"Autobiographies of great nations are written in three manuscripts – a book of deeds, a book of words, and a book of art. Of the three, I would choose the latter as truest testimony." - Sir Kenneth Smith, Great Civilisations

"I must write each day without fail, not so much for the success of the work, as in order not to get out of my routine." - Leo Tolstoy

I have never believed that one should wait until one is inspired because I think the pleasures of not writing are so great that if you ever start indulging them you will never write again. - John Updike

"The life of every man is a diary in which he means to write one story, and writes another; and his humblest hour is when he compares the volume as it is with what he vowed to make it." - J.M. Barrie, Peter Pan

Poetry is the shadow cast by our streetlight imaginations." - Lawrence Ferlinghetti


[Note - If any article requires updating or correction please notate this in the comment section. Thank you. - res]


Wednesday, January 12, 2022

Seafaring Sea Songs & Poems






Vol. 1 - Compilation of Sea Shanties & Folk Music
(Vocal-Only & with Instruments)
May 6, 2020
For vocal-only shanties, skip to 7:53. The shanties with instrumental music start again at 28:20.

I have added lyrics if you would like to sing along, which you can view by activating 'Subtitles/CC'.
Many thanks for listening.

The Fisherman’s Friends - Cousin Jack (0:00) Unknown Artist - Press Gang (4:54) The Corsairs - Auckland to the Bluff (7:53) The Corsairs - Royal Oak (11:44) The Corsairs - High Barbary (14:13) The Corsairs - Golden Vanity (16:31) The Poxy Boggards - Mingulay Boat Song (18:43) The Poxy Boggards - The Grey Funnel Line (21:58) The Corsairs - Irish Rover (25:11) Show of Hands - Keep Hauling (28:20) The Fisherman’s Friends - Fire Down Below (31:05) The Fisherman’s Friends - Santiana (33:59) The Fisherman’s Friends - Rio Grande (36:16) The Poxy Boggards - Rolling Down to Old Maui (39:15) The Fisherman’s Friends - Bengal Bay (42:14) The Poxy Boggards - Up and Away (44:21) The Fisherman’s Friends - One More Day (47:25) The Fisherman’s Friends - Safe and Sound (49:42) The Fisherman’s Friends - All The Night Long (52:45) The Poxy Boggards - The Cock & Bulls Tavern (55:52) The Poxy Boggards - The Girl With Red Hair (58:51) The Pogues - Squid Out Of Water (1:00:57)







Vol. 2 - Compilation of Sea Shanties & Folk Music
(The Fisherman's Friends & The Poxy Boggards)
Jan 23, 2021
This is a collection of sea shanties and similar folk songs, all of which feature instrumental backing tracks alongside the vocals.

13 of the 22 songs were not used in my last compilation, and I have included some classic shanties such as 'Nelson's Blood (Roll The Old Chariot Along)' and '(What Shall We Do With) The Drunken Sailor'.

I have added lyrics if you would like to sing along, which you can view by activating 'Subtitles/CC'.

Many thanks to all those who listened to my last compilation.

The Fisherman’s Friends - All The Night Long (0:00) The Fisherman’s Friends - Bold Riley (3:07) The Fisherman’s Friends - Fire Down Below (6:56) The Poxy Boggards - Rolling Down To Old Maui (9:51) The Fisherman’s Friends - South Australia (12:51) The Fisherman’s Friends - Nelson’s Blood (14:59) The Fisherman’s Friends - Strike The Bell (18:32) The Fisherman’s Friends - Sailor Ain’t A Sailor (23:01) The Fisherman’s Friends - Sweet Ladies Of Plymouth (25:56) The Fisherman’s Friends - John Kanaka (28:43) The Fisherman’s Friends - Johnny Gone Down To Hilo (30:59) The Fisherman’s Friends - Safe And Sound (32:37) The Fisherman’s Friends - (What Shall We Do With) The Drunken Sailor? (35:41) The Fisherman’s Friends - Santiana (38:25) The Fisherman’s Friends - Rio Grande (40:43) The Fisherman’s Friends - Bengal Bay (43:57) The Poxy Boggards - Up And Away (46:05) The Fisherman’s Friends - One More Day (49:11) The Fisherman’s Friends - The Corncrake (51:28) The Fisherman’s Friends - Yarmouth Town (53:30) The Fisherman’s Friends - Donkey Riding (56:19) The Fisherman’s Friends - Billy O’Shea (59:24)


