Sea songs - ideas?

Subject: Sea songs - ideas?
From: Northerner
Date: 04 Apr 06 - 07:31 AM

One of the folk clubs that I go to is having a theme night on Thursday on sea songs. As yet my repertoire is very small so I am searching for good material. I have a sweet (but contralto) female voice and although I absolutely love sea shanties I am not certain that they suit my type of voice.

We are allowed two songs, but I am happy if I can do one and do it well. I was considering "Here's the tender coming" as my first choice. I'm from the north-east of England and although not strictly in the local area I am near enough to it to make this a good choice. Also it's a good song for a lady. I have Frankie Armstrong singing it on CD too, and have also found the lyrics to it on the Internet. I like the song and had been considering putting it into my repertoire anyway.

And now for my second choice. I had been wondering about singing "The Skye Boat Song". I sang this with a friend at a folk club last month, and a couple of musicians at the club played accompaniment for us. My friend has only just started going to folk clubs and needed a song that she could sing with me. It's such a well-known song that I thought it would be easy for her to start off with (she sings in a choir and has a good voice). I have to say that we went down really, really well! Lots of people joining in! Would this be suitable for this other club do you think? I do have a reservation about whether it is really a folk song. The old bone of contention that strictly speaking it is a traditional style song rather than a traditional one. It's not anonymous but a composed song. However, I don't think that this club will mind. The club organiser is keen for performers to have material that encourage audience participation.

So, what do you think?   Can you suggest any other songs that I could perform as an alternative? Songs about the sea but that come from a female perpsective. Even if I don't sing them for this particular occasion I can still think about using them in the future. I live in the north-east of England and sing English and Scottish songs.

Thank you in advance!

Subject: RE: Sea songs - ideas?
From: GUEST
Date: 04 Apr 06 - 07:34 AM

The beauty of theme nights is that you can sing anything that can be made to fit the theme. Sometimes the more tenuous the link you can get away with, the better.

By all means sing Skye Boat Song, it's probably your best chance for it to go down well.

Subject: RE: Sea songs - ideas?
From: Flash Company
Date: 04 Apr 06 - 07:34 AM

How about 'Lord Franklin'?

FC

Subject: RE: Sea songs - ideas?
From: Emma B
Date: 04 Apr 06 - 07:38 AM

One of my favourites - "My Donald" check the DT

Subject: RE: Sea songs - ideas?
From: Purple Foxx
Date: 04 Apr 06 - 07:55 AM

Blow the wind Southerly suits a contralto,gives a female perspective
& is particularly appropriate for the region.
The keel row is also a lovely song but that's about the river rather than the sea so that might be cheating.

Subject: RE: Sea songs - ideas?
From: Charley Noble
Date: 04 Apr 06 - 07:59 AM

Sounds like you've come up with some suitable choices for the immediate future.

You may want to consider adapting the nautical poems of Cicely Fox Smith to traditional tunes. Smith was a poet who as a young woman traveled from England to the Pacific Northwest, spent 10 years in the early 1900's talking to sailors along the Victoria waterfront, and composed over 300 poems. Many of her poems in the original form are now posted at the Oldpoetry website: Click here for website

In the UK Danny and Joyce McLeod have recorded many of her poems. Bob Zentz in the States has recorded as many and I have also recorded over a dozen of her poems. You can see and hear samples of my work at this website: click here and search for lyrics!

My first suggestion is try "Shipmates." It's based on Smith's personal experience, has an accessible refrain, and the tune should be a familar traditional one.

Cheerily,
Charley Noble

Subject: RE: Sea songs - ideas?
From: GUEST,HughM
Date: 04 Apr 06 - 08:03 AM

I think your existing choice is okay, but it would be a good idea to have another song in reserve in case someone else sings one of your songs before you get the chance, especially as it's a theme night and both your chosen songs are well-known in the north-east.
You could swot up Threescore and Ten from the database (though it carries the same risk of course).
Two songs which might suit you for another time are the Surf and the Silver Fishes, which the Clydesiders wrote, and one about Silver Darlings on Aberdeen Quay, though I don't know whether that's its proper title or who wrote it. They're not in the database unfortunately.

