A rousing collection of the most memorable and feel-good shanties in maritime history.

This book contains not only more than 400 sea shanties but as much of their history as Stan Hugill could collect in his extraordinary career as sailor, scholar, author, artist, and inspiration to new generations of sea-music enthusiasts and performers.

Passed down in the oral tradition and sung traditionally as working songs, sea shanties tell the human stories of life at sea: hard graft, battling the elements, the loss of ships or pining for a lady on shore. Its pages decorated with hand-drawn or wood-cut illustrations from celebrated artist Jonny Hannah, Sailor Song addresses the current modern revival of sea shanties, and seeks to celebrate and to explore the historical, musical and social history of the traditional sea song through 40 beautiful, mournful, haunting and uplifting shanties. Acclaimed shanty devotee Gerry Smyth presents the background to each one alongside musical notation. The lyrics are elaborated with explanations of terminology, context including historical facts and accounts of life at sea, and the characters, both fictional and non-fictional, that appear in the songs from the great age of sail to the last days of square-rig. Where appropriate, a direct digital link is made to a shanty recording in the British Library Sound Archive.

An epic journey through sea shanties, high tides and seven seas From the international bestselling singer comes The Book of Sea Shanties. The world sang in harmony with Nathan Evans, the Glaswegian postie turned singer of sea shanties. Join him as he takes you through time and seafaring history to discover the true meaning of Wellerman, and who and what exactly was the Drunken Sailor? Featuring over 35 best loved shanties, Nathan will share the meaning behind each of his favourite shanties and show how they have shaped and inspired him. Beautifully illustrated throughout, it will also include original shanties and bonus content written exclusively for this book. Whether you're young or old, gather around and discover the riotous world of sea shanties. Praise for Nathan Evans: A 'Sea Shanty sensation' Rolling Stone 'An artist who really lifts the mood when he performs' Daily Telegraph 'Too good to miss' Brian May, Daily Express

This work has been selected by scholars as being culturally important and is part of the knowledge base of civilization as we know it. This work is in the public domain in the United States of America, and possibly other nations. Within the United States, you may freely copy and distribute this work, as no entity (individual or corporate) has a copyright on the body of the work. Scholars believe, and we concur, that this work is important enough to be preserved, reproduced, and made generally available to the public. To ensure a quality reading experience, this work has been proofread and republished using a format that seamlessly blends the original graphical elements with text in an easy-to-read typeface. We appreciate your support of the preservation process, and thank you for being an important part of keeping this knowledge alive and relevant.

There is nothing like a good sea shanty—or chanty, as it was originally called—to transport one to a different time, place, and mood. After all, few have a more powerful need to relieve boredom, weariness, fear, and loneliness than sailors. And a classic, generations-tested shanty can do just that—with humor, nostalgia, and often lasciviousness all at once. Whether at land or sea, the good fun of shanties is hard to contain. Sing them a few times, and you naturally want to learn more about them. "What Do You Do With A Drunken Sailor?" offers not only the lyrics of traditional shanties but the accompanying lore and history as well. Sung for as long as sailors have shipped out to sea, shanties are the collective creative work of seamen needing to ease the hardships of long sea voyages. Generations of sailors adapted the songs to their own needs and culture, forming a link from the age of oar and sail to the nuclear-powered navies of today. Compiled, annotated, and researched by accomplished storyteller Douglas Morgan, a longtime naval officer and author of the acclaimed thriller "Tiger Cruise, What Do You Do With A Drunken Sailor?" is a witty, fascinating, and unrestrained collection of more than twenty sea shanties—the perfect book for anyone with a hankering to sing and learn more about classic songs that have soothed generations of struggling souls. With more than 60 illustrations and explanations of naval terms and custom—including some of the bawdier parts of a sailor s life—"What Do You Do With A Drunken Sailor?" promises insight into military life and literature and, most important, provides hours of good-humored amusement."