Customer Reviews

American Sea Shanties & Songs

5 star:		(1)
4 star:		(2)
3 star:		(0)
2 star:		(0)
1 star:		(2)

 

 

The reissue of this material is long overdue, since too many romanticized recordings of these sea shanties have taken them far from their original use as work songs onto an overly stuffy concert stage. In particular, note the slow tempo of The Drunken Sailor. Beware, however. I have had so far to return two copies of this disc due to sound drop-offs that were not on the original LPs, and Rounder has not responded to requests for a clean copy.

When my kids go to summer camp I volunteer to help. Some of the songs they learn are sea shanties, many not appropriate for a youth camp, but that's another story. When the boys are alone working on projects, thinking they are out of earshot and singing, this is what they sound like, but more youthful -- off pitch -- random timing -- absolutely charming.

There are many ways to get injured or die on a sailing ship, you need both hands free, so it was probably all a cappella. If you are looking for a disneyfied version of sea songs -- shop elsewhere, this is what you would have heard in 1880

Recorded in the 40s (in one case by a man preparing to sing before FDR!) the sea songs, chanteys and work songs captured on this CD are sung by the men who learned them first hand in the last days of the great wooden ships. The men are elderly, and their voices are tremulous and faltering, but they are the real thing. The recordings appear to have been made as part of an oral tradition exercise, and are of middling quality, including asides, interruptions and questions from an interviewer. So don't expect the songs to be delivered with pretty accompaniment and manly gusto, but with age and authenticity. A great historical document of a bygone age, though of less interest for casual listening.

Disappointing. If American sailors only went to sea in single-handed boats, this would be good. Too much explanation, and most songs are sung by a single person (who may have personally sung them on whaling ships under sail). Not something one could sing along with, not 'easy' to listen to.

ok, this just sucked beyond imagining. The recording quality was bad enough to barely be able to understand what was said of sung. there were long drawn out introductions before each track which were also hard to understand and not neccessary.

I died a little on the inside after listening to this.