Subject: RE: Sea songs - ideas?
From: Northerner
Date: 04 Apr 06 - 08:26 AM

Thank you all! There's quite a few there for me to think about. "My Donald" looks a particularly good song for me - I think it would suit my voice too. I've just bought a Dick Guaghan CD but sadly that one isn't on it, and I restisted the temptation to buy a second one when I was on holiday. Well, I will keep a look out for that one.

Looks like I should have another song in reserve. "Farewell to Tarwathie" just might fit the bill. And the club doesn't mind if you don't follow the theme. It's a good way of pushing you to expand your repertoire though so I will try and find material. I forgot last time and I had a song being prepared that would have fitted right in I sang it a few days later.

I'll look you through your other suggestions and try them for a later date. I'd better sit down and learn these songs now! Bye for now!

Subject: RE: Sea songs - ideas?
From: GUEST,jojofolkagogo
Date: 04 Apr 06 - 08:42 AM

SKYE BOAT SONG:

certainly a good choice :

Written by Sir Harold Bolton in 1884

music added some time later, by one: Annie McCloud

I think we can all say with CERTAINTY it is traditional - and everybody will know it, and sing along - a nice song with a nice tune:

HOWEVER if you sing unaccompanied, which I do, the only drawback I find is that some silly berk starts to PLAY it, and drowns me out

LISTEN UP EVERYONE of you who has "twitchy fingers"

UNACCOMPANIED MEANS UNACCOMPANIED

Go ahead and sing it !!!

Best regards from
JO-JO
([e-mail])

Subject: RE: Sea songs - ideas?
From: GUEST,Don Meixner
Date: 04 Apr 06 - 08:57 AM

Lock Tay Boat Song is a fave of mine and while I don't supose it is really a sea song it does mention boats. "The Leaving of Liverpool" is a goodun' tho I like it up tempo a bit. "The Grey Funnel Line" is one that I am rediscovering as is "The Three Fishers".


Good Luck

Don

Subject: RE: Sea songs - ideas?
From: Snuffy
Date: 04 Apr 06 - 09:57 AM

Mingulay Boat Song (heel-ya-ho boys)is a nice gentle one with a good chorus, as is the Eriskay Love Lilt (Vair me-o). Both more "composed" than strictly traditional probably.

Subject: RE: Sea songs - ideas?
From: SINSULL
Date: 04 Apr 06 - 10:09 AM

The Great Silkie?

Subject: RE: Sea songs - ideas?
From: Northerner
Date: 04 Apr 06 - 10:13 AM

Thank you Jo-Jo!

Great silkie is very tempting. I will probably do it eventually, just not right now. Grey Funnel Line too. Mingulay Boat song too perhaps as it has a good chorus.

Thank you everyone!

Subject: RE: Sea songs - ideas?
From: Purple Foxx
Date: 04 Apr 06 - 10:40 AM

"Yeah ho Little Fish" is in the digital tradition.
That is a strangely enjoyable song.

Subject: RE: Sea songs - ideas?
From: Northerner
Date: 04 Apr 06 - 12:10 PM

I'm not sure that I know it very well. Perhaps you could sing it for me?

What this forum needs is an area with sound clips...

Subject: RE: Sea songs - ideas?
From: Susan of DT
Date: 04 Apr 06 - 12:34 PM

A search for @sea will get you a LOT of songs to look at

Subject: RE: Sea songs - ideas?
From: GUEST,Fogie
Date: 04 Apr 06 - 12:38 PM

You have to check out Stan Roger's songs- some of the most impressive sea songs I've ever heard

Subject: RE: Sea songs - ideas?
From: Bert
Date: 04 Apr 06 - 12:41 PM

A few that sound realy good with softer voices

Still I love him
Shenandoah
Stormalong
Three Score and Ten
Go to sea no more
Golden Vanity
Congo River

Subject: RE: Sea songs - ideas?
From: Northerner
Date: 04 Apr 06 - 12:57 PM

Thank you all. There's a few there that I don't know.

