Sea shanties and maritime music

The songs of the sea have a long legacy of scholarship, musicianship, and public performance. From the work songs of deep-water sailors and fishermen, to the ballads taken into pubs and forecastles, these songs have been used to coordinate effort, remember shore life, and sometimes just pass the time.

The songs themselves have been passed from ship to ship, printed in newspapers and books, shared at festivals, learned from video games, and remixed on social media. Hundreds of sea music-specific albums have been recorded, and maritime music comprises a distinct genre.

This Day in History (September 17)

The E.C. Roberts was an ore-hauling Great Lakes schooner built in 1856. The 140' ship saw five decades of service, "staunch, strong, and true". September 17 marks just one more journey as it's recorded in Red Iron Ore. The song details the brutal physicality of the profession which offered little time to rest -- loading, unloading, or racing the fleet to the next port.

This Day in History (September 5, 1813)

The USS Enterprise and the HMS Boxer met eight miles off the shore of Maine, midway through the War of 1812. The Enterprise was captained by Lieutenant William Burrows while the Boxer was commanded by Samuel Blyth. The ships were well-matched and the captains committed, maneuvering for six hours before engaging in close combat. Blyth was killed by cannonball in the early fusillades, while Burrows suffered a mortal musket ball wound to the thigh. When the Boxer eventually submitted, Burrows directed that Blyth's ceremonially-surrendered sword be returned to the British captain's family. After the ships arrived in Portland, the two captains were buried adjacent amid public ceremony in the city's Eastern Cemetery.

The battle is the subject of the ballad Enterprise and Boxer, and is referenced in Henry Wadsworth Longfellow's poem, "My Lost Youth".

Try a random shanty sampling

Captain Kidd
Forecastle song

You captains bold and brave, hear our cries, hear our cries
You captains bold and brave, hear our cries
You captains brave and bold, though you seem uncontrolled
Don't for the sake of gold lose your souls.
Don't for the sake of gold lose your souls.

My name was Robert Kidd, when I saild, when I said,
My name was Robert Kidd, when I sail'd,
My name was Robert Kidd, God's laws I did forbid,
And so wickedly I did, when I sail'd.

My parents taught me well, when I sail'd, when I sail'd,
My parents taught me well, when I sail'd,
My parents taught me well, to shun the gates of hell,
But against them I rebell’d, when I sail'd.

I cursed my father dear, when I sail'd, when I sail'd,
I cursed my father dear, when I sail'd,
I cursed my father dear, and her that did me bear,
And so wickedly did swear, when I sail'd.

I made a solemn vow, when I sail'd, when I sail'd,
I made a solemn vow, when I sail'd,
I made a solemn vow to God I would not bow,
Nor myself one prayer allow, as I sail'd.

I'd a Bible in my hand, when I sail'd, when I sail'd,
I'd a Bible in my hand, when I sail'd,
I'd a Bible in my hand by my father's great command,
And sunk it in the sand, when I sail'd.

I murdered William Moore, as I said, as I sail'd.
I murdered William Moore, as I sail'd,
I murdered William Moore, and left him in his gore,
Not many leagues from shore, as I sail'd.

And being cruel still, as I sail'd, as I sail'd,
And being cruel still, as I sail'd,
And being cruel still, my gunner I did kill,
And his precious blood did spill, as I sail'd.

My mate was sick and died, as I sail'd, as I sail'd,
My mate was sick and died, as I sail'd,
My mate was sick and died, which me much terrified,
When he call'd me to his bedside, as I sail'd.

And unto me he did say, see me die, see me die,
And unto me did say, see me die,
And unto me did say, take warning now by me,
There comes a reckoning day, you must die.

You can not then withstand, when you die, when you die,
You can not then withstand, when you die,
You can not then withstand the judgment of God's hand,
But bound then in iron bands you must die.

I was sick and nigh to death, as I sail'd, as I sail'd,
I was sick and nigh to death, as I sail'd,
I was sick and nigh to death, and I vow'd at every breath,
To walk in wisdom's ways, as I sail'd.

