civil war sea songs and tunes

Subject: Civil War sea songs and tunes
From: GUEST,jdprock29
Date: 04 Feb 01 - 02:46 PM

The Confederate ship Alabama was built in England and sailed by mostly Irish and English volunteers. On board was an Irish fiddler who entertained the crew on the long days between battle. Would anyone know what he played or a source for Civil War sea songs and tunes?

Subject: RE: civil war sea ongs and tunes
From: nutty
Date: 04 Feb 01 - 03:30 PM

I'm not exactly sure what it is you want but this site may be of help

CLICK HERE

Subject: RE: civil war sea ongs and tunes
From: GUEST,jdprock29
Date: 04 Feb 01 - 03:52 PM

I am trying to put together a short program of songs from the Alabama. They would probably be Irish or contemporary(1860's).The literature says the fiddler of the Alabama was the comic relief for the crew.

Subject: RE: civil war sea ongs and tunes
From: Sorcha
Date: 04 Feb 01 - 03:53 PM

Stands to reason that an Irish fiddler would play Irish fiddle tunes, whether they had anything to do with the sea or not. He would no doubt have also played any of the popular Confederate songs, as listed in the site above.

There are LOTS of Civil War song sites, just type in Civil War songs on your home page or Google and see what comes up. Our own DT has quite a few, also.

Subject: RE: civil war sea ongs and tunes
From: GUEST,jdprock29
Date: 04 Feb 01 - 04:00 PM

I can make educated guesses, but I want to be as historically accurate as possible. My band partners are fanatics (in a good way).They are Civil War Round Tanle fellas.

Subject: RE: civil war sea songs and tunes
From: Snuffy
Date: 04 Feb 01 - 06:18 PM

In Britain, merchant ships had shantymen and navy ships had fiddlers to accompany all the heaving and hauling etc, which I think carried over into the days of steam. I presume the Confederate (and the US) navy would have a similar practice, but I don't know what tunes they played.

Subject: RE: civil war sea songs and tunes
From: Keith A of Hertford
Date: 04 Feb 01 - 06:46 PM

Just to be sure, you do know Roll Alabama Roll?

Subject: RE: civil war sea songs and tunes
From: GUEST,jdprock29
Date: 05 Feb 01 - 09:04 AM

Roll Alabama Roll works better on the concertina. One guess is Rickett's Hornpipe also known in some sources as Sailor's Hornpipe. Gal's of Dublin Town has a chorus like the Bonnie Blue Flag.

Subject: RE: civil war sea songs and tunes
From: Naemanson
Date: 05 Feb 01 - 09:35 AM

Military ships did not use chanties as a rule nor would the fiddler have plyed while the crew worked. The "literature" you referenced was half right about the fiddler entertaining the crew. In the rare off hours they would have provided their own entertainment on board the ships. This would have been in the form of music played or sung unaccompanied, and story telling. The music would have been what they knew so the fiddler would have played Irish fiddle tunes of the time. the songs would have also been from the sailors' backgrounds and MAY have included popular Civil War songs at the time.

Roll, Alabama, Roll was a chanty used on merchant ships after the Alabama was sunk.

Subject: RE: civil war sea songs and tunes
From: GUEST,Rex at work
Date: 05 Feb 01 - 02:33 PM

You might want to include "The Irish Jaunting Car" that later became "Bonnie Blue Flag". Seems like it could be included for two reasons.

Rex

Subject: RE: civil war sea songs and tunes
From: Just another Dave
Date: 05 Feb 01 - 03:33 PM

Here's another site that might be of help:

http://www.contemplator.com/sea/

(Sorry about not having a the link thing...I'm still learning.)

Be careful with "Girls of Dublin Town" -- Although the tune is CW period, the ship referred to in the song was not built until 1880's.

Dave

Subject: RE: civil war sea songs and tunes
From: Uncle Jaque
Date: 05 Feb 01 - 11:52 PM

Many of the martial fife tunes of the period were essentially fiddle tunes, and usually written in the keys of "D" or "G", which I understand is common for the fiddle as well.

Concurring with Friend Naemanson, I get the sense that if any instrument was used aboard a Naval vessel in conjunction with the routine operation of the ship or routine of the crew, it would likely have been a drum or, in some instances, a fife. Special regulation beats or "calls" were specified for each order to be transmitted.

Instruments such as the fiddle, banjo, concertina etc. would be more appropriate for "Fo'cstle" or social, entertainment or recreational music as Naemanson alluded to.

Some tunes I would not have been surprised to hear aboard ship in 1861 - 5 include:

Paddy on a Handcar Granny Will Yer Dog Bite, Frog in the Well, Ol' Dan Tucker, The Glendy Burke Soldier's Joy, Turkey in the Straw, Ol' Zip Coon, Lubaley Fan ("Buffalo Gals"), and of course... "DIXIE"!

One of our Drummers is a decendant of a Southernor who was captured and imprisoned early in the War, and given the option of "galvanizing" into the U.S. Navy or starving to death, he soon found himself aboard the USS Kearsearge. Some time later, apparantly converted to the cause of preserving the Union and liberating the slaves, he engaged in the fateful Battle off Sherbourge in which the Alabama went down. He apparantly has his Ancestor's diary and eyewitness accounts of the encounter - all quite facinating. A recent TV documentary on the underwater archeaology of the CSS Alabama and recovery of some of her guns and gear was also quite interesting.

"Uncle Jaque", Musician, 3rd Maine Volunteer Infantry; Regimental Field Music

Subject: RE: civil war sea songs and tunes
From: GUEST,jdPROCK29
Date: 06 Feb 01 - 06:25 AM

Thanks for the info. I'll look for the documentary.More than one journal of the Alabama mentions the Irish fiddler in the crew. Certainly he played social music. The Alabama never went to a port in the North or South.It was built in England under an assumed name. The crew was almost entirely English and Irish.Theofficers were Confederate. The men signed on for profit and were quite successful. It is possible that contemporary American tunes were enjoyed on board.One journal specifically mentions Irish tunes.The journals were written by Confederates.

Subject: RE: civil war sea songs and tunes
From: Mikey joe
Date: 06 Feb 01 - 09:01 AM

I presume that this is the American Civil War you're looking for not Spanish, Irish etc....

Mj

Subject: RE: civil war sea songs and tunes
From: Rincon Roy
Date: 17 Feb 01 - 05:19 PM

refresh

Subject: RE: civil war sea songs and tunes
From: Hawker
Date: 17 Feb 01 - 08:07 PM

But was the fiddle made of wood or tin?!!