The daily morning Astorian. [volume] (Astoria, Oregon) 1883-1899, 1883-11-27
SONGS OF THE SEA.
What and How the Sailors Sing--aerehant-
men's ssShAntieI.'


The men don't sing much except on a
long voyage: but when they really get
settled down for trip then You will hear
them at IT," said an officer.
"What do they sing?"
.'The songs of the sea are peculiar.
They belong TO a musical world of their
own as much as do the negro melodies Of
the South. What Peculiarity there Is in
the music that sailors most love ! am not
enough OF a musician TO tell; but songs
that one would at frs: suppose wo1ld be
popular with Jack he does not sing at
al. What more beautiful sea songs have
ever been written than those by Stephen
Adams, such "a Nancy Lee and the Mid
