Sea Shanties

Review: A motley crew brings us this collection of sea shanties and ballads, 'motley' meaning 'of many colors,' which describes both the group and their songs. They are Tom McHenry, K.C. King, Bob Hitchcock, Jonathan Eberhart and Dave Diamond, who share a love of singing and the sea. There is a strong folk feeling to this CD, as most sea shanties are working songs, and there's the occasional light guitar or banjo accompaniment. Some of our favorites are: 'The Alabama,' 'The Seaman's Hymn & Eternal Father,' 'Dead Horse,' 'Truxton's Victory,' 'The Sailor's Alphabet,' and 'Shallow Brown.' Well-researched, authentic songs of the sea, vibrantly performed.

Songlist: Bristol Channel Jamboree, Haul Awa', Otho's Song, The Alabama, The Cruiser Baltimore, The Hogeye Man, Solid Fas', The Seaman's Hymn & Eternal Father, Come Down, You Roses, Dead Horse, Johnson Girls, Truxton's Victory, The Sailor's Alphabet, The Shanghaied Dredger, Shallow Brown, The Farewell Shanty

Review: After a singing 'voyage' of over twenty years, sea chantey-singing male quartet (originally a quintet) The Boarding Party, Jonathan, Bob, K.C. and Tom have come ashore to treat us to a 17-song collection of their authentic, testosterone-soaked songs of the sea. A couple of the chanteys, like 'Comin' Down The C&O,' 'Hudson River Steamboat' and 'The Old Peacock,' are lightly, and nicely accompanied by guitar, harmonica and banjo. Some of our favorites are the poignant 'Tommy's Gone to Hilo,' 'Let The Bullgine Run,' 'Mauling Live Oak,' 'Come Along Down,' 'Starbuck's Complaint,' 'Randy Dandy O,' 'C'est L'Aviron,' 'Saltpetre Shanty,' 'One More Day,' 'Lowlands Away' and 'Survivor Leave.' These are rare and wonderful, authentic songs, some of which would have 'died in the Folk archives' if the group hadn't discovered them and created music for them. We enjoyed every minute of 'Fair Winds and a Following Sea!' 

Songlist: Tommy's Gone to Hilo, The Old Peacock, Let the Bullgine Run, Mauling Live Oak, Soran Bushi, Hudson River Steamboat (Allison), Come Along Down, Go It, Jerry, Starbuck's Complaint (Boarding Party), Randy Dandy O, C'est L'Aviron, Coming Down the C & O (Eberhart), Saltpetre Shanty, Heise, All (Eberhart), One More Day, Lowlands Away, Survivor Leave (Stevens)

Review: It's been too many years, but now my favorite group of singers/scholars/rowdies has rewarded our patience with another collection of water-songs. And a collection of great variety, too: favorite old chanteys, nautical gospel songs, a couple of original songs, a cable-laying song, a Bengali rowing song, songs from the rivers, lakes and canals, as well as the oceans, high and low. Some are tongue-in-cheek, some just good roaring fun, but most ring with the great dignity of sincerity., Some of these songs would have died in the archives had not Bob and Jonathan made new tunes for them, and many would be lost to us forever without the work and interest of these men. They're scholars and historians, and their big robust voices lift these songs into our present very well.

Songlist: Ten Stone, Heave 'er Up and Bust 'er, Tanqueray Martini-o, Goodbye Old Ship of Mine, Song for the Challenger's Crew, Rosie, Sheep on the Deep, Drifting Too Far From Shore, The Ward Line, Atlantic Cable Line, Down The C and O, 100 Years on the Eastern Shore, Oray Sujon Naiya, Rolling Down to Old Maui, Solar Privateer, Farewell to Grog, Last Cigar

Review: The five men who call themselves Eddies were a book club before they became a singing group. They live on St. Paul, MN's famous West Side, on the banks of the Mississippi River. 'Eddies' are whirlpools or currents that run contrary to the mainstream, which describes these five male voices, who sing testosterone-soaked sea shanties and traditional sailing songs, often a cappella and occasionally with instrumental backup of acoustic guitar, accordion and mandola. They choose music that is 'well enough know that we actually remembered it and thought we could make it sound good.' There are 16 songs here, our favorites include the a cappella 'Fire Down Below,' 'Blow the Man Down,' the drinking songs 'Roll The Old Chariots' 'All For Me Grog' and 'Whiskey Johnny,' 'South Australia,' 'Cape Cod Girls,' 'Bully in the Alley,' 'Rolling Down To Old Maui,' 'Haul Away Joe,' 'Roll The Woodpile Down,' 'Boney Was A Warrior,' 'Fire Marengo,' the slightly racy 'A Rovin' and 'Bold Riley-O.' A number of these authentic, fascinating songs are new to us, and it is all the more enjoyable to hear them for the first time. 'Hold Fast' is a well-crafted, spirited collection from a group that is always fun, in their live performances and on all cuts of this debut recording.