I thought I was undone, as I sail'd, 28 I sail'd,
I thought I was undone, as I sail'd,
I thought I was undone and my wicked glass had run,
But health did soon return, as I sail'd.

My repentance lasted not, as I sail'd, as I sail'd,
My repentance lasted not, as I sail'd,
My repentance lasted not, my vows I soon forgot,
Damnation's my just lot, as I sail'd.

I steer'd from sound to sound, as I sail'd, as I sail'd,
I steer'd from sound to sound, as I sail'd,
I steer'd from sound to sound and many ships I found
And most of them I burned, as I sail'd.

I spy'd three ships from France, as I sail'd, as I sail'd,
I spy'd three ships from France, as I sail'd,
I spy'd three ships from France to them I did advance,
And took them all by chance, as I sail'd.

I spy'd three ships of Spain, as I sail'd, as I sail'd,
I spy'd three ships of Spain, as I sail'd,
I spy'd three ships of Spain, I fired on them amain,
Till most of them were slain, as I sail'd.

I'd ninety bars of gold, as I sail'd, as I sail'd,
I'd ninety bars of gold, as I sail'd,
I'd ninety bars of gold and dollars manifold,
With riches uncontrolled, as I sail'd.

Then fourteen ships I saw, as I sail'd, as I sail'd,
Then fourteen ships I saw, as I sail'd,
Then fourteen ships I saw and brave men they were,
Ah! they were too much for me, as I sail'd.

Thus being o'ertaken at last, I must die, I must die,
Thus being o'ertaken at last, I must die,
Thus being o'ertaken at last, and into prison cast
And sentence being passed, I must die.

Farewell the raging main, I must die, I must die,
Farewell the raging main, I must die,
Farewell the raging main, to Turkey, France, and Spain,
I ne'er shall see you again, I must die.

To Newgate now I'm cast, and must die, and must die,
To Newgate now I'm cast, and must die,
To Newgate I am cast, with a sad and heavy heart,
To receive my just desert, I must die.

To Execution Dock I must go, I must go,
To Execution Dock I must go,
To Execution Dock will many thousands flock,
But I must bear the shock, I must die.

Come all you young and old, see me die, see me die,
Come all you young and old, see me die,
Come all you young and old, you're welcome to my gold,
For by it I've lost my soul, and must die.

Take warning now by me, for I must die, for I must die,
Take warning now by me, for I must die,
Take warning now by me, and shun bad company,
Lest you come to hell with me, for I must die.

The Sailor Boy
Forecastle song

The sailing trade it's a weary life
It's robbed me of my heart's delight
It's left me here in tears to mourn
Awaiting for my true love's return.

For where he is I cannot tell
Nor in whose arms does my true love dwell
For who enjoys him at this same time
Enjoys the fairest of all mankind.

There was four and twenty all in a room
And my true love Billie carriet the bloom
He carriet the bloom oot o'er them a'
If I get nae Billie I'll hae nane ava.

O father father give me a boat,
That on the ocean it may float,
That on the ocean it may float,
That I may learn the fate of my sailor boy.

She hadna been long on the deep
Till a man-o'-war vessel she chance to meet,
"Sail on sail on my jolly crew,
Does my true love Billie sail in wi' you?"

"What kind of clothes does your Billy wear,
Or what is the colour of your true love's hair?"
"His jacket's blue like the sailor bold,
And his hair it shines like the yellow gold."

O lady, lady I would rather fear,
That your true lover billy is not here,
This very last night as the wind blew high,
We lost a charming young sailor boy.

She wrung her hands and tore her hair,
Just like a lady in despair,
And cried, "Alas what can I do?
I cannot live when my Billy's gone."

O sailors, sailors go all in black,
O sailors, sailors go mournfully,
Tie a black silk scarf to your top mast high,
And mourn the loss on my sailor boy.

She threw herself into a room
And called for a paper to write a song,
At every line she dropped a tear,
At every verse cried, "My Billy dear!"

Out o'er a rock and her body's thrown,
I cannot live when my Billy's gone.