The Bewitching Call of the Siren

She ululates a forlorn desire for a human love;
She’s pure evil, not from God’s Heaven above.
This siren’s seductive melody is heard on all seas,
And even on the largest lakes and flowing rivers;
Bringing even seafarers near Die Lorelei to shivers!
Beguiling young sailors to such a ghastly death;
This vile creature’s venom is felt with each breath!
Her visage is one of true love and blessed pulchritude,
Yet Lucifer’s mask is dark with great evil certitude!
Her perfumed scent enlivens her victims’ senses,
Whilst her dark green eyes and deep wet kisses;
Mesmerize her prey, oblivious now to all consequences;
Now feeling her fatal bites and hearing her hideous hisses!
She taketh all pleasure in her world of this evil measure,
Enthralling all her sad victims to a most horrible death;
Now Lucifer counts with joy the lost souls’ treasure!
Always sans merci this siren be to those in her grot,
As her victims find their souls lost to Hell’s dark rot!
Beware say I to all good seafarers, do heed this tale well;
Be deaf to this siren’s call or your life shall end in Hell!

Gary Bateman
July 4, 2016 (Canzone)
Copyright © All Rights Reserved






Vol. 3 - Compilation of Sea Songs & Folk Music
(The Captain's Beard, The Skullduggers & more)
Feb 15, 2021
The following is a compilation similar to my last, in that all the songs feature instrumental accompaniment in the background.

However, one difference is that all the songs are now newly featured, including from some new bands such as The Captain's Beard and The Skullduggers, along with songs from some old favourites.

I have added lyrics if you would like to sing along, which you can view by activating 'Subtitles/CC'.

As with my first compilation, this time I have used various images throughout the video to accompany the music, and with a generally higher resolution than my first collection.

Many thanks again to all those who've listened to my previous compilations.

The Fisherman’s Friends - Keep Hauling - (0:00) The Jolly Rogers - Across the Western Ocean - (2:53) The Captain’s Beard - Health to the Company - (5:48) The Fisherman’s Friends - Bully in the Alley - (9:16) The Captain’s Beard - The Wild Rover - (11:08) The Skullduggers - (Rolling Down to Old) Maui - (14:35) The Skullduggers - The Coast of High Barbary - (17:23) The Skullduggers - Home Boys Home - (19:11) The Skullduggers - Botany Bay - (21:46) The Captain’s Beard - (Oh You) New York Girls - (24:05) The Captain’s Beard - John Kanaka - (27:38) The Poxy Boggards - Star of the County Down - (30:51) The Poxy Boggards - Tell Me Ma - (33:08) The Captain’s Beard - The Sea - (34:45) The Captain’s Beard - Bonnie Ship the Diamond - (37:53) The Captain’s Beard - The Irish Rover - (41:23)


Ever After

Seafarers shall be saved, though waves may
deem them dead, lost in the ocean's fray
they shall not perish, nor shall they be afraid
nor falter, though their earthly woes be done.
They shall tame the deep, brave the mighty Charybdis
and win release to heaven's blessed throne.

Nor shall the poor be stilled in death's dark tomb;
they shall enjoy the fruits their earthly span denied
and reap full harvest as they rule the Pleiades!
The lame will mark their years well spent
in painful suffering at the world's behest,
for they will revel with the wild Eumenides!

The realm of death is nothing to be feared,
hough sting of loss shall curdle in the breasts
of the deserted they will finally comprehend
true love's eternal message in their hearts;
the special blessing of the ones who heed the call,
the realm of heaven draws all the faithful home.

Copyright ©  | Year Posted 2009



Vol. 4 - Compilation of Sea Shanties & Folk Music
(ft. The Longest Johns, The Jolly Rogers & more)
Mar 5, 2021
With this compilation I tried to capture the essence of vocal-only shanties, but with instrumental accompaniment. It is more on the ambient side of things; with a gradual buildup of energy, using songs with minimal instruments.

I have added lyrics if you would like to sing along, which you can view by activating 'Subtitles/CC'.

Many thanks to all who have been listening to my compilations so far, and to all the groups featured for making these wonderful songs.

The Longest Johns - Ashes (0:00) The Longest Johns - Off To Sea (3:19) The Jolly Rogers - Royal Oak (7:47) The Jolly Rogers - Away Rio (11:49) The Jolly Rogers - Tow Rope Girls (16:03) The Jolly Rogers - One More Day (19:32) The Jolly Rogers - Galway Girls (21:53) The Fisherman’s Friends - Paddy Lay Back (24:54) The Fisherman’s Friends - Oh You New York Girls (27:18) The Fisherman’s Friends - Rattlin’ Winches (30:16) The Skullduggers - Bully in the Alley (33:04) The Jolly Rogers - Botany Bay (35:38) The Captain’s Beard - Star of the County Down (38:14) The Longest Johns - Round the Cape (43:09) Pyrates! - Strike the Bell (45:54) Pyrates! - High Barbary (49:01) The Irish Rovers - Drunken Sailor (51:36)



The Cutty Shark



Vol. 5 - Compilation of Traditional Folk & Sea Songs
(ft. Kick Up the Dust, Pyrates! & more)
Mar 27, 2021
This is a compilation of sea shanties and traditional folk music; all of which feature instrumental accompaniment.

