Click on this red sailboat for the first information on Sailing Music I would
like you to have. It is a web site by John Kohnen with the interesting
title - "The Mother of All
Maritime Links". You will arrive at his section on "MUSIC" links and I
hope you
will find it as fascinating as I did.
If your COMPUTER SPEAKERS are not on -- turn them on now!
When you click (2 or 3 times) on the "PLAY" button ( large button with triangle facing to the right - below) music will play for the song title above it. The "PAUSE" button has two vertical parallel lines on it and the "STOP" button is the small square.
The Fish of the Sea [A Capstan Shanty]
Come all you young sailormen, listen to me / I'll sing you a song of the fish in the sea, / and it's...
Chorus
Windy weather boys, stormy weather, boys / When the wind blows we're all
together, boys / Blow ye winds westerly, blow ye winds, blow / Jolly sou'wester,
boys, steady she goes.
Up jumps the eel with his slippery tail, / Climbs up aloft and reefs the topsail, / and it's...Chorus
Then up jumps the shark with his nine rows of teeth / Saying, 'You eat the dough boys, and I'll eat the beef! / and it's...Chorus
Up jumps the lobster with his heavy claws, / Bites the main boom right off by the jaws! / and it's...Chorus
Up jumps the halibut, lies flat on the deck / He says, 'Mister Captain, don't step on my neck! / and it's...Chorus
Up jumps the herring, the king of the sea, / Saying, 'All other fishes, now you follow me! / and it's...Chorus
Up jumps the codfish with his chuckle-head, / He runs out up forward and throws out the lead! / and it's...Chorus
Up jumps the whale... the largest of all, / 'If you want any wind, well, I'll blow ye a squall! /and it's...Chorus (twice)
The information, below, on the Sea Shanty "The Fish of the Sea" is from the web site "contemplator.com" that I found in the Music Section of "The Mother of all Maritime Links" web site. This Midi File was sequenced by Barry Taylor.
According to Hugill, this shanty probably originated as a Scottish fisherman's song. It was also popular with Gloucester fishermen in the American Northeast. Hugill also collected a version in Devonshire, and it was known in Canada.
Americans evidently sang the song to a Scottish tune, and Whall (a Scotsman), in Sea Songs and Shanties gives it a different tune from the usual Scottish air. In addition Whall adds that it was also sung to the tune of Blow the Man Down. It was also sung to other tunes. This is a Canadian version, given by Barry Taylor.
This was a capstan shanty, and sailors would take turns with verses, giving a new fish each time for as long as was necessary. From Sea Songs and Shanties and Shanties from the Seven Seas
SEAFARING SONGS
HEAR THE MELODY AND THE LYRICS
in MP3 format
NOTE: Be patient! The MP3 files are large and it will take a while to load this page,
especially with a "Dial Up" connection.
This site was last updated 07/09/08