Pyrate Songs Ye Need for PiP

Captain Jim · June 25, 2006

OK, here it is, the songlist thread. Just a few simple requests for song nomination.

They should be period or in period style.

Include a source for lyrics if you know one, or a recording if you know one.

I'll try to divide the songs into appropriate categories, such as working songs and forecastle/drinking songs.

If any public domain sources are known to you, please share.

the object here will be to produce a songbook and a CD or download site so we can all practice the same arrangements.

So, how many songs should we learn? Ten seems too few, thirty might be a bit much. Twenty or so?

Nominations and suggestions will now begin.

callenish gunner · June 26, 2006

jim i have 20-30 songs with lyrics and recordings of; that i will send to you ...give me a few days to try to put them together and dig out the recordings and put to cd ...and i hope that the "professionals" understand that we're not trying to upstage them, just add to the atmosphere of the entertainment around the encampment and the evening pubs as singing was a common form of community activity to wile away the long hours.

Captain Jim · June 26, 2006

Thanks, Hugh, that'll be a big boost. I'm scouring song lists and begining to come up with a list of the most common songs recorded or listed as well as the most common lyrics. You would not believe how many variations some of these songs have, or how incomplete recent recordings are as concerns the whole story often told by these shanties.

I think that the pro's, the good ones anyway, will appreciate it when we know the words and sing along with. We also need to think about singing as advertisement as we walk along KW's main street at night, drumming up business for the next day. Even four or five Pyrates singing along an avenue will cause even jaded Conchs to pause. And if the entertainers and vendors don't know free advertising when they see it, well... After all, the more bodies we get to come to the Pub and listen to the entertainers, the more tips they'll get, savvy? (Did I just say that?)

Jib · June 26, 2006

What do you do with a drunken sailor?

Captain Jim · June 27, 2006

Yes, Drunken Sailor is difinately in, and Blow the Man Down. Also Paddy West and Leave Her Johnny. More to come.

sirhenrymorgan · June 27, 2006

Drunken Sailor is a bit late for pirate times... The first mention of it was in 1841...

"Drunken Sailor" AKA "Hooray an' Up She Rises," was reported in Olmstead, F. A., "Incidents of a Whaling Voyage," 1841, about a voyage in 1839-40. This was the first mention. Hugill says, "Sung by the Indiamen of the John Company." The chantey is probably English.

I don't believe it dates to the early 18th Century...

-- Sir H

Hawkyns · June 27, 2006

Paddy West is obviusly OOP, too, just from the wording.

I guess that begs the question- is the singign going to be just any old sea chantey, most of which date from 19th century whaling period, or are we making an attempt to keep our songs pre 1740?. It's on of my big candy colured buttons that GAoP pirate musicians do little to stay period and sing any old song that is nautical in nature.

Hawkyns

:rolleyes:

Captain Jim · June 27, 2006

I thought one or two of those might get a rise out of you who have been watchin' but not posting. Hooked like a trout you were. So, do you have any suggestions for songs and sources? It would be helpful if those who have criticism, especially good criticism such as this, would step up and pitch in some ideas as well. That is exactly what this thread is for.

It would be great to use only period shanties, 1650 to 1740(ish), but most of what I have found recorded has been OOP, mostly from the whaling era.

And remember too that we are out to have fun, and to entertain and educate ourselves as well as the public. A few (very few, I should think) of the songs might well be ones that the public will recognize, such as "Drunken Sailor". Imagine that song sung in a bar during an evening pub cruise to drum up business for the next day. Think it would be effective? Follow it up with a couple of call-and-response short- or long-haul shanties and finish with a windlass shanty as you leave and you’ll have ‘em hooked. Four songs and a beer and on to the next bar. "A Pirate's Life for Me" might be a little over the top, so rest easy on that account.

None of the song selections is chiseled in stone, as this process is just beginning. I would like to build a consensus, but I would also like to publish at least ten songs by mid July, sort of a preliminary group, so that the learning can begin and improvements made to the delivery vehicle, whatever that turns out to be.

So step up and share what you know. If we spend all of our time here pointing out what I don’t know, we’ll be at this forever.

Hawkyns · June 27, 2006

Start here

http://www.lukehistory.com/resources/ballads.html

then here

http://www.contemplator.com/sea/benbow.html

That's would be a good start. I've tried singing many of these at various 18th c pirate gatherings. It generally has little success- people are more interested in singing OOP stuff, which I have little patience for. these are good stories, and good bawdy stuff.

And a few more on CD

http://www.premieremusic.net/catalog/cd.php?cd=RRC1175

And I fully expect that very few people have ever heard most of these, unless you are seriously into period music.

Hawkyns

:rolleyes:

Hawkyns · June 27, 2006

and one more

http://sniff.numachi.com/~rickheit/dtrad/p...ttHOWSTAND.html

Hawkyns

:rolleyes:

Silkie McDonough · June 27, 2006

I have a voice but little advice.

I have asked in the pub before for suggestions on popular songs of the time but got little to no response. Many of the songs that may sound period are not ...or at least I can't prove that they are.

