The Unique Book of Songs of the Sea Vol. I

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This collection includes sea chantey variations, sea songs, work songs, parodies, light verse, forecastle songs, and the occasional ballads culled over the last year from newspapers, libraries, and online sources. Most of the songs originated between 1850 and 1930. The need for clipper ships and sailing packets slowly disappeared in the mid to late nineteenth century, and the sea songs and chanteys soon followed. The sounds of the donkey engine and the steam capstan have replaced the chantey. The chantey and forecastle songs slowly moved from these vessels to the boarding houses, pubs, and along the waterfront of large seaports, keeping the tradition alive.

• Several songs in this book are variations of older sea chanteys, while other songs are composed and sung in the tradition,

using the voice as a vocal metronome with a pronounced rhythm.

• At the turn of the century, there was a rejuvenation of interest in the history and the singing of sea

chanteys and sea songs with concerts and folk music collectors.