BS: Mudcatters do DC Chantey Sing

Subject: Mudcatters do DC Chantey Sing
From: Wotcha
Date: 20 Jun 01 - 12:07 AM

Just wanted to report a succesful Mudcat rendezvous between "Mrrzy," "Naemanson," and "Wotcha" at Cate's Bistro in Alexandria, VA for the monthly chantey sing put on by the Ships Company and other supporters. Naemanson (a "Roll and Go" member) gave us all a run for our money with some wonderful chanteys.
For me it was a reunion with folks I (a bone fide landlubbler) first met a little over 2 1/2 years ago before I ploughed forth to Kuwait and then Chicago. They are all to blame for kindling a great interest in songs of the sea and things nautical.
Hope more Mudcat "lurkers" make themselves know at the next "DC" sing.
Cheers,
Briam

Subject: RE: BS: Mudcatters do DC Chantey Sing
From: Peter Kasin
Date: 20 Jun 01 - 02:03 AM

Hooray for chantey sings! May they prosper. Good to hear of this one.

-chanteyranger

Subject: RE: BS: Mudcatters do DC Chantey Sing
From: Naemanson
Date: 20 Jun 01 - 10:16 AM

I had a great time last night. It was wonderful to meet Mrrzy and Wotcha. Wincing Devil was also there as well as several people who identified themselves as perpetual lurkers and guests. Guest LynnT, was a surprise being in a Navy uniform.

The walk from the train station was longer than I expected but the neighborhood was interesting. After I arrived at Cate's I went into the room to wait for Mrrzy and Wotcha. It was interesting to wait for someone I had never met. There was a woman and a man in the room. Both were obviously waiting for someone so I had to make sure we weren't all waiting for each other. We weren't.

Mrrzy showed up and then LynnT and Chris, both lurkers, and Wincing Devil identified themselves. Wotcha seemed to be a no show. We moved to a table where we ordered dinner.

The restaurant was very nice. The food was good but expensive. The beers were even more expensive. Next time it will be iced tea!

LynnT has compiled a very useful and fun Shanty Hymnal. I heard some chanties and songs I'd never heard before and sang some they hadn't heard. I am now on the hook to send lyrics to LynnT.

Early in the evening a man showed up wearing a bright Hawaiian shirt. He settled at another table, sang a song or two and then, about halfway through the evening he identified himself as Wotcha. Mrrzy had met him before but was looking for a man with a beard! We were both surprised! I hadn't expected an English accent

All in all it was a great fun evening. I didn't get back to the hotel until late but partly that was my fault. It helps to pay attention to which train you board.

Subject: RE: BS: Mudcatters do DC Chantey Sing
From: Charley Noble
Date: 20 Jun 01 - 01:18 PM

I don't know, Naemanson. I'm not sure we should let you out of ME without a leash and escourt.;-)

Glad you had a great time!

Subject: RE: BS: Mudcatters do DC Chantey Sing
From: Naemanson
Date: 20 Jun 01 - 01:30 PM

Charley, I'm coming home with a copy of that hymnal! It's got some great things in it.

And you ain't pretty enough to be my escort!

Subject: RE: BS: Mudcatters do DC Chantey Sing
From: SINSULL
Date: 20 Jun 01 - 03:11 PM

bRETT,
sTILL LOOKING FOR A WOMAN YOU HAVEN'T MET BEFORE? Sounds like you all had fun. Maybe next time...

Subject: RE: BS: Mudcatters do DC Chantey Sing
From: GUEST,LynnT
Date: 20 Jun 01 - 03:28 PM

And the Commander chimes in (I came straight from work at the Pentagon, where I'm on 6 months Active Duty doing a computer project)...

That was one of the best Chantey Sings we've pulled off lately! As Naemonsen says, it was a good crowd in good voice, with lotsa new songs and a good bit of wit to boot. Many thanks to him, Wotcha and Mrrzy for joining in -- and for the new songs they've sung and written down for me! I should note that the vast majority of the lyrics in the Chantey Hymnal, now some 40 pages and 125 songs long, come from DigiTrad. I started building the Hymnal two years ago to help my own faulty memory, and now print 5-6 copies each month for folks to use at the session. I try to be careful to include songwriter names where known, and limit both distribution and printrun to not step beyond Fair Use...

We had another unexpected visitor: Grace Griffith of Caeltoire (sp?) came by, contributing her fine sweet soprano. And when the staff threw us out at 10:00, we weren't done yet; a group of half-a-dozen hardcores sang for another hour on the sidewalk in front of the place.

