Well Cranky Yankee, you certinly did define the roll of the Shantyman, & why was that again? We probably all could pull rank here in one way or another but most don't even if they were asked. If giving out one not need to give out their qualifications back handedly at the same time. There are many singers here & elsewhere that do just grand singing shanties that may never have seen blue water as well as many whom sing murder ballads that wouldn't harm a flea, do they need to commit murder to really get the feel for the song before they sing it. If so kiss most of those ballads & shanties goodbye. You sang under the square sail but others that I've sang with would call you a pup to be giving out the way you did above. This is a world wide musical community with as much experence in the music as well as what they're singing about. Years ago I met up with a bunch of tall ship sailors while helping to restore the Brig Carthaginian in Maui, among them was George Herbert Master Rigger from West Geelong who'd riggered the Hawaiian Chieftain, Alma Doepel, Eye Of The Wind, Golden Plover & more & after being to frail in his late 90's advised on the Endeavour. He started out at 13 as a cabin boy in the Baltic trades & ended his days of sailoring as a Cape Horner & seeing as how he died after Hugill he would probably be the last of the old time shantymen. He always sailed with a concertina & a uke & was a shantyman who was always ready to teach or share a song or explain or expand on it if asked & was just tickled pink that someone might keep these songs he sung & loved alive. Most here realize that it's easy on the internet to come across in a fashion or style that was far from what was intended & although some may have read page two want to teach the rest of us what was on page one there are others that have gone on & read page three. Now with all this said & done with you don't say if you're in near or could make the sing but it sure would be nice if you could. I will do my best to recover by then & give it a go if you thought there was a chance you'd make it too. Barry