Up here in coastal Maine where the chantey was once oft heard on the waterfront or from the occasional retired Sailor hauling in the laundry from the clothesline out of force of habit, it is seldom encountered today.

Son of ME Gordon BOK is a reknown interpreter of Sea Songs, including Chanties, and an excellant group to hear is the "Ancient Mariners" Fife & Drum Corps and their vocal group the "Chanteymen" - they have a couple of CDs out, and they really rollic!

http://www.gordonbok.com/

http://www.tiac.net/users/smitchel/mariners/index.html

I work at a little lantern shop in Yarmouth, ME http://www.heritagelanterns.com/

and frequently sing chanties while operating some of the old hand-cranked machinery we use there to make reproduction 18th & 19th Century lights. I think it helps!