The Shanty Book
A two-volume collection edited by the musicologist Richard Runciman Terry (1865–1938), published by J. Curwen & Sons. Terry’s middle name came from his mother’s side: his grandfather was Walter Runciman (1810–1878), a Northumberland seafarer, and his uncle was Sir Walter Runciman, 1st Baron Runciman, who wrote the foreword to Part I. Part I appeared in 1921 with 30 shanties, and Part II followed in 1926 with 35 more, for a total of 65 shanties across both volumes.
Each shanty is presented with a full piano score and harmonised accompaniment by W.S. Gwynn Williams, alongside complete performance lyrics. Terry’s headnotes provide context for the practical use of each shanty at sea, making the collection valuable both as sheet music and as a source of maritime social history.
Part I (1921)
Windlass & Capstan Shanties
- Billy Boy
- Bound for the Rio Grande
- Good-bye, Fare Ye Well
- Johnny Come Down to Hilo
- Clear the Track, Let the Bullgine Run
- Lowlands Away
- Sally Brown
- Santy Anna
- Shenandoah
- Stormalong John
- The Hog’s-eye Man
- The Wild Goose Shanty
- We’re All Bound to Go
- What Shall We Do with the Drunken Sailor?
Halliard Shanties
- Blow, My Bully Boys
- Blow the Man Down
- Cheer’ly, Men
- Good Morning, Ladies All
- Hanging Johnny
- Hilo Somebody
- Oh Run, Let the Bulgine Run
- Reuben Ranzo
- The Dead Horse
- Tom’s Gone to Hilo
- Whisky Johnny
- Boney Was a Warrior
Fore-Sheet or Sweating-Up Shanties
- Johnny Boker
- Haul Away, Joe
- We’ll Haul the Bowlin’
Bunt Shanty
- Paddy Doyle’s Boots
Part II (1926)
Windlass & Capstan Shanties
- The Black Ball Line
- One More Day
- A-Roving (I)
- A-Roving (II)
- Tha Banks of Sacramento
- The Shaver
- Paddy Works on the Railway
- Can’t You Dance the Polka?
- John Brown’s Body
- Whoop Jamboree
- My Johnny
- The Drummer and the Cook
- Miss Lucy Long
- Do Let Me Go
- Blow Ye Winds of Morning
- Fire Down Below
Halliard Shanties
- Shallow Brown
- A Long Time Ago
- Won’t You Go My Way?
- Hilo, John Brown
- Roll the Cotton Down
- Round the Corner, Sally
- The Bully Boat
- My Tommy’s Gone Away
- Sing Fare You Well
- O Billy Riley
- Time for Us to Leave Her
- Lizer Lee
- A Hundred Years Ago
- Walk Him Along, Johnny
- Hilonday
- Stormalong
- So Handy, Me Gels
- The Sailor Likes His Bottle, O
Fore-Sheet Shanty
- Haul Away, Joe (II)