For the most part, it is somewhat faster and more energetic than my previous compilations, but still uses traditional instruments such as violins and accordions.

I have added lyrics if you would like to sing along, which you can view by activating 'Subtitles/CC'.

Many thanks once again to all who have listened to my compilations over the last year or so.

The Irish Rovers - The Jolly Roving Tar - (0:00), Great Big Sea - Captain Kidd - (2:26), The High Kings - The Rising of the Moon - (5:15), Kick Up the Dust - Liverpool Judies - (9:42), Kick Up the Dust - All for Me Grog - (13:04), Kick Up the Dust - Home Boys Home - (16:59), Kick Up the Dust - Three Jolly Rogues of Lynn - (20:00), Pyrates! - Botany Bay - (23:30), Kick Up the Dust - The Leaving of Liverpool - (26:25), Kick Up the Dust - 10,000 Miles Away - (30:00), Kick Up the Dust - Say a Prayer on Sunday - (33:45), Kick Up the Dust - Rare Old Mountain Dew - (37:17), Pyrates! - Blow Ye Winds - (40:02), Kick Up the Dust - Whip Jamboree - (43:21), Pyrates! - Irish Rover - (46:18), Brave the Sea - Bully Boys - (51:16)


Vol. 6 - Compilation of Traditional Folk & Sea Songs
(ft. Kick Up the Dust, Pyrates! & more)
May 6, 2021
This compilation features a return of the truly excellent band 'Kick Up the Dust', and leans more towards the traditional folk side of things, but with a few shanties and sea songs thrown in for good measure.

I have added lyrics if you would like to sing along, which you can view by activating 'Subtitles/CC'.

Thanks again to all who've watched these videos and subscribed to my channel so far, and for all your feedback in the comment sections. As always, it is greatly appreciated.

Young Dubliners - A Pair of Brown Eyes - (0:00) The Longest Johns - Hoist up the Thing - (4:24) Young Dubliners - I’ll Tell Me Ma - (7:11) Kick Up the Dust - The Jolly Beggarman / The Maid Behind the Bar - (10:03) Kick Up the Dust - Kelly the Boy from Killane - (14:01) Kick Up the Dust - Botany Bay - (17:08) Kick Up the Dust - McAlpine’s Fusiliers - (19:51) Kick Up the Dust - Maggie May - (22:57) Pyrates! - Whisky in the Jar - (25:42) Pyrates! - South Australia - (29:16) Pyrates! - Drunken Sailor - (32:02)


Sea-Fever
by John Masefield

I must go down to the seas again, to the lonely sea and the sky,
And all I ask is a tall ship and a star to steer her by;
And the wheel’s kick and the wind’s song and the white sail’s shaking,
And a grey mist on the sea’s face, and a grey dawn breaking.

I must go down to the seas again, for the call of the running tide
Is a wild call and a clear call that may not be denied;

And all I ask is a windy day with the white clouds flying,
And the flung spray and the blown spume, and the sea-gulls crying.

I must go down to the seas again, to the vagrant gypsy life,
To the gull’s way and the whale’s way where the wind’s like a whetted knife;
And all I ask is a merry yarn from a laughing fellow-rover,
And quiet sleep and a sweet dream when the long trick’s over.



Vol. 7 - Compilation of Sea Songs & Folk Music
(ft. The Fisherman's Friends)
May 24, 2021
All the songs featured in this compilation are by The Fisherman’s Friends.

I have added lyrics if you would like to sing along, which you can view by activating 'Subtitles/CC'.

Thanks again to everyone who has listened, commented, and subscribed so far. As always, it is very much appreciated.

Sail Away Ladies - (0:00) Sally Brown - (2:50) The Last Leviathan - (6:08) Shenandoah - (10:19) Brightly Beams / Pull for the Shore - (13:17) Mollymauk - (16:43) Cap’n Stormio - (20:02) Sweet Maid of Madeira - (24:06) Mary Anne - (28:45) The Leaving of Liverpool - (31:45) The Mermaid - (36:12) No Hopers, Jokers & Rogues - (41:34) The Union Of Different Kinds - (44:33)


Vol. 8 - Compilation of Vocal-Only Sea Shanties
(ft. Jesse Ferguson)
Jun 7, 2021
I am proud to present a selection of traditional sea shanties from the upcoming album by Canadian singer-songwriter Jesse Ferguson. What I found most impressive about these recordings, is that he performed and recorded all the vocal harmonies himself.

I highly recommend subscribing to Jesse's YouTube channel, where you can find videos of him performing the different shanties during the recording process. Songs from his previous albums can also be found on Spotify. 
Many thanks again to all those who've listened to my previous compilations.