This was the first time I've been to a South End/Alexandria (as opposed to North End/Wheaton) sing. The acoustics at Cates' are much better than at Royal Mile, the pub where we meet the first Tuesday of the month in Wheaton, though the food is slower, not as good and much pricier down south. Still, well worth being groggy the first half of the next morning!! Lynn T CDR USNR

Subject: RE: BS: Mudcatters do DC Chantey Sing
From: Mrrzy
Date: 20 Jun 01 - 05:14 PM

It was great. I recognized Wotcha instantly, except that it was Naemanson... can't have everything... and some day I'll get up my courage to sing (not just "along") at one of these things (I didn't at Chanteyranger's either); they ASKED this time, and I still didn't, I am ashamed to own. Next time! Promise!

Subject: RE: BS: Mudcatters do DC Chantey Sing
From: UB Ed
Date: 20 Jun 01 - 06:01 PM

So, is this regularly scheduled?

Ed

Subject: Lyr.Add.:Sailor's Yarn,A
From: Charley Noble
Date: 20 Jun 01 - 06:35 PM

Here's a song for you nautical singing folks to feed on until we can send out another Roll & Go forerunner:

A SAILOR'S YARN

(From A Nonesense Anthology by J. J Roche, Circa 1890, as adapted by Charlie Ipcar, 1993; tune: after Whup Jamboree/Johnie Cock)

As narrated by the second mate to one of the marines

This is the tale 'twas told to me,
By a battered and shattered son of the sea:
To me and my messmate, Silas Green,
When I was a guileless young marine. (spoken)

Em D Em G D
'Twas on the good ship Fly-ing Fish
Em D Bm
All in the Chi-na Seas;
Em D Em
With the wind a-lee, and the cap-stan free,
Bm D Bm
We set sail for Ca-diz,
Em Bm Em
Yes, we set sail for Ca-diz. (Refrain)

Said Captain Poggie on the deck
To the Mate on the mizzen hatch,
"How heads our gallant ship tonight?
Shall we wind the larboard watch?"(Refrain)

The mate drew forth his compass rose
And tapped it on the rail,
"Why, she heads to the E. S. W. by N.
In the teeth of a raging gale."(Refrain)

"Then, fly aloft to the royal top yard
And reef that spanker boom,
Bend a studding sail to the martingale
To give her weather room."(Refrain)

"Pray, bosun, down in the for'ard hold,
What water do you show?"
"Four foot and a half by the royal gaff
And rather more below."(Refrain)

"Then, sailors, collar your marline spikes
And roll each belaying pin;
Come, stir your stumps to spike the pumps,
Or more will be coming in."(Refrain)

They stirred their stumps, they spiked the pumps,
They spliced the mizzen brace;
Aloft and alow they worked, but, oh!
The water gained apace.(Refrain)

They bored a hole beneath her line
To let the water out,
But more and more with an awful roar,
The water in did spout.(Refrain)

Then up spoke the cook of our gallant ship –
And he was a lubber brave –
"I've several wives in various ports,
And me bacon I would save."(Refrain)

The next to speak was our bosun bold,
Who feared neither fish nor fog –
"'Tis dreadful to die, but 'tis worse to go dry,
And I move we pipes to grog."(Refrain)

The last to speak was our second mate,
Whose courage was second to none –
"Takes more than lip to save a ship,
I'll show you how 'tis done!"(Refrain)

Then hoasting the anchor upon his back,
He leapt into the main;
Through foam and spray he clove his way,
And sunk and rose again.(Refrain)

Through foam and spray, a league away,
The anchor stout he bore,
Till safe at last, he made it fast,
And warped the ship ashore!
Yes, he warped the ship ashore!(Refrain)

Ay, this is the tale 'twas told to me,
By that modest and truthful son of the sea;
And I envy the life of a second mate,
Though captains curse him and the sailors hate;
For he ain't like some of the swabs I've seen
Who'd go and lie to a poor marine.(Spoken)

Cheerily,
Charley Noble

Subject: RE: BS: Mudcatters do DC Chantey Sing
From: Wotcha
Date: 20 Jun 01 - 09:58 PM

UB Ed:
The DC area sings have been quite regular for the past 3 or 4 years. The First Tuesday of the month is at the Royal Mile Pub in Wheaton MD (although no sing is scheduled in July for obvious reasons).
The Third Tuesday in Old Town Alexandria got started in February of 1999 (when a chantey pub crawl initiated the search for an additional venue for the VA-side of DC: I guess I can claim some plank holding rights there). The Alexandria venue is currently at Cate's Bistro on King Street (in the past 2 years other venues have been used ... so check at the Ships' Company website (shipscompany.org) or pyrates.com for the latest news.
See you all out in the area.
Cheers,
Brian

Subject: RE: BS: Mudcatters do DC Chantey Sing
From: GUEST,UB Ed, What happened to my Cookie?
Date: 25 Jun 01 - 01:42 PM

So Tuesday, July 17th would be the next one at Cates? I believe I may be in Arlington that day.

