Any musicians out there?

[rossjb1]

Hey folks, any NSPN musicians interested in getting together to play and sing sea shanties or any other traditional new England tunes? Something fun and different.

Ross

[JohnHuth]

I don't have a huge amount of free time, but, in principle, the idea sounds like fun. I play banjo (scruggs style) and guitar (flat-pick) and sing.

My nautical list is pretty thin, though - I think I know: "What Does the Deep Sea Say" and "Sailor's Hornpipe". The rest are songs of murder and mayhem.

[PeterB]

My nautical list is pretty thin, though - I think I know: "What Does the Deep Sea Say" and "Sailor's Hornpipe". The rest are songs of murder and mayhem.

I like the song "Otto Wood the Gambler", a traditional Appalachian song about a very bad man.

" He was man who would not run

for he always toted a forty four gun

He loved the women and he hated the law

and he just didn't take nobody's jaw."

[thief]

got bones here in my hands......

can try my best to keep the rhythm going......

[Doug]

Hey folks, any NSPN musicians interested in getting together to play and sing sea shanties or any other traditional new England tunes? Something fun and different.

Ross

I'm tempted as well yet may be a bit rusty in this format. Locked in a "Lawrence Juber" mode with minimal success lately.

Doug

[hopefloats]

I don't play anything, but I might be interested in being a groupie!

'Love shanties... ever since my first schooner cruise out of Camden. 'bought a CD called "The Ballad of Cappy John & Other Songs of Coastal Maine" ...which helps with learning the words, but I think it sounds way better when folks are singing it a capella in person with harmony, like the crew did.

[Michael_Crouse]

I played guitar in a former life, so I'm (extremely) rusty, but with a bit of practice I'm sure I could make people wince again. I don't think I've ever played sea shanties, more like STP, Cracker, Radiohead, etc....

[hopefloats]

Just in case you wanted some inspiration!

THE BALLAD OF CAPPY JOHN ©1991 Fred Gosbee

Come all of you brave schooner boys who sail the coast of Maine

Listen to my story and join in the refrain

It's all about a skipper, the best we ever knew

He sailed a stout 4-master with a tough and jolly crew

Many a tale that I could tell you never would believe

Like coming into Pemaquid on a stiff Sou'east'ly breeze

To sail with him the Thread of Life took the courage of a saint

For he'd take the barnacles off her hull but he never touched the paint

He had one eye on the waves, the other on the weather

He saw more with his swivel eye than all of us together

He could find his way on a moonless night dark as dungeon cell

And when the fog was thick as soup, he'd navigate by smell

The tale that I will tell you of began in the usual way

Going to Yarmouth town we passed the Mary L. McKay

We left our cargo on the dock and then stood out for sea

And we met her staggering into port like a drunkard on a spree

Things was fine we was making time on a wind from the Nor'east

When Cappy John says 'Gorry boys, I don't like this in the least

I can tell by the sky and the look of the foam that when the sun goes down

We're gonna be in for a Heluva fog or I ain't Cappy John'

CHORUS

We'd been with Cappy in fog before so we weren't worried none

We figgered we'd make Portland by the rising of the sun

So we stood our watches with hearts as light as swallows in the spring

We didn't know Cappy had caught a cold and he couldn't smell a thing

And Cappy he didn't let on none, why God only knows

Maybe he figgered to steer by sound and wouldn't need his nose

And he didn't tell us to shorten sail though we might have heard him sneeze

Then we plowed right into that bank of fog like a maggot into a cheese

CHORUS

Then Cappy hollered 'Look sharp, boys, I fear we're close to land'

But that fog it was so goldurn thick you couldn't see your hand

And the ship was sailing very queer, up great rough seas and down

We heard strange sounds like moaning groans of sailers who'd been drowned

When the sun came up, 'twas off our stern 'stead of the larboard side

Then, Mister Man, we came to know we'd been on a Heluva ride

For we stood in a field five miles from shore - captain, ship and crew

He lost his way 'cause he couldn't smell but he brought us in on the dew!

CHORUS

You can find other ideas here, too:

http://castlebaycds.com/vocalmusic.html

(I have no interest in promoting this unless it spurs on something fun!)

[great_blue]

Hey Ross,

I'm always willing to learn a new tune, although remembering lyrics is usually my downfall. I do know "jack-a-roe"; kind of a sea shanty:

".....Jackie's gone a sailing, with trouble on his mind

He's left his native country and his darling girl behind

Oh his darling girl behind...."

Jon

[eneumeier]

There is a regular "sea shanty" night at Cameron's Restaurant, 206-208 Main Street in Gloucester (near the police station, just up from Walgreens plaza). I know several people who go and love it. Not my thing to do regularly but that crowd really knows their shanties!

I think it is on Tuesday nights, call to check 978-281-1331

Liz

[glad]

I used to sing in a jazz ensemble, did some folk performing and lot's of classical music. But the last two were in former lives.

I could probably resurrect them for some sea shanty singing.

Let me know when you get together!

Karen

[Gcosloy]

Hey, is this thread OT or what? Look I'm retired, I don't work, just walk my dog and looking forward to Spring seakayaking, so I'm bored and need to stir up some trouble! Look, I like music too. Anyone up for discussion about Peter Grimes, Benjamin Britten's doomed fisherman in the eponymous Opera "Peter Grimes". Ok I'll go back to Facebook with this if you guys will do the same! (Hope you don't mind the ribbing.)