The Mudcat Café TM
Thread #151253   Message #3528971
Posted By: Crane Driver
22-Jun-13 - 06:54 AM
Thread Name: 'Traditional' songs that are NOT !
Subject: RE: 'Traditional' songs that are NOT !
We recently visited Swansea museum, where there was a special exhibition on the copper trade (the source of Swansea's Victorian prosperity). One of the display boards dealt with the sailors who brought back copper ore from around the world for the smelters. It mentioned the three pubs where sailors had their last drinks ashore (the Cuba Inn, the Mexico Fountain and the Cape Horner) and ended: ...as described in the old shanty 'Who here drinks at the Cuba?'.

I wrote that song in 2004. It's on my CD 'Pennbucky to Llangenny' which was on sale in the Museum's shop. We didn't say anything, as I'd rather it stay there with the wrong attribution than get taken down, but we did laugh. At least I can say now that I'm genuinely a museum exhibit. And I do take it as a compliment - I'd set out to write something that sounded like a real shanty from the period, and it seems I succeeded.

Andrew