Heck, if you're gonna start throwing 'best' around on this topic, then I think someone had better get parts II, III and more ready.

I love the 'Chants des Marins' first disc - the second I'm not too up on.

However - I've got a ton of others I'd stand up alongside that one as 'best'. I'd prefer to say they're all just 'very very good' and not get entangled into saber rattling over who we all prefer.

With that in mind...

I also highly recommend: "Shanties and Songs of the Sea featuring Johnny Collins" "Round Cape Horn: Traditional Songs of Sailors, Ships and the Sea" (with Ewan MacColl, A.L. Loyd, The Watersons, Cyril Tawney and many others) "Sea Songs & Shanties; Traditional English Sea Songs & Shanties from the Last Days of Sail"(Bob Roberts, Bob & Ron Copper, Harry Cox, many others) "Blow the Man Down" (Louis Killen, Ewen MacColl, Cyril Tawney, many, many others)

Plus a ton of others - I've got Wexford Express's "Away, you Santy!" and find it excellent, plus some very well done individual shanties on mixed albums.

And that's without even getting into the Mystic Seaport recordings, and several local groups that either don't have recordings or I haven't heard of them.

And THAT is without starting into things like the Shanty Sing at the pier that Chanteyranger runs...

M