22 min

Sea Shanties Folklife Today Podcast

    • Books

This episode presents an introduction to sea shanties, including a discussion of the word “shanty” or “chantey;” a discussion of the roots of shanties; the history of shanties; the subtypes of short-haul shanties, halyard shanties, and capstan shanties; the importance of the African American and Afro-Caribbean communities to shanties; and the prevalence of women singing shanties. The episode presents six shanties, “Pay Me My Money Down” by the Georgia Sea Island Singers, “Haul the Bowline” by Richard Maitland, “Dead Horse” or “Poor Old Man” by Leighton Robinson, “The Amsterdam Maid” by Charles J. Finger,” “We All Going Ashore” by a group of women from Anguilla, and “Blow the Man Down” by Ship’s Company Chanteymen.

This episode presents an introduction to sea shanties, including a discussion of the word “shanty” or “chantey;” a discussion of the roots of shanties; the history of shanties; the subtypes of short-haul shanties, halyard shanties, and capstan shanties; the importance of the African American and Afro-Caribbean communities to shanties; and the prevalence of women singing shanties. The episode presents six shanties, “Pay Me My Money Down” by the Georgia Sea Island Singers, “Haul the Bowline” by Richard Maitland, “Dead Horse” or “Poor Old Man” by Leighton Robinson, “The Amsterdam Maid” by Charles J. Finger,” “We All Going Ashore” by a group of women from Anguilla, and “Blow the Man Down” by Ship’s Company Chanteymen.

22 min

More by Library of Congress

Alan Lomax and the Soundscapes of the Upper Midwest: 75th anniversary of the Library of Congress Folk-Song Expedition to Mich
Library of Congress
Off The Record: The Joe Smith Collection
Library of Congress
From the Catbird Seat: Poetry from the Library of Congress Podcast
Library of Congress
Hidden Treasures at the Library of Congress
Library of Congress
African-American Passages: Black Lives in the 19th Century Podcast
Library of Congress
The Legislative Process
Library of Congress