List of the Drunken Sailor – Shanties Family
Interesting Facts about the Drunken Sailor – Shanties Family
Drunken Sailor – Shanties Family is a very well-known shanty. It is a typical example of the stamp-‘n’-go song or walkaway or runaway shanty. It was the only type of work song allowed in the King’s Navee. In later days, in bigger ships with smaller crews, it was mainly used at braces when ‘going about’ or to hand aloft a light sail such as stays’l – in this latter case it would then be used as a hand-over-hand song.
Walkaway or stamp-‘n’-go songs (braces, etc)
Also called stamp-n-go or walkaway or runaway shanty, was the only type of work song allowed in the Royal Navy. It was popular in ships with big crews when at halyards, the crowd would seize the fall and stamp the sail up. Sometimes when hauling a heavy boat up the falls would be ‘married’, and both were hauled on at the same time as the hands stamped away signing a rousing tune. Stan Hugill’s explanation from page 26 of the first edition of the “Shanties From The Seven Seas”, says it was used at braces, etc.
My private collection of books
Shantyman library – you will see descriptions and recommendations of positions worth diving into, true sources of knowledge about sea shanties. To gain knowledge about sea shanties is the main ultimate purpose of this library. Every book in this library is somehow related to sea shanties and before mast songs.
More involvement in Traditional Sea Shanties
You can find this record here or directly listen below. If you want to discuss the record or share your opinion you can do it in my Facebook forum here.