the songs in the book are attributed to a performing minstrel artist or group, if not the composer, too. That this has no such notes suggests (to me) that it was not only a "real" worksong but that also it was not (yet, at least) co-opted as a stage song. I imagine it must have been taken from, say, a newspaper report, and included in the interest of making the "ultimate collection of negro songs EVER, dude!!" Stuart Frank may then have gotten his idea of it as a cargo loading song, etc, from THE ART OF BALLET. A peak at his bibliography would confirm this, unless he does it as a "Works Cited" format. NEGRO SINGER'S OWN BOOK has a song that appears to be related to a chanty. On pg. 180, it's: A DARKEY BAND AND A DARKEY CREW. Tune -- "Yankee Ship." A darkey band and a darkey crew, Tally ya ha higho! Are out in de West care killers so true, Ya ha! ha! an' higho! We spread our sail to de talkin' breeze, An' we pull away de oar, An' den wid some whiskey, bread an' chew, Our songs de ribber out roar. A darkey band and a darkey crew, Tally ya ha! higho! Are out in de West, care killers true, Ya ha! ha! an higho! A darkey band and a darkey crew, Tally ya ha higho! Can see when de sky am black an' blue, Ya ha! ha! an' higho! We travel up