Subject: RE: Sea songs - ideas?
From: GUEST,Guest - Chalkie
Date: 04 Apr 06 - 01:13 PM

How about River Days?

A fantastic song written by Barry Temple about the closure of the Swan Hunter Yards - if memory serves me right. A really strong song, that's not slit your wrist stuff, that could be sung by a woman.

It laments the end of the Ship Building through the eyes of one of the tug boats that used to "push and shove, and help and love those giants on their way".

If you have not heard it before, it's well worth the cost of a new CD - Tomorrows Tide by Salt of the Earth - which also has some other cracking songs upon, some of which are sung by Barry's Wife, Ingrid and Danny McLeods wife, Joyce. River days is sung by Danny on the CD.

I think the Chantey Cabin will probably stock the CD. If you didn't know, the Chantey Cabin hold the worlds largest collection of maritime CD's for sale. It's worth a visit to their webb site just to browse through the CD's for sale. If you try www.chanteycabin I'm sure you'll find it.

Subject: RE: Sea songs - ideas?
From: Dave (the ancient mariner)
Date: 04 Apr 06 - 01:14 PM

Farewell to Tarwathie,
Across The Western Ocean,
The Robert Whitworth,
Leave Her Johnny,

All sound good when a girl sings them :)

Yours, Aye. Dave (send me the tape)

Subject: RE: Sea songs - ideas?
From: Northerner
Date: 04 Apr 06 - 01:34 PM

Thank you folks! Sounds like there's some good songs out there that I should explore. I'll stick with "Here's the tender coming" but have a look and see if I can find a better choice for the second song from my CD collection. I shall check out "River Days" too. I could do with expanding my CD collection...

Subject: RE: Sea songs - ideas?
From: Bert
Date: 04 Apr 06 - 01:38 PM

Some more

Grace Darling
Virgin Sturgeon
For those in Peril on the Sea
Galway Bay
Bobbie Shafto
What does the Deep Sea Say?
Bell Bottom Trousers
Little Mohea
Last Farewell
Captain Kidd
Leave her Jonny, Leave her.
Johnny Todd
Chivalrous Shark
Reuben James
Ranzo Ranzo
Leaving of Liverpool
Ellen Vannin

Subject: RE: Sea songs - ideas?
From: MMario
Date: 04 Apr 06 - 01:58 PM

Bert - she did say "from the women's perspective"

Subject: RE: Sea songs - ideas?
From: Bert
Date: 04 Apr 06 - 02:14 PM

Oops, Forgot that.

I guess there's half a dozen than can be ignored then.

Many of those are kinda neutral.

Subject: RE: Sea songs - ideas?
From: Northerner
Date: 04 Apr 06 - 02:58 PM

There's dozens and dozens aren't there? Most of them I do like. I love sea shanties - I just don't think they suit my voice.

Right, now to search my CD collection...

Thank you all!

Subject: RE: Sea songs - ideas?
From: JWB
Date: 04 Apr 06 - 03:08 PM

Northerner,

Some of the slower, more melancholy chanteys could perhaps feel better to your voice, ones like Shallow Brown, Lowlands, One More Day.

Have fun with your search.

Jerry

Subject: RE: Sea songs - ideas?
From: Musique174
Date: 04 Apr 06 - 03:21 PM

The fisherman's Song
Three Score and Ten
Wind West and Away oh
Maid on the shore
Waery Cutters
huckleberry hunting
handome cabin boy
run the riggin again

Those are some of my favorites.

Subject: RE: Sea songs - ideas?
From: Northerner
Date: 04 Apr 06 - 03:22 PM

Lowlands... Yes, that would suit my voice I think. And it's got a chorus too! I wonder which CD it's on. Though I could do it without a CD as I know the tune and the words are bound to be online. Thanks!!

