The Mudcat Café TM
Thread #126347 Message #2921682
Posted By: John Minear
06-Jun-10 - 07:50 AM
Thread Name: From SF to Sydney - 1853 Shanties Sung?
Subject: RE: From SF to Sydney - 1853 Shanties Sung?
In a couple notes that I posted back at the end of February, I mentioned the work of Bruce Jackson, and in particular his book WAKE UP DEAD MAN!, and the CD of some of the music behind that book. I was struck by a comparison between the Southern penitentiary chain-gang songs that he documents and the maritime work songs we call chanties. There seemed to be some common roots of origin. Here are the original notes:
thread.cfm?threadid=126347#2852320
and
thread.cfm?threadid=126347#2852454
I have just come across a video done by Jackson and Pete & Toshi Seeger of these Black chain gang songs on folkstreams.net. You can see it here:
http://www.folkstreams.net/film,122
As we continue to explore the origins and development of sea chanties, I think that this connection to Black work songs is important, both with regard to form and to content.