Songlist: Fire Down Below, Blow The Man Down, Roll The Old Chariots, South Australia, Cape Cod Girls, Bully In The Alley, Whiskey Johnny, Mingulay Boat Song, Rollin' Down The Old Maui, Haul Away Joe, Roll The Woodpile Down, All For Me Grog, Boney Was A Warrior, Fire Merengo, Bold Riley-O,

Review: The five talented Johnson Girls love singing folk tunes together, but let us be more specific-they love singing authentic a cappella sea chanteys and maritime music. They are a refreshing incongruous part of a traditionally male community of singers who come together at festivals and gatherings to sing the old songs. 20 tunes, some of our favorites: 'Round Cape Horn,' 'Sailor's Way,' 'Essequibo River,' 'Fisherman's Lassie,' 'Come Love Come,' the fairly racy 'Huckleberry Hunting,' 'Drummer and the Cook,' 'Yankee Man o' War,' 'Jump, Isabel, Slide Water' (a rowing song written by slaves before the Civil War), 'Pump Shanty,' 'Fisherman's Wife' and 'Goodbye, Fare You Well.' These are heart-tugging songs of the life of the sailor, songs that made his labor seem easier, and helped to ease his loneliness or a broken heart. The Johnson Girls sing them with conviction, spirit and deep feeling, making us believe that they are the sailor in question, or that he is their lover, son or husband. An impressive, focused first recording by New York City's talented folk quintet! Liner notes have comments and info on all the songs.

Songlist: Round Cape Horn, Blackbird Get Up, Sailor's Way, Running Down to Cuba, Essequibo River, Bear Away Yankee, Bear away Boy, Fisherman's Lassie, Walk Along Sally Brown, Come Love Come, Huckleberry Hunting, London Julie, Drummer and the Cook, Weary Cutters, Fire Down Below, Yankee Man O' War, Jump, Isabel, Slide Water, Pump Shanty, Fisherman's Wife, Won't You Help Me To Raise 'Em, Goodby, Fare You Well

Review: Recorded in 1960, under the direction of one of the foremost conductors of the modern age - Shaw's resume includes collaborations with Arturo Toscanini - 'Sea Shanties' is not merely a period piece. The 16 shanties, arranged by Robert Shaw and his frequent associate, Alice Parker, are stirring and invigorating, as was indeed their purpose, as many of them supplied the rhythmic accompaniment for hard manual labor. Slower tasks required a commensurate meter: 'Shenandoah' and 'Lowlands' are typical examples. Finally, in their down time, sailors would sing for entertainment, often recalling exotic ports-of-call, and romanticizing their adventures ('Swansea Town,' 'Santy Anna'). Four songs have acoustic guitar.

Songlist: Blow the Man Down, Bound for the Rio Grande, Lowlands, Whup! Jamboree, Tom's Gone to Hilo, A-Roving, Good-bye, Fare Ye Well, What Shall We Do with the Drunken Sailor, The Shaver, Stormalong, John, Swansea Town , Haul Away, Joe, Shenandoah, Santy Anna, The Drummer and the Cook, Spanish Ladies

Review: Two great LPs on one CD, Norman Luboff's 'Songs of the South' and 'Songs of the Sea,' both issued in 1956, bring us the NLC in their popular prime. All songs feature the patented Luboff satin-smooth arrangements and rich harmonies, and this one has lots of great a cappella on it! 'My Old Kentucky Home,' 'Nobody Knows The Trouble I've Seen,' 'Deep River,' Carry Me Back to Old Virginny,' 'Swing Low, Sweet Chariot,' 'Dixie' and 'Eternal Father' are all sans accompaniment, and the lovely 'Shenandoah' and 'Lowlands' are only minimally accompanied. These tunes clearly show that the NLC was one of the best a cappella bands of any era. A total of 29 nostalgic winners--just listen to 'I Must Walk That Lonesome Valley,' 'Un Deux Trois,' 'The Ballad of the Boll Weevil,' 'Homeward Bound,' 'A Roving'--these songs were passed on from generation to generation because people loved them and sang them a lot, not because they got a lot of radio play. A tremendous value and recommended!

Songlist: My Old Kentucky Home, I Must Walk That Lonesome Valley, Sweet Lorena, Salangadou, Nobody Knows the Trouble I've Seen, Kemo Kimo, Deep River, Carry Me Back to Old Virginny, Tender Love, Down in the Valley, Swing Low Sweet Chariot, The Ballad of the Boll Weevil, Black is the Color of My True Love's Hair, Un Deux Trois, Dixie, Songs of the South (above), Songs of the Sea, Homeward Bound, One More Day, Shenandoah, Rio Grande, Rollin' Home, Blow the Man Down, Goodbye, My Lover, A-Roving, Lowlands, Clear the Track, The Dark-Eyed Sailor, The Boston Come All Ye, Goodbye, Fare Ye Well, Eternal Father