The first CD I picked up has Lord Franklin on it, plus Three Jolly Fishermen. I plod onwards...

Subject: RE: Sea songs - ideas?
From: Northerner
Date: 04 Apr 06 - 03:34 PM

Good news! I've found a CD called "Sailors' songs and sea shanties" among my collection. I ought to be able to get something off that that I can use.

"Lowlands Away" is on it - definitely better than the Skye Boat Song (I'll keep that one as my reserve). I think I've got my two songs sorted...

Thank you all people!!!

Subject: RE: Sea songs - ideas?
From: Noreen
Date: 04 Apr 06 - 04:02 PM

Lowlands works exceedingly well with audience participation, and scope for wonderful harmonies (I take it you have the words for the woman's version, as there are both).

You might also like Jez Lowe's "The Bergen", which also has refrains for participation.

Subject: RE: Sea songs - ideas?
From: Northerner
Date: 04 Apr 06 - 04:29 PM

I don't have any Jez Lowe CDs - sad omission. "Lowlands" does have a problem in that it is very slow and requires a lot of breath - I'm not too sure that I could do it justice. However, I also have "Saucy Sailor" - which suits my voice quite well, and "Come a ye fisher lassies" which I would also like to sing eventually. I'll find something!!!

Subject: RE: Sea songs - ideas?
From: GUEST,van lingle
Date: 04 Apr 06 - 04:43 PM

Barrack Street by Nic Jones on Penguin Eggs (Patrick Street does a very similar version on their first album which is called Patrick Street, the song as well as the album).
The Good Ship Kangaroo by Planxty on the After the Break album (an Elizbeth Cronin song).
Turkish Song of the Damned by the Pogues on If I Should Fall From Grace With God (a bit edgy).
South Australia
Sloop John B (Ron Kavana does a great version on Home Fires).vl

Subject: RE: Sea songs - ideas?
From: Northerner
Date: 04 Apr 06 - 04:49 PM

There's a floor singer at the club who does "Sloop John B" regularly, so I expect he'll do it again. I've got a Tony Rose CD here - it's got "Lovely on the Water" on it plus "Dark-eyed Sailor". I now have a little pile of CDs containing sea song tracks...

There's a few tracks that you mention that I don't know. I'll keep an eye open for them. Thank you!

Subject: RE: Sea songs - ideas?
From: GUEST,DonMeixner
Date: 04 Apr 06 - 05:21 PM

YES, YES, YES, The Bergen by Jez Lowe. It is also on a Tannahill Weavers CD I believe.

Don

Subject: RE: Sea songs - ideas?
From: Northerner
Date: 04 Apr 06 - 05:36 PM

I don't know it, but it seems to be one of his most popular songs if the Internet is anything to go by. Managed to find the words on the Internet but not the tune.   I have several Jez Lowe tracks on my CDs but not that one.   One of my girl friends used to go out with Jez Lowe if I remember rightly. That was a long, long, long time ago. I'll look for this track - thanks!!

In the meantime, "Adieu Sweet Lovely Nancy" would also suit my voice. No chorus though...

Subject: RE: Sea songs - ideas?
From: Dave (the ancient mariner)
Date: 04 Apr 06 - 05:37 PM

I really enjoy Kate Rusbys version of Wild Goose you might consider that one :)

Subject: RE: Sea songs - ideas?
From: Northerner
Date: 04 Apr 06 - 05:55 PM

Hmm, it's not on the Kate Rusby CD that I've got. I'll look out of for it though.

There's also "All things are quite silent" - but I don't have Shirley Collins' breath control...

The Ann Briggs version of "Lowlands" is good though. That plus Frankie Armstrong with "Here's the tender coming" look like the most promising choices for me.

Thank you!

