Drunken Sailor (in your repertoire of Trad English songs).
"A favorite of the old British Indiamen, has been adapted from a traditional Irish dance & march tune." See Deoflinger: Shantymen & Shantyboys, p48

Hugill, "Shanties From The Seven Seas" Drunken Sailor (p108-109)
"The air is from a Traditional Irish dance, as well as a march tune"


"Tommy's Gone To Hilo" also in your repertoire
From Roll & Go: Songs of the American Sailormen by Joanna C Colcord
"The melody in interesting because it seems to show some trace of Oriental influence, the first chorus being reminiscent of Chinese music." (p26)

Hugill, "Shanties From The Seven Seas" Tommy's Gone To Hilo (p192-193)
"The tune has an Oriental touch to it"


I guess you'll be dropping these from your rep & from your site?

Granted, I won't argue with your other selections but I thought that I'd throw those 2 in your lap just to say that I believe that your beliefs are faulty

To say that these particular shanties belong to one culture or another or is pure English is a magnification of your believed theory, which I'm not sure of what that really is.

The maritime musical culture of the "golden age sail" was such a mix that to pin point much of the music to one nation, nationally, ethic group or race is a risk that shouldn't be taken on so easily. As in many of the tunes discussed above, none are landlocked by borders of any type & once crossed become part of a larger culture. That's not to say that many of the songs can't be nailed down to one point of origin but on the other hand you can also say that even if one can be nailed down to a certain point of origin you can't lock it in the culture of it's origins once it's mingled & travel out side of it's small confined borders, it then becomes part of a multi-culture & if fact may even disappear altogether from it's place of birth so that to try & reclaim it would be an exercise in futility, which I believe is the path you are on. If I were to play & sing "Sailor's Hornpipe" or "Soldier's Joy" for example, I believe I could play & sing them as an English tune, an Irish tune, an American tune, even as an Old Timey or as a Maritime tune or song both belonging in its on subculture, but you can play them as you wish but don't tell the others that they've no right to play it if they're true purists.

As far as KT's music, why if she writes it does it become property of the English culture?
Aren't you putting the cart before the horse? She writes in a style & idiom that reflects an English style & background, she English by birth & bred as such, she's studied & lectured on the subject? I think before you claim that her music is English you'd do well to let those that "live" & "keep alive" the English culture, if there is such a pure thing,
decide that first.

Anyway, I'm finding myself an education in this thread.

Barry