The Mudcat Café TM
Thread #58526   Message #927206
Posted By: Marc
06-Apr-03 - 09:56 AM
Thread Name: Watered Down Shanties
Subject: RE: Waterd Down Shanties
Nick in answer to your 'specific question' . If it works for you, use it. As brilliant a collection as it is, some people tend to use the Hugill collection a hard fast set of rules. "You can't use Haul Away Joe at the halliards, Stan say's he heard it used at sheets and tacks", or "Is that an original version of that chantey? Stan's version is different, where did you find yours in print?" Believe it or not these guys didn't learn their chanteys from books, there were probably as many versions as men. As far as the line you mentioned, I always liked to use 'Jinny keep your ringtail warm', cause knobody knows what your talking about and the double entendre is great. As a matter of fact Harlow say's, sailors never appreciated in your face smut, double entendre was always prefered, again an absolute observation.