Review: The Sea Chanters is a 17 voice chorus of the United States Navy Band who perform a wide variety of choral music from classical to Broadway musicals. Part of their repertoire which is often requested are sea chanties and songs of the sea. Originally they were organized in 1956 as an all male chorus. Female voices were added in 1980. Under the direction of Master Chief Musician Chuck Yates, the Sea Chanties perform throughout the United States. When they are in Washington they often perform at the White House and for endless notable special events, performing with the National Symphony Orchestra, at President Nixon's funeral, at Carnegie Hall, aboard the U.S.S. Constitution in Boston Harbor, and at the 4th of July Celebrations at the Washington Monument, to name a few venues. The recording begins with a traditional sound as we are presented with the well known chanty, 'From Boston Harbor.' Then there are six songs with piano accompaniment from the collection of nautical themes by Eric H. Thiman. 'Waternight' was written by Eric Whitacre for the Dale Warland Singers using text from Octavio Paz. You will be serenaded by four of the five 'English Folk Songs' arranged by R. Vaughn Williams, a Percy Grainger arrangement, songs based on the work of Robert Frost, and finally 'A Prayer for the Fleet' which was written the 40th anniversary performance of the Sea Chanties. This selection of music is as beautifully sung. Go Navy!

Songlist: From Boston Harbor, You Gentlemen of England, Homeward, The Old Navy, Sacramento, Arethusa, Blow the Wind Wester, Waternight, Dark Eyed Sailor, The Springtime of the Year, Just as the Tide as was Flowing, The Lover's Ghost, I'm Seventeen Come Sunday, The Road Not Taken, A Prayer for the Fleet

Review: This album includes traditional shanties from the early days of navigation around the New Zealand coasts. Shanties were divided into halyard shanties (hauling songs), windlass or capstan songs used for heaving the anchor, and pump songs, used for pumping the ship out. On this recording we have tried to bring together as many types of sea shanty as possible, as well as sailors' hornpipes. The songs range from the famous 'Drunken Sailor' to 'Orpheus,' relating the tragic loss of HMS Orpheus on the west coast of North Island. They are sung by members of the New Zealand sail training ship 'Spirit of Adventure.'

Songlist: Leave Her Johnny, South Australia, Orpheus, 10000 Miles Away, Nick Young, Trumpet Hornpipe, Donkey Riding, Across the Line, Philomena D, Drunken Sailor, Captain Matheson, Talcajuano Girls, Liverpool Joddles, Auckland To The Bluff, Tom's Gone To Hilo, Dead Horse Shanty, Hornpipes, Shore Whalers

Review: From noted English choral arranger Jonathan Wilcocks a collection of sea songs. A more serious central shanty, Demons, is framed by two light-hearted settings, Enticement and Drunken Sailor. The ending is extrovert and rumbustious and almost guaranteed to bring the house down.

Songlist: Enticement, Demons, Drunken Sailor

Review: Add a breath of salty sea air to your repertoire with one of these traditional sea chanties. Lots of fun to sing and with performance notes. Originally from England, where 'All for Me Grog' was heard in music halls as well as on ships, the shanty was sung while working the capstan and the halyard. Swedish composer and conductor, Robert Sund wrote this playful arrangement of 'What Shall We Do With The Drunken Sailor?' leaving ample room for both women and men to excel in this well-known sea chantey. The tongue-twisting text brings this arrangement to an impressive ending!

Songlist: Blue Whale, Slugs, The Drunken Sailor

Review: The central poem 'Sea Song', by Madeleine L'Engle, depicts Neptune as a Sea Bishop who blesses all the creatures of sea and land. Gawthrop's vocally grateful text setting is particularly strong here, with occasional imitative entrances. The legato lullaby 'Dream Song' with rocking rhythms imagines dreams coming in on little boats at sunset, then sailing away again at dawn. Three ships full of wheat come into port, and sailors and young women haggle over their wares. Who will be cheated? The rousing concert-closer 'Roulez jeunes gens, roulez ' features clapping and stomping body percussion. It is high-energy entertainment, written for the Cornell University Glee Club, and now part of their permanent repertoire.

Songlist: Sea Visions, Dream Song, Roulez jeunes gens, roulez (Roll, young folks, roll)

Review: Sea shanties are an early tradition in a cappella music and are great fun to sing. Here we offer a selection of classics for male voices. 'The Sailor's Song' is an energetic and appealing a cappella sea chantey for Tenor Bass choirs that will be fun to rehearse and a showstopper in performance! Great for building skills and camaraderie! Noted arranger Vijay Singh brings us three classics that will provide excellent programming materials for male quartets, ensembles and choirs. 'Leave Her, Johnny, Leave Her' is a playful arrangement in which the ensemble encourages one of its own (Johnny) to bid farewell to his female shore leave companion. Encourage the singers to imagine they are loading the ship for departure and watching with amusement as young Johnny tries to bid his lady farewell. 'Bangidero' is derived from a traditional sea chantey in which a crew sings of admiration for its captain and his tales of shore leave opportunities in South America. 'Her Bright Smile', based on the plaintive words of an anonymous sailor poem, details the sailor's loneliness and longing for his ladylove. Marshall Bartholomew, arranger for much of the Yale Glee Club repertoire, does a fine job with the traditional 'What Shall We Do With The Drunken Sailor?'.

Songlist: What Shall We Do With The Drunken Sailor?, The Sailor's Song, Leave Her, Johnny Leave Her, Bangidero, Her Bright Smile