The Mudcat Café TM
Thread #167430   Message #4154911
Posted By: Steve Gardham
13-Oct-22 - 11:05 AM
Thread Name: Maritime work song in general
Subject: RE: Maritime work song in general
Some really interesting and intriguing stuff coming out in the 1830s.

The air "A reg'lar capstan, stamp and go." The way that is set out suggests that the title of the air is the title of a song rather than a description if you see what I mean.

Just a little query re work aboard the RN vessels. Okay the capstan was spun to the accompaniment of an instrument, but work aloft couldn't have been co-ordinated in this way. Would for instance reefing a sail have involved the short 'sing out'?

Despite his frequent use of 'Yeo ye' I'm not aware of any Dibdin material ever being used in a chanty, although some of the words of Upton's 'Outward Bound' c1800 did for a while later on, no doubt helped by the popularity of the song in all circles.