Subject: RE: BS: Mudcatters do DC Chantey Sing
From: Mrrzy
Date: 26 Jun 01 - 10:14 AM

UBEd, where would you be coming from?

Subject: RE: BS: Mudcatters do DC Chantey Sing
From: UB Ed
Date: 02 Jul 01 - 12:54 PM

Mrrzy, I'd be coming up from Richmond, VA. I may have to be in Arlington from the 13th through the 17th.

Subject: RE: BS: Mudcatters do DC Chantey Sing
From: Mrrzy
Date: 02 Jul 01 - 01:25 PM

I can try for the 17th, no promises. Someone rope in that newbie, though! Celtic Soul?

Subject: RE: BS: Mudcatters do DC Chantey Sing
From: UB Ed
Date: 02 Jul 01 - 01:49 PM

Hey! I thought this was music stuff. I didn't know there'd be rope too...

Subject: RE: BS: Mudcatters do DC Chantey Sing
From: Lorraine
Date: 02 Jul 01 - 06:55 PM

I'm in contact with a few young Royal Mile attendees who are very distressed at the thought of no pub sing on July 3. They are college fellows who only are around during the summer and are just (more or less) getting into this. So is this set in stone? I did inform them that it was not to be but they are in denial. Denial is a strong defence- so fingers are crossed.

Subject: RE: BS: Mudcatters do DC Chantey Sing
From: Naemanson
Date: 02 Jul 01 - 07:25 PM

Lorraine, don't depend on the others to set it up. If they aren't going to be at Cate's then go there yourself with whoever wants to join you. Have fun, sing loud, and totally enjoy yourselves.

Subject: RE: BS: Mudcatters do DC Chantey Sing
From: Mrrzy
Date: 09 Jul 01 - 03:58 PM

I am chiming into this thread, because I can't remember what the other thread was, about July 17th at Cate's, sorry, I won't be able to come, but I'll keep trying! UBEd, I'll be sorry to miss you in particular, but hey, we're practically neighbors anyway... Ever come to Cville for Fridays After 5? Great free outdoor concert... tempt, tempt... there will be a blues band there on the 27th...

Subject: RE: BS: Mudcatters do DC Chantey Sing
From: UB Ed
Date: 09 Jul 01 - 04:11 PM

Mrrzy, I'm still looking at the 17th but may have to get back to Richmond that evening early, so I could miss it as well.

As far as your after 5 goes, I seem to remember you mentioning it a while back. I checked on the website and they said Skip Castro would be playing sometime in September. If you haven't seen them, you'll need to remedy that!

Ed

Subject: RE: BS: Mudcatters do DC Chantey Sing
From: CET
Date: 09 Jul 01 - 05:52 PM

Wish I could have been there. Oh, well, maybe I'll see some of you at the Gathering in October.

Edmund

Subject: RE: BS: Mudcatters do DC Chantey Sing
From: Mrrzy
Date: 18 Jul 01 - 09:54 AM

Anybody go to Cate's last night? And Skip is coming to Cville on the Friday of Sep 7.

Subject: RE: BS: Mudcatters do DC Chantey Sing
From: UB Ed
Date: 31 Aug 01 - 11:00 AM

Back to the top.

Just got back from DC where I had the pleasure of wandering into Nanny O'Briens Monday night 8/27. Apparently they have a session every Monday night and this one was fantastic! At least five fiddles, two guitars, a bazoki(?), two flutes, two uillean pipes and one boudhrain. Absolutely amazing! I highly recommend it.

Any of you DC folk ever get in there?

Ed

Subject: RE: BS: Mudcatters do DC Chantey Sing
From: Mrrzy
Date: 07 Sep 01 - 01:24 PM

SKIP what's happening tonight in Cville? Also for you locals, not that it's chantey but it's sing and in Alex VA: Maryrrf will be at Pat Troy's Irish Pub, 111 N Pitt St, Sunday night 6 pm - ?? 9/9. I'm going to try to go even if it IS a school night for the boys...

Subject: RE: BS: Mudcatters do DC Chantey Sing
From: treaties1
Date: 07 Sep 01 - 03:40 PM

When I see the word chantey I always read the threads So thanks for the "new" song Charley Noble and best wishes from a UK chantey singer to you and everyone who posted.

