I began counting what time intervals that intervened before I shouted at the TV again about some inaccuracy or misrepresentation - an average 4 minutes. But still I was delighted it was there and at much of the content though lamenting at how it could have been better. On use of worksongs at or on the water, in 1966 I was on a two car flat metal ferry crossing a river up the coast from Mombasa. There was a toll bridge that was an easier faster crossing but the ferry was the way to go. It was carrid over by chains running on either side. These were dragged by a team of convicts on either side of the boat! They worked in rhythm pulling the chain along the side, when they rerached the front of the boat they would run to the back and seize hold to drag again. WEhill pulling they sang a song, and now and then one running to the back would brerak off to do a few dance steps. When we were about three quarters across the weight of the chain behind us meant that the boat would keep running as long as the chain did not catch in its channel, so to keep it moving the pulling gang needed to jump up and down. This they did at the prow in front of me, finishing their singing with semi-choreographed dancing. This meant of course a good tip [the ferry itself was free] for them, reinforced by the Swahili words of their song which said I was a big boss on his way from Mombasa to Nairobi [I was in fact on my way to Sunday lunch in a hotel in a compass heading 75 degrees wrong for Nairobi, which they well knew but did not fit the tight five syllable line they were using.
I think I may have told this story on Mudcat before, but what the hell, tell em when you can!
Ewan