With our recent write-up on the excellent new Chris Ricketts album, it’s led me to re-discover shanty music over the last few weeks, so I thought it only right to share a couple of shanty recommendations with you, as well as write a bit about the history of the tradition.
The work songs of the sea could sum up a sea shanty in its basic definition, however the tradition over the years has merged both work songs and songs or chants sung by the sailors for pleasure on the long voyages taken on the large merchant vessels of the time.
Many of the shanties have a very rhythmic groove to the lyrics, this mainly due to the repetitive nature of the sailors work, for example hauling ropes or loading cargo. There is also a lot of repetition in the song form itself, so it was quick to learn and easy for everyone to sing along to. In many of the songs there would have been a lead singer (known as the Shantyman – usually the man with the strongest voice) who started the song, with the rest of the sailors all joining in on what would have been classed as the chorus – however it wasn’t uncommon to find shanties that were sung from start to finish by all the crew.
As expected, these songs grew less and less common as the years went on, and less labour intensive work was required – however the songs were documented by early folk music purists – most notably Cecil Sharp, who it is believed actually learnt these songs and tunes directly from the veteran sailors.
As folk music in recorded form emerged, as did the sea shanty in to popular culture, with acts including Ewan MacColl, A L Lloyd and Stan Kelly recording versions of these songs – with artists such as The Clancy Brothers and The Watersons taking them in to the Folk Revival period.
Today, top folk acts such as Bellowhead and Show of Hands tip their hat to shanty tradition – and although an increasing number of artists will arrange these songs in different ways, the tradition is very much alive.
As I said in my album write-up, I’m convinced that over the next decade, Chris Ricketts will become one of the top, if not the top UK shanty singer. His delivery, passion and extensive research in to the genre make him a superb ambassador for the tradition. Check out this version of ‘Hanging Johnny’ as proof of my claim! http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=e9ulPfypg08
One of the acts that influence Chris is also one of my all time favourite bands. Great Big Sea, from St Johns, Newfoundland are certainly one of the greatest exponents of shanty music to come out of Canada. They can play to 10,000 capacity arenas in North America – yet criminally they are practically unknown over here. In Sean McCann they have one of the great shanty voices and this is in evidence on their brilliant versions of ‘General Taylor’ and ‘Rant & Roar’, a Newfoundland interpretation of the British shanty ‘Spanish Ladies’.
To see just how popular GBS are – check out this video to another of their shanty inspired tracks – Lukey – http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PZpxnZ7kPmQ and a great live version of General Taylor – http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2B2SVthHZz0&feature=related
Recently, the sounds of Fishermans Friends from Port Isaac in Cornwall have brought the shanty right back to its original form. A brilliant version of South Australia with Show of Hands can be seen here – http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7vUqeDPZZ80&feature=related
And finally – one of the great original recordings from two of the first artists to bring the sea shanty to record, Ewan MacColl and A L Lloyd – Haul on the Bowline – http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=57gYUNh9cVQ