"The Fisherman's Song" by Andy Stewart of 'Silly Wizard' is not period and I think the lyrics don't fit period but if someone would volunteer to check them for me I'd appreciate that. I'll even PM them to you.

DeDannan has a shantie on their CD "Hibernian Rhapsody" "Captain Jack" I like it and have learned to sing it but ..I can find no reference to it on the web and there is no history on the jacket. How does one go about researching such things?

I also like "The Maid on the Shore" It is generally well received but I don't know it's history save that it is Scottish ...I think, may be English.

hurricane · June 27, 2006

And remember too that we are out to have fun, and to entertain and educate ourselves as well as the public. A few (very few, I should think) of the songs might well be ones that the public will recognize, such as "Drunken Sailor". Imagine that song sung in a bar during an evening pub cruise to drum up business for the next day. Think it would be effective? Follow it up with a couple of call-and-response short- or long-haul shanties and finish with a windlass shanty as you leave and you’ll have ‘em hooked. Four songs and a beer and on to the next bar.

I am sharing what I know I guess.

There is hardly a bar worth visiting in Key West that doesn't have a musician playing non-stop during the day and night or music blaring. That goes for Captain Tony's, Sloppy Joes, the Schooner Wharf, Hog's Breath, ad nauseum. A working musician hardly wants to interrupt his livelihood there to accommodate anyone else singing. The voice of experience there (I was the one trying to interrupt during my first voyage there - not a good experience).

Frankly, the bars don't care about the festival. Never will. Local businesses don't care. Even the tourist spots like the Pirate's Soul Museum don't care. The reason is simple. The festival takes patrons away from their businesses... that includes visitors who go to Captain Tony's and plop down $6 for a beer locals pay $4 for, as well as $20 for a shirt and $5 to Captain Tony for his autograph. The patrons are cash cows, the festival is not.

So don't expect a lot of businesses to welcome your performance. Your money yes! Drawing patrons away, no!

They love events like Fantasy Fest that fills their bars... Simple business 101.

That is the main reason the Pub Runs were never a success when we did them. We had lots of people go - 50 at a time - but the pubs didn't really support an event where the patrons came in, had one drink and then headed off to their competitor's place down the road.

I don't want to be a wet blanket, but after all these years, this is the state of affairs there and I don't see it changing. We've tried, oh lord we've tried... Even the full time festival folks there who are the customers of these places year-round couldn't get that kind of support or interest.

-- Hurricane

Silkie McDonough · June 27, 2006

So how about a street sing? Strolling hords of pirates. We don't sing in the establishment, we walk in at the end of a song, cause a ruckus with our mear presence and numbers buy an ale, talk to the other patrons ...they will surely ask what is going on, then we walk out starting a song as we go?

They get our patronage and we get exposure.

Just a thought.

Captain Jim · June 27, 2006

I suppose the primary goal of this whole shanty collection is for our own amusement/education/entertainment in the encampment. It is only secondarily a vehicle to entertain/educate patrons and lastly to drum up more patrons, even though it would be an extremely effective tool for such an endeavor.

Fortunately, my experience with professional entertainers and bar managers has been completely different. I've managed bars and restaurants, booked the acts and crashed more than a few stages myself. Not a few of which were in Key West. Musicians, in my experience, are always looking to take a break and are glad to see something different happen than the same-ol' every night. Bar managers are usually very supportive of civic activists, such as the Friends of Fort Taylor. I know that I was. Now I'm talking about bars and bar singers here, not concerts and one-time special appearances. Anyway, it’s worth a try. If they say no, its no and we'll stroll down the street to the next place, or street corner as Silkie suggests, drumming up patrons as we go. Or not. We are, after all, volunteers/patrons ourselves and are not compelled by contract to sing anywhere or to drum up business for the event. But there are those of us who are truly hooked on this event and will do what we can to make the event richer and fuller for all who attend, including the vendors and paid entertainers.

This is, in the final analysis, all for us.

Or all for me grog, me jolly, jolly grog…

Winston · June 27, 2006

I am so getting those cd's

Red Sea Trade · July 4, 2006

I have done a good bit of period singing, and there are a few fun, period-correct songs that never fail to entertain and delight. These tunes have several things to recommend them: They are fairly easy to sing, they aren't stale and nobody else in town will be singing them.

"The Downfall of Piracy" (lyrics by Benjamin Franklin--yes, THAT Benjamin Franklin). A lively version of Blackbeard's defeat and demise.

"Down Among The Deadmen". Not specifically a pirate tune, but it sounds like it should be. Circa 1705, so the period is perfect.

"Fathom The Bowl". An outstanding nautical drinking song. A great sing-along for the crowd.

Hope this helps. I would love to make it to PIP, but I have a previous engagement in St. Augustine.

Sir Beachem Quick · July 4, 2006

Captain Jim,

This is an awesome service you be coordinating. regretable I for one will not be much help. Though Perhaps contacting the library of congress may be a bountifull resource for sea chanties even if they are not exactly period.

Personally, I think if your in the century it should be fair game. the whole concept of time period correct can really make one crazy. Let's face it pyracy is about a life style more than a date.

Cheers :lol: