Sandra

You may be thinking of the copies of "The making of a sailor" - Fred Harlow's recollections of life on board the Akbar in the 1870's which I was showing at a recent Shanty Singalong on board the James Craig.

To quote from the preface
"I number of friends have asked me to write a description of sea life in the '70s aboard a deep-water ship. It is a difficult task to perform with the due regard for the proprieties of speech. In those days swearing was prohibited on board some shipsbut on others the conversation was decidely obscene." "If I picture my experiences one-half as true to life as I found them on board the Akbar, the bOard of Censors will clap a stopper on my yarn" "Neither can a true description of of life aboard ship be told at a prayer meeting"

In talking to Bruce Hitchman who crewed on the Pamir during WWII, he points out that there was no shanty singing, but rather just chants, and the words used were also not fit for mixed company.

So I believe we have to accept that published shanties will be censored.

Apparently when Stan Hugill was singing shanties exactly as they were sung at sea, he would wait until the ladies had gone to bed (report from Chrissie Littel who has toured with Stan)

Mike
James Craig Shanty Crew

Subject: RE: Folklore: The Shanty Book Pt1
From: Sandra in Sydney
Date: 20 May 04 - 09:11 AM

what a treasure, are they real or bowdlerised for genteel eyes & ears like one someone had recently (& don't ask me who had it or what is was cos I forget).

sandra