“The Royal Navy banned singing during work—it was thought the noise would make it harder for the crew to hear commands—though capstan work was accompanied by the bosun's pipe, or else by fife and drum or fiddle. A writer from the 1830s made this clear:...” [Sea Shanty wiki. Based on three sources.]

“On board a well-disciplined man-of-war, no person except the officers is allowed to speak during the performance of the various evolutions. When a great many men are employed together, a fifer or a fiddler usually plays some of their favourite tunes; and it is quite delightful to see the glee with which Jack will “stamp and go,” keeping exact time to “Jack's the lad,” or the “College Hornpipe.” On board a revenue cruiser, for want of music, it is customary for one of the men to give them a song, which makes the crew unite their strength, and pull together. The following is a specimen of this species of composition: [Cheer'ly O! lyrics]

For time out of mind this song has been attached to revenue cutters, and sometimes the burden is not celebrated for its decency.”
[A Cruise of a Revenue Cutter, The United Service Journal, pt. 1., (London: Henry Colburn, 1834, pp. 68-69)]