Gibb-

You're really doing a great job of summarizing these shanties and their sources. And you're also provoking some excellent comments and discussion.

I note that the "minstrel" origin of some of these shanties has been discussed in depth in other threads, i. e., "Coal Black Rose." Sometimes only a few key phrases survive from the original minstrel song, i.e. "Lucy Long." Sometimes it's just the title as in "Whoop Jamboree." But minstrel songs were the pop music of the day and thus fodder for the aspiring shantyman. The same is true of shanties whose origin can be traced to British and American Music Hall songs, i.e., "The Jolly Roving Tar (Get Up, Jack, John, Sit Down)"."

I'll look forward to meeting you at Mystic.

Cheerily,
Charley Noble