Subject: RE: Sea songs - ideas?
From: Cats at Work
Date: 05 Apr 06 - 07:25 AM

There's always Jon Heslop's 'Lifeboat Prayer' which is a very gentle song which begs for harmonies and his Lifeboat song, 'Before the Sea Calls' which is the thoughts of the woman who is left behind when there is a shout, wondering if her husband will come back and the relief when he does.

Subject: RE: Sea songs - ideas?
From: sciencegeek
Date: 05 Apr 06 - 09:43 AM

Wow, great selection of songs so far. So many tunes, so little time.....

Might I add that you can find some great stuff from Ewan MacColl. Fisherman's Wife or Outward Bound for example. There's a slew of them on Digitrad, just search on Maccoll.

I agree with Jerry, that a slower shanty might work well. As much as I love "Tender Coming", you do lack audience participation in that one. But something like "Shanandoah" will allow you to share with the rest of the folks there - which is one of the great things about sea music and shanties in particular. Though that one isn't from the area you trying for. "Hieland Laddie" would be more in line with the geographic area you wanted.

Leading a shanty is a lot of fun, though you do need to keep to the melody line pretty strongly - 'cause everyone else in the room is going to throw in their own harmonies...LOL. When it works, boy, it WORKS!

Whatever you decide to go with, have a great time. After all, that is the point.

All the best, Chris

Subject: RE: Sea songs - ideas?
From: Northerner
Date: 05 Apr 06 - 01:23 PM

Thank you all! I'm just on my way out to a drumming gig tonight. And hey, I'm starting as a volunteer next week telling stories to nursery children, me and my puppets! So much to do!!!!

Subject: RE: Sea songs - ideas?
From: Schantieman
Date: 06 Apr 06 - 04:55 AM

Sounds like you've got a good selection there. Learn that lot and you can hold your own in any sea songs session. (Such as the one at Bishop's Castle Folk Weekend in June (plug plug).

I'm so glad to hear that you want to sing women's songs about the sea. No offence meant to anyone, but shanties just aren't right for (nearly all) female voices. There are so many other good songs...

Steve

Subject: RE: Sea songs - ideas?
From: Northerner
Date: 06 Apr 06 - 06:51 AM

Thank you Steve! I seem to have settled for "Here's the tender coming" and "Lowlands Away" - the latter from the female perspective. They are both beautiful songs that I will thoroughly enjoy singing and suit my voice admirably. There are plenty more songs that I will develop for later in the season, particularly for singing at singarounds.

Diane

Subject: RE: Sea songs - ideas?
From: sciencegeek
Date: 06 Apr 06 - 09:07 AM

Diane, glad you found some songs you are comfortable with... work on the rest and you're good to go.

I really do need to chime in on the female shanty issue.... :)

Shanties are work songs and yes, they were traditionally sung by guys. That said, the songs are now generally sung by folks that not only never went to sea, but don't have a clue about hard, physical labor. That goes for guys and gals.

So, might I suggest that shanties sound the best when sung(or should I say lead?) by folks with strong, clear voices who can hold a tune, while all around them others are doing their own "thing", and attempt to present the song in as traditional manner as they can.

If you can get the job done, gender is irrelevant.

Chris aka Shanty Gal

Subject: RE: Sea songs - ideas?
From: Northerner
Date: 06 Apr 06 - 11:28 AM

Thank you Chris. I'll certainly give the shanties a try sometime. I do have a good, strong voice. It is unmistakeably female though. I do know some ladies who are very good with shanties but their voices tend to be right in the very deepest register. My voice would generally be called "pretty" and it works best if I choose material that is sympathetic to my style of singing.

We also have a group of very active shanty singers at one of the clubs that I sing in. I would certainly get a good chorus backing me if I sang a shanty there, but I also suspect that my version would be pale in comparison with a full blooded male singing the song and singing it well. I'm talking about men who sing shanties professionally on the festival circuit. On the other hand, there are songs that I sing that they wouldn't sing as well as me. It's horses for courses...

