in our repertoire, "South Australia," hails from the golden age of sail, when hardy sailors relied on the rhythm of song to synchronize their labor. This particular shanty, with its infectious chorus and lively beat, was commonly used as a capstan shanty—a song to accompany the raising of the anchor or other heavy work aboard ship. The origins of "South Australia" can be traced back to the mid-19th century, reflecting the significant migration and trade routes between England and Australia. The song's reference to South Australia points to the thriving port city of Adelaide, a major destination during the era of colonization and gold rushes.

The lyrics of "South Australia" are rich with the imagery and jargon of the seafaring life, making it a favorite among both sailors and shanty enthusiasts. One fun fact about the lyrics is the repeated mention of "heave away, haul away," which not only sets the pace for the physical labor it accompanied but also evokes the communal spirit of sailors working together. The song captures a sense of adventure and the promise of new beginnings, as it speaks to leaving the old world behind and embracing the opportunities in a distant land. Each rendition of the song, whether fast and spirited or slow and reflective, brings a different nuance to its timeless tale.

As we gear up for our next Shanty Night on August 16th from 7-9pm at Rochester Brewery, we invite you to join us in celebrating the rich tradition of maritime music. Whether you're a seasoned shanty singer or a newcomer eager to learn, our event promises an evening of fun, camaraderie, and, of course, hearty singing. Don’t forget to check out our stylish t-shirts available for purchase and arrive early to secure your spot. We can’t wait to see you there and share the joy of "South Australia" and many other beloved shanties!

July 2024 “Four Hours”

Written by Josh Bowker of the Longest Johns and released on their 2020 Album, “Cures what Ails Ya”, four hours is an excellent example of a modern rendition of the sea shanty style. Modeled after a typical short haul shanty, this tunes short and repetitive nature would make it ideal for short tasks on a sailing ship.

Four Hours refers to the system of watches and rest periods that ships of the British navy used throughout a day. Sailors would work their first watch of four hours, and then typically they would be given a two hour break, and then four hours back on before their days work was done. Sailors would listen for a series of chimes from the ships bell, if they had one, that would ring a certain number of times signaling which watch was up next.

The repetitive rhythm and melody of this tune makes it ideal for a shanty man to play around with lyrics to fit them to the ships crew and their current situation. You can hear the jovial nature of the lyrics in many places and see how a tune like this could simultaneously lift the spirits of sailors, while taking their mind of their menial tasks at hand. - Nathan Bills

June 2024 “Rolling Down to Old Maui”

Similar to “The Wellerman”, this shanty is a song about whaling! It was sung mostly during the sailors rest time, rather than active work, so it’s more like a sea song or fore bitter than an actual shanty.

Maui is the second largest island in Hawaii, and this song comes from the seas between the eastern tip of Russia and the western tip of Alaska. Whaling crews would leave the warmth of Hawaii behind to hunt in those icy waters, and they would sing this song as they thought about the women and friends that would be welcoming them back home.

The minor key of this shanty helps to describe the anguish and lamentation of life at sea. Indeed, it complains about whaling life more than other songs! During the chorus the song briefly changes to a major key, perhaps hinting at some hope mixed in with the suffering, before returning to the minor mood.

Come learn how to sing “Rolling Down to Old Maui” at our next Shanty Night!

May 2024 “Haul Away Joe”

This song is one of the more well known shanties out there! It's a "short-drag" or "short-haul" shanty, meaning that it was used to coordinate quick pulls over a relatively short time. Think about unfurling sails or raising the masthead! The actions were lighter, shorter, and could mostly be done hand-over-hand on the word "Joe".

Haul Away Joe can traced back to the 18th century! It was reported to have been sung on both Yankee and British ships between 1812 and the Civil War.

Haul, another word for "pull", is the main focus of the lyrics. In one of the verses the Second Mate is said to not be able to tie a bowline. This is a simple and very common knot that creates a fixed loop in a rope! Talk about questioning abilities as a sailor!

Come learn how to sing “Running Down to Cuba” at our next Shanty Night!

October 2023 “Running Down to Cuba”

Running Down To Cuba is a very popular sea song that feels and sounds much like its shanty and work song counterparts. It was often sung by sailors as a sign of discontent with the current job, or situation on board, singing about better times and company in the ports of Cuba. This tune talks about sailing towards Cuba with a load of sugar, which of course is a little backward because Cuba was one of the largest exporters of sugar, so this might be a metaphor for having a pocket full of fresh coins. 

Many of the sailors who would take their shore leave in the countless saloons in places like Havana, Santiago, and Kingston, would spend their nights drinking rum, and enjoying the company of their fellow sailors and others who hung around in these saloons and bars. 

This tune was made popular by the 2013 video game Assassin’s Creed IV: Black Flag, being sung by the sailors on the players ship while sailing around the Caribbean. The song was appropriate for the setting of the game, with Cuba being a central location in the game. Performed by Sean Dahger, Nils Brown and Micheal Schrey, who sang the majority of the shanties and sea songs for the game.

Come learn how to sing “Running Down to Cuba” at our next Shanty Night!