 Greenland Whale Fisheries - (0:00) General Taylor (ft. Bill Toner) - (3:14) Hangin’ Johnny - (6:30) Old Billy Riley - (8:16) Bully in the Alley - (10:12) Santiana - (13:19) Randy Dandy-O - (16:16) Don’t Forget Your Old Shipmate - (18:58) Drunken Sailor - (22:14) Roll the Old Chariot - (23:46) Sally Brown - (26:08) So Early in the Morning - (27:52) Donkey Riding - (30:01) Strike at the Whale - (32:18) Eliza Lee - (35:08) Leave Her, Johnny - (37:00)



The Seafarer

May I for my own self song's truth reckon,
Journey's jargon, how I in harsh days
Hardship endured oft.
Bitter breast-cares have I abided,
Known on my keel many a care's hold,
And dire sea-surge, and there I oft spent
Narrow nightwatch nigh the ship's head
While she tossed close to cliffs. Coldly afflicted,
My feet were by frost benumbed.
Chill its chains are; chafing sighs
Hew my heart round and hunger begot
Mere-weary mood. Lest man know not
That he on dry land loveliest liveth,
List how I, care-wretched, on ice-cold sea,
Weathered the winter, wretched outcast
Deprived of my kinsmen;
Hung with hard ice-flakes, where hail-scur flew,
There I heard naught save the harsh sea
And ice-cold wave, at whiles the swan cries,
Did for my games the gannet's clamour,
Sea-fowls, loudness was for me laughter,
The mews' singing all my mead-drink.
Storms, on the stone-cliffs beaten, fell on the stern
In icy feathers; full oft the eagle screamed
With spray on his pinion.
Not any protector
May make merry man faring needy.
This he little believes, who aye in winsome life
Abides 'mid burghers some heavy business,
Wealthy and wine-flushed, how I weary oft
Must bide above brine.
Neareth nightshade, snoweth from north,
Frost froze the land, hail fell on earth then
Corn of the coldest. Nathless there knocketh now
The heart's thought that I on high streams
The salt-wavy tumult traverse alone.
Moaneth alway my mind's lust
That I fare forth, that I afar hence
Seek out a foreign fastness.
For this there's no mood-lofty man over earth's midst,
Not though he be given his good, but will have in his youth greed;
Nor his deed to the daring, nor his king to the faithful
But shall have his sorrow for sea-fare
Whatever his lord will.
He hath not heart for harping, nor in ring-having
Nor winsomeness to wife, nor world's delight
Nor any whit else save the wave's slash,
Yet longing comes upon him to fare forth on the water.
Bosque taketh blossom, cometh beauty of berries,
Fields to fairness, land fares brisker,
All this admonisheth man eager of mood,
The heart turns to travel so that he then thinks
On flood-ways to be far departing.
Cuckoo calleth with gloomy crying,
He singeth summerward, bodeth sorrow,
The bitter heart's blood. Burgher knows not —
He the prosperous man — what some perform
Where wandering them widest draweth.
So that but now my heart burst from my breast-lock,
My mood 'mid the mere-flood,
Over the whale's acre, would wander wide.
On earth's shelter cometh oft to me,
Eager and ready, the crying lone-flyer,
Whets for the whale-path the heart irresistibly,
O'er tracks of ocean; seeing that anyhow
My lord deems to me this dead life
On loan and on land, I believe not
That any earth-weal eternal standeth
Save there be somewhat calamitous
That, ere a man's tide go, turn it to twain.
Disease or oldness or sword-hate
Beats out the breath from doom-gripped body.
And for this, every earl whatever, for those speaking after —
Laud of the living, boasteth some last word,
That he will work ere he pass onward,
Frame on the fair earth 'gainst foes his malice,
Daring ado, ...
So that all men shall honour him after
And his laud beyond them remain 'mid the English,
Aye, for ever, a lasting life's-blast,
Delight mid the doughty.
Days little durable,
And all arrogance of earthen riches,
There come now no kings nor Cæsars
Nor gold-giving lords like those gone.
Howe'er in mirth most magnified,
Whoe'er lived in life most lordliest,
Drear all this excellence, delights undurable!
Waneth the watch, but the world holdeth.
Tomb hideth trouble. The blade is layed low.
Earthly glory ageth and seareth.
No man at all going the earth's gait,
But age fares against him, his face paleth,
Grey-haired he groaneth, knows gone companions,
Lordly men are to earth o'ergiven,
Nor may he then the flesh-cover, whose life ceaseth,
Nor eat the sweet nor feel the sorry,
Nor stir hand nor think in mid heart,
And though he strew the grave with gold,
His born brothers, their buried bodies
Be an unlikely treasure hoard.