Subject: RE: BS: Mudcatters do DC Chantey Sing
From: Wotcha
Date: 07 Sep 01 - 07:00 PM

Folks:
Next chantey sing at Cate's Bistro is 18 Sept: I am kicking myself for missing K.C. King (of Boarding Party fame) at the Royal Mile in Wheaton on 4 Sept ...

There's likely to be something informal after fireworks at the Fort McHenry reenactment in Baltimore this Saturday night, 8 Sept.
Then next week the Irish festival at the Carroll House, Annapolis brings IONA in concert on 15 September ... chantey singing throughout the day (look out for circa 1800 sailors ...Ships Company).
Cheers,
Brian

Subject: RE: BS: Mudcatters do DC Chantey Sing
From: UB Ed
Date: 10 Sep 01 - 01:07 PM

I understand John McGrath is at the Dubliner on Capital Hill all this week....

Subject: RE: BS: Mudcatters do DC Chantey Sing
From: Bearheart
Date: 10 Sep 01 - 06:00 PM

Well, I was in DC last week and some friends who live in Wheaton took me to Royal Mile for the food (which is great) and because we were running an hour late we got there just in time for the chanty sing. It was great because I had looked for good music before when visiting and hadn't found anything.

Interestingly I didn't know Wotcha had moved back to the DC area. I met him in Chicago about a year ago. Small world.

So this brings me to another question, which maybe needs to be on another thread??? How many DC mudcatters are there out there and what other venues for music, especially group music, are there in the DC area in addition to the chanty sings? I will definitely try to do the Royal Mile again and maybe the other one as well (can I get directions to it?). But since I go there for work, not recreation, I can't neccessarily control my schedule. So other musical options would helpful.

Thanks!

Subject: RE: BS: Mudcatters do DC Chantey Sing
From: Mrrzy
Date: 11 Sep 01 - 09:14 AM

Can't make Cate's on the 18th, will try for the October one...

Subject: RE: BS: Mudcatters do DC Chantey Sing
From: UB Ed
Date: 11 Sep 01 - 02:38 PM

Bearheart, from an older thread:
Click here
From my last visit< i'm big into the Monday night sessions at Nanny's and the Dubliner lineup.

Ed

Subject: RE: BS: Mudcatters do DC Chantey Sing
From: Mrrzy
Date: 12 Sep 01 - 01:55 PM

Wow, I musta typed that last post in the last seconds before I heard about the attacks. Wotcha/everyone from the area, you OK? I think several of the folks there work(ed) at the Pentagon... please check in if you can...

Subject: RE: BS: Mudcatters do DC Chantey Sing
From: Bearheart
Date: 15 Sep 01 - 07:48 PM

Hi,

Have been preoccupied with other things this week. Finally got back to this. Thanks for the ref to the other thread too. I've bookmarked the sites mentioned for later need.

One thing I'm grateful for is how much folks here care-- about lots of things. I also feel that -- overall-- most of you folks are pretty sane. Very helpful at a time like this.

Music is one of the things that is helping me cope right now.

Hugs,

Bekki

Subject: RE: BS: Mudcatters do DC Chantey Sing
From: UB Ed
Date: 17 Sep 01 - 08:40 AM

Well, peace to you Bekki. I think we all got distracted last week...
Mrrzy, did you go to Olde Town for Maryrrf??

Subject: RE: BS: Mudcatters do DC Chantey Sing
From: Mrrzy
Date: 17 Sep 01 - 09:17 AM

UB Ed, I did indeed, and she was great. I assume the DC sing is on for tomorrow?

Subject: RE: BS: Mudcatters do DC Chantey Sing
From: GUEST,Celtic Soul
Date: 17 Sep 01 - 10:13 AM

Hey Mrrzy!

Thanks for thinking about me! I will eventually make it out to one. Right now, I am kinda busy gigging heavily. After things settle down some, I plan to make it out.

And when I do, how am I gonna recognize all you wonderful DC 'Catters??? Should we all wear catfish? ;D

Subject: RE: BS: Mudcatters do DC Chantey Sing
From: Mrrzy
Date: 17 Sep 01 - 10:21 AM

I was just talking to somebody I didn't know that I was supposed to give a ride to, about how to "recognize" people you don't know, and I repeated my Mom's advice, which has always held: Look for the people who look as if they are looking for someone they don't know. There is a very special look, instantly recognizable. I've never missed a rendezvous with a stranger yet... I'm not sure what it is, but someone looking for a KNOWN face has a very different look than somebody looking for a stranger.