You’ve been enjoying sea shanty karaoke videos on our Youtube channel – thanks for checking them out! Lots of you asked if you could release a cover using our backing track… We decided to make it possible. You can now access our music and record your cover on TikTok (Link is for Wellerman, search ‘Shanty …
Shanty Karaoke is now on your favourite streaming sites Read More »
This traditional song has its origins in Scottish and Irish people emigrating to America and Canada. Although popular culture has lumped it into the same bucket, Here’s a Health to the Company is not a shanty. – it wasn’t used as a work song. We’d argue it can be considered a sea song (more on …
Here’s a Health to the Company: what the song means Read More »
Haul Away Joe is one of the most popular shanties. It lends itself to improvisation and has been covered by a huge number of folk singers. A popular alternative version is ‘Haul Away for Rosie’. The lyrics of the two versions are often used interchangeably. We’ll dig into the history of the song, break down …
Spanish Ladies is the sailors’ farewell and lament as they leave their Spanish sweethearts behind and head home. The song follows their passage up the English Channel and comments on the key nautical features. It’s an old shanty and is one of the most widely covered in folk music circles. We’re going to look at …
Santiana is a well-known shanty – sometimes known as ‘Plains of Mexico’ due to the line being used repeatedly throughout. But few people actually know what the lyrics mean. We’re going to change that. Get ready to learn all about Santiana. We’ll dig into the history of the song, break down the lyrics, and share …
This iconic shanty celebrates the whaling ship The Diamond. It talks of the emotional send-off and the anticipated return with riches. Unfortunately, the ship never made it back. It was lost at sea along with several other ships. We’re going to dig into the history of the ship, break down the lyrics, and share our …
Sometimes known as ‘Rolling Down to Old Maui’, this song acknowledges the hardship of a whaler’s life in the cold north. This is contrasted with the warm land and welcoming ladies of Old Maui. It’s a great wee tune that captures both extremes. We’re going to look at the history, break down the lyrics, and …
It seems the humble sea shanty is everywhere these days. It went from being an integral part of ship life to an extremely niche genre. Now, with their recent rise to fame on TikTok, they’re back in the public eye. Some of the old school sea shanty lovers are watching this phenomenon unfold with a …
