Customer Reviews

Shanties from the Seven Seas (Maritime)

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Stan Hugill was the last living shantyman in the United Kingdom, having sailed on board ships where shantying was still alive and well. He gained his information and his songs from primary sources, all of whom are no longer available. Every person who works to keep the maritime traditions alive, particularly the sailors' work songs of the 18th and 19th centuries, owes Stan a huge debt for developing an interest in a dying custom in time to preserve some of it. Stan was above all a meticulous scholar and born educator; Shanties from the Seven Seas is the outcome of an incredible amount of recollection substantiated by extensive research. Among professional shanty singers we refer to this book as Stan's Bible, and if one is interested on an enthusiast's level in maritime music, Shanties from the Seven Seas is a must-read. Stan has written many other books and papers, but this is the one that without fail will be found in a maritime historian's library.

Stan Hugill died in May 1992, but he has left us with a priceless legacy of knowledge

Stan Hugill was no deskbound scholar researching a topic through second- and third-hand resources. He was a sailor and a shantyman, making his living from the ocean as long as his kind of worker was still needed. But as machines replaced men on many of a ship's backbreaking tasks, the need for rhythmic shanties to unite the men's labors and lift their spirits were no longer needed. Fortunately, Hugill did his best to preserve the old songs and their histories, and this volume is a true labor of love.

Hugill, who died in 1992 at age 86, is remembered in this new edition as "a singer, raconteur, amateur anthologist, armchair philologist, self-taught artist, and boon companion." He worked hard at sea during peace and war, survived two shipwrecks, was a German prisoner of war, retired into a new career as a boatswain and sailing instructor for Outward Bound, and was the person most responsible for preserving and reviving the shantyman's art.

The 42-page introduction, titled "The Art of the Shantyman," is worth the cover price alone for anyone interested in the history, development and practical applications of shanties, as well as the various historical efforts to trace their roots. Afterwards, the book is packed with lyrics, including variations, and exhaustive details of the songs' distinct uses at sea. The notes are printed for anyone who wants to play or sing the tunes, and Hugill also provided illustrations showing seamen singing at their work.

Ask any shantyman in the world, what book to get, to get some useful information on sea shantys; he'll tell ya to get Hugills book. You'll find the tunes and lyrics to about 400 shantys in this book. If Hugill found more than one version of one song, you'll find em too in this book. You'll find a song under all the titles it's known under, introduced by historical backgrounds and sometimes storys, on how Hugill himself used the songs. The whole book is introduced by "the art of the shantyman" a detailed history of shanty tradition. The only thing, I found improvable is the fact, that sometimes it's a bit difficult to find the version of a song, that one is looking for because there are so many versions.

Well, this book's the shantyman's bible indeed!

Stan Hugill's work is the central work for those seeking information on shanties. Though the original bawdiness of some of the songs has been edited out by Stan, no other work available comes close to this one.

Ask any shantyman in the world, what book to get, to get some useful information on sea shantys; he'll tell ya to get Hugills book. You'll find the tunes and lyrics to about 400 shantys in this book. If Hugill found more than one version of one song, you'll find em too in this book. You'll find a song under all the titles it's known under, introduced by historical backgrounds and sometimes storys, on how Hugill himself used the songs. The whole book is introduced by "the art of the shantyman" a detailed history of shanty tradition. The only thing, I found improvable is the fact, that sometimes it's a bit difficult to find the version of a song, that one is looking for because there are so many versions.

Well, this book's the shantyman's bible indeed!

Quite simply, this is the single best book ever written on the subject.

The only "negative" aspect is that the musical transcripts in the paperback are of a very small font, and some of the older folks (ahem) might need to use their spectacles.

Stan was a great guy. I knew him and heard him sing these shanties often. He was the last of the working shantymen and a great authority on the subject. His knowledge was first hand. The book originally had a companion record which is now, sadly, unavailable.
You may find other books of sea shanties and their history but none are as good as thin one. It's the definitive work and contains not only the words and music but also the sources and history of the songs and shanties and HOW they were used as work songs etc which makes understanding the rhythms and phrasing so much easier (you can imagine hauling the ropes (sorry, sheets)together with other sailors and keeping in unison with the aid of the shanty).
Wonderful stuff written by a wonderful man who is greatly missed by those who knew him,. Fortunately, he left this masterpiece behind him when he left us.

This is an excellent collection of songs. I am glad I bought it, but I really wish that it was printed on larger pages, so that the music is easier to read and the book would stay open.

I mean WOW!!! Get this book before it isn't available anymore. I shared it with folk singer Mark Ross who said it was one of the best compilations he'd seen. Get this book.

really phantastic how he has colected all these information from songs / over 400 / together in one paperback , and also from most of the songs the melodies and origin. I.m very glad that I finally found this book , and happy to read in it