New-York tribune., 1883-11-04
SONGS or THE SEA.
WHAT AMI HOW THE SAILORS sING-NiERCHANT-
MEMS sHAETIEs"

WHAT AMI HOW THE SAILORS sING-NERCHANf-
MEMS sHAETIEs."
"The men don't sing much except when on
long voyage; but when they really get settled down for
a trip then you will hear them at it," said naval officer
to a TRIBUNE reporter recently.
"What do they sing 7" inquired the reporter
"The songs OF the peculiar They belong to
musical world Of their own, much as do the negro
melodies of the South What pcculary there is in the
music that sailors most love am not enough OF music
ian to tell; but songs that one would at first suppose
would be popular with Jack he does not sing at all.
What beautiful songs have ever been written
than those by stephen Adams, such Nancy Lee and
the Midshipmte ana yet you never hear them sung
by sailors"
"Thcy sing Dibdins songs, suppose ."
"No, strange to say they do not. Old Tom BOwln'
is the only Of Dibdns songs ever heard them sing
IN that Dbdin struck The right chord, and everywhere
that Engsh-speakng sailors sail the ocean that song
loyed and sung. How often from the decks Of men-o
war or the forecaste Of merchant ships have heard
that song float out into the night
Here sheer hulk lies poor Tom BOwln'
Tie darling OF our crew . ,,.
For death has brOached him to.
Many Of the songs popular in the navy have never been
given the general public that know OF until the pnb
ucation of that excellent little collection of seasongs
recently compiled and published by Commodore Luce
OF the songs In this book have been almost for
gotten in the Navy and taken down from the
lips of old sailors who had sung them when they and life
were new"
"What is the nature Of these songs 2"
"Mo,t of them mrecount victories of the American Navy
There is one song very popular in the Navy called The
Constitution and Gucnieie.' 1t tells how:
The GuerreTe, frigate bold,
Commanded MN by proud balTss
The Grand6e Oh.
and it ends with the statement that
The Yankee boys for fighting the dandy. Oh
The time has a TOllicl.iug swing 10 Il well suited TO
%W6at are shanty songs ~
'shanty songs arc working songs, and are sung in
the merchant service The word 'shanty Is probably
sets each Of which has different cadence adapted
the work to which it sung, There songs for sheet
sort of thing one which Is exceedingly popular goesi
T@ I'm SS1n& SSand fT or 3nS nIa hS gSsE GFEaGag Gdg
I'm bound for the RIO Grande
Jack sings this with all sorts Of queer quavcrs in his
voice, making the cadence by hauling on the ropes.
Give me- t%s 10 5o% the man do%1
Is also popular shanty' Then there are others in
which the sailors improvse largely they go along
good shanty singer is never at a loss for words"
Is this singing help to the men q
ships when they sing good MERCHANT officer sees to
it that his men sing at their work II they are silent he
ways leader in the singing Of these songs some man
with good voice and great stock OF lungs Such men
are much In demand merchant ships. There Is
had almost forgotten 10 mention. II Is OF the most
popular OF those IN the Navy and II Is called the
HOmeward bound song The scene Is laid at Pensacola
and the song says:
It's of 10 the sign OF the dog and bell
Its there they do good whiskey SELL
In comes the landlord with his usual smile,
Saying go IL my boys ts worth your WHILE
For you know are hOmeward bound.
For you know hOmeWard bound.
These songs may seem musicess and thin to those
who do not spend their lives the but you know
the story OF the Count AmadOs how that he head
ancient belmsman sing wonderful song OF the sea and
pra yed that the old man would teach ii TO him:
woulds't thou then, the helmsman answered
Learn the secFets OF the seal
Only those who share Its dangers
Comprehend its mystery,