September 2023 “Northwest Passage”

Our Shanty of the Month for August is Stan Roger’s, “Northwest Passage”! This is an example of a modern sea song, since it was written by the Nova Scotian in 1982, although it would have fit right in with the other evening songs of sailors back in the day! The “Northwest Passage” refers to a route across Canada to the Pacific Ocean, with the central theme comparing the various treks that were made to try and find it. The song features references to different parts of Canada, including the Beaufort Sea to the north, Davis Strait to the east, and the Fraser River.

It should be noted that the Northwest Passage was actually discovered as a combination of attempts to find the missing explorer John Franklin, who went missing in 1845.

Come out to our next event to learn more about the Northwest Passage with the rest of the crew!

August 2023 “Blow the Man Down”

Our Shanty of the Month for August is Blow the Man Down, a classic shanty made famous by many cartoons and popular shows over the years. Through the memories of various individuals, historians put the existence of this shanty in the 1860’s. It was a “halyard” shanty used for raising sails or movements requiring large hauls. Many early recordings have been captured by musicologists such as Percy Grainger in 1908, James Madison Carpenter in the 1930’s, and Helen Hartness Fladers in 1940.

There is debate from historians as to what “blow the man down” refers to. It either refers to a fight that could happen between two sailors on the ship or a vigorous storm that knocks the sailors down as they’re working on deck. Various verses have been collected that could confirm either meaning. Another meaning comes from a communication system used on older sailing vessels. The captain’s cabin would have a tube system that ran up on deck from “down” below. The captain would strike the pipe to get attention and would call out orders to the main deck from down below. “Blow the man down” could also be considered a term used to describe when the captain called a sailor down below.

Come out to our next event to sing Blow the Man Down with the rest of the crew!

July 2023 “Spanish Ladies”

July’s Shanty of the Month is “Spanish Ladies”, a British naval song that eventually became a capstan shanty used for raising the anchor! This tune actually predates the shanty tradition, originally being one of the few songs permitted by the British Royal Navy around the Napoleonic era (1793). Later on, as commercial ships became more common and crews with cargo and passengers instead of armies dominated the open seas, “Spanish Ladies” became one of the borrowed songs in the genre that continues to showcase the chest-beating and military aggression of the British Navy.

So why Spanish ladies? In a nutshell Spain was fighting during the War of the First Coalition against Napoleon from 1793-1796, and the Royal Navy carried supplies to Spain to aid its resistance to revolutionary France. So what happens when seafaring British soldiers arrive on Spanish land, inevitably fall for some of the locals, but are forbidden to bring back their new wives? Yup. They write songs about them. “For we’ve received orders to sail for Old England, but we hope very soon we shall see you again”. Isn’t that sweet?

We’re excited for “Spanish Ladies” to be our July Shanty of the Month! Come out to our next event and learn how to sing along!

June 2023 “Randy Dandy Oh”

June’s Shanty of the Month goes to “Randy Dandy Oh”, a capstan shanty popularized by The Longest Johns (Written in Salt, 2016) but with origins dating all the way back to the early 1900’s! The earliest known reference to the shanty as we know it today dates back to 1917 where it was published in Capt. John Robinson’s “Songs of the Chantey Man” (don’t you just love all the different spellings of that word?).

Diving into the songs meaning, “rollicking” is sometimes substituted with “galloping” or bollocking, which means to mock or tell off. The original lyrics were meant to mock the uniform dress of the ships officers, with “dandies” implying that they were too good to get their hands dirty with the rest of the crew. The line, “Heave a pawl”, refers to the hinged bars attached to the capstan which sailors would push to turn it.

We’re so excited for “Randy Dandy Oh” to be our Shanty of the Month! Come out to our next event and learn how to sing along!

May 2023 “Barrett’s Privateer’s”, by Stan Rogers

Our new shanty for May is a heavily requested one! Released on Stan Rogers’ 1977 album Fogarty’s Cove, Barrett’s Privateers was one of the songs that jump-started Rogers’ short yet influential career as a folk singer/songwriter and is considered to be a quintessential Canadian folk song. Rogers was singing with the folk group The Friends of Fiddler’s Green in the 70’s. Frustrated that he did not know any of the lead lines to the sea shanties they were singing, he decided he’d write one! It follows the story of a privateer in Nova Scotia during the American Revolution. According to Rogers’ story, the British Parliament hired Elcid Barrett to gather a crew to rob American merchant vessels. The narrator, sung from Rogers’ perspective, joins Barrett’s crew expecting easy riches, but is confronted with a series of events that leaves him crippled, broken, and defeated.

We’re so excited for Barrett’s Privateers to be our Shanty of the Month! Come out to our events and learn how to sing along!

April 2023 “Roll the Old Chariot Along/Drop of Nelson’s Blood”

This months shanty is one of our favorites! Known as both “Roll the Old Chariot Along” and “Drop of Nelson’s Blood”, the tune originates from Black spirituals in the 19th century. The modern version is a great example of a “stamp and go” shanty, meaning that it was used whenever a steady supply of labor was needed on the ship. Verses could be added as long as necessary to complete the job.

So where does the “Drop of Nelson’s Blood” part come from? Strangely enough, this part is actually about rum/grog! The legend stems from Horatio Nelson, a British flag officer in the Royal Navy. Following his victory and death at the Battle of Trafalgar, Nelson’s body was preserved in a cask of brandy in order for him to be transported back to England. One part of this tale is that the sailor’s learned of this and drank the preservative…gross?