The Mudcat Café TM
Thread #126347 Message #2815397
Posted By: GUEST,Lighter
18-Jan-10 - 07:35 PM
Thread Name: From SF to Sydney - 1853 Shanties Sung?
Subject: RE: From SF to Sydney - 1853 Shanties Sung?
I've never heard of "Mary Anne" used as a shanty, but almost anything is possible.
The most likely shanties to have been sung are those (mostly too familiar today) known to have existed in the 1850s. Many good ones, including some favorites, could have originated long after the voyage of the "Julia Ann."
My guess too is that the lyrics actually sung during the voyage were shorter and varied from the texts in most collections. That's simply because of the nature of shantying.