The more I think about it the more I'm convinced there must have been crossover from songs, dance tunes and work songs. That instance of sailors in a pub insulting others from another ship and town with a shanty based song. A good phrase from a song could be lifted and shanties are rapid off the top compositions that could be relished off watch and polished by individuals or in a sing around. It's like jokes in a pub they throw up little nuggets that get taken up, or new catch phrases or new words in street culture.

The concertina was massively popular at sea from the 1850s to the 1900s, and though there are no cases of shnaties sung to them (Dan Worrall's new book) the new wealth tunes that they brought into the sailor community at sea or on shore woud lodge.

4/4 rhythm of polkas and reels is more conducive to work than 6/8 jig time or bouncy hornpipes in 2/4 , which we know were popular as step dances on board or ashore.

A friend of mine who is a DJ and World Music fan commented that in African based music there is little 6/8 , Irish style stuff. I don't know but in pop and rock that seems to be so. I'm going back to Hugill to check this out.

The spontainity of shanties reminds me of football chants with new ones drawn from a repertoire of stock phrases and tunes old and new , insults and jeers, and back and forth 'rapping'

I remember once on a Morris tour we were on the bus with Newcastle Kingsmen and they sang , to the tune of Row the Old Chariot Ashore -'Newcastle Kingsman walk on water'. Quick as a flash and as from nowhere but an individual's inspiration we bellowed out 'That just proves that shit can float.' Collapse of stout party we won!

I like those sneaky little digs at the mate or the 'massah' in some of those shanties and work songs by slaves or poor folk. Good subversive stuff!