Subject: RE: Sea songs - ideas?
From: sciencegeek
Date: 06 Apr 06 - 11:48 AM

So true,

I'm lucky to have a vocal range that lets me do a fair to decent job on most shanties. I'm not sure that I'd ever refer to my voice as pretty, though that is more in the ear of the listener.

I love doing ballads and sean-nos (still working on that). What's important is to sing what you enjoy and feel comfortable with. And it may well happen that you're at a sing-around and happen to be the only one who knows the words to a requested shanty...so take my advise and give it a try. :)

Subject: RE: Sea songs - ideas?
From: Barry Finn
Date: 06 Apr 06 - 12:43 PM

Do not restrict yourself to a group or select shanties & forebitters because of your voice. It's more how you sing them. It's not weither your singing with a "contralto female voice" or a "boy in base", if you've got a voice sing any & all that you'd like. Listen to some of the recordings from the West Indies, Bahamas & others of the black seaman's culture & you'll find many examples of your voice. The high voice is what would travel in a storm & be heard so don't go thinking that because you have a female voice that you need to only sing shanties that'll fit it. You fit the shanties to your voice, make them yours.
Happy Singing
Barry

Subject: RE: Sea songs - ideas?
From: Northerner
Date: 06 Apr 06 - 01:17 PM

Thank you both. I will certainly give a shanty a try eventually. And hey, seeing that I am in a club with some superb shanty singers, I could try asking them for some tips!!!! They might even suggest some good songs for me to start out with.

Subject: RE: Sea songs - ideas?
From: gnomad
Date: 06 Apr 06 - 02:49 PM

Here are a couple of further suggestions (for future reference perhaps?) both from the N.Sea coast, one Scottish, one Yorkshire. Both relating to women connected with the sea, rather than on it. The first is a bit "drawing room" for some tastes, the other is strictly trad.

CALLER HERRIN'                   (Lady Mairn)

Buy my caller herrin',
They're bonnie fish and halesome farin'
Buy my caller herrin',
New drawn from the forth.

When ye were sleepin' on yer pillows,
Dream'd ye ought of our poor fellows,
Riding bravely o'er the billows,
All to fill the woven willows.

And when the creel o' herrin' passes,
Ladies clad in silks and laces,
Gather in their braw pelisses,
Toss their heads and screw their faces.

Buy my caller herrin',
O ye may ca' them vulgar farin',
Wives and mithers, maist despairin',
Ca' them lives o' men,

Caller herrin'
Caller herrin'.


STOW BROW

In Stow Brow in Stow Brow a fair maid did dwell
She loved an handsome sailor lad and he loved her as well
He promised for to marry her when back he did return
But bad luck and cruel hardship upon this couple fell

As they were a-sailing a storm did arise
The sun was overshaded and dismal was the sight
The wind it blew an hurricane which made the billows roar
And it tossed these poor sailors all on the rocky shore

Now some of them was single men and some of them had wives
And all of these poor sailors was a-struggling for their lives
But this unfortunate young man who happened to be there
And instead of getting married he got a watery grave

Now from Stow Brow from Stow Brow to Robin Hood's Bay
She spied the stranded sailor all on the sands he lay
She boldly plucked up to him and amazed she did stand
For she saw it was her own true love by the marks on his right hand

She kissed him caressed him ten thousand times o'er
Crying all these cruel billows have tossed my love on shore
How happy and contented she lay down by his side
And a few more minutes afterwards this fair young maiden died

Now in Robin Hood's Bay churchyard this couple they do lay
And for a memorandum a stone is put there
And all of you young couples that do pass by there
I'd have you all to shed a tear for the couple that lie there

Subject: RE: Sea songs - ideas?
From: GUEST,Larry Meyer
Date: 06 Apr 06 - 03:29 PM

Surprised Gordon Bok has not been mentioned. top of the heap for my money. Padstowe Chantey and Homeward Bound always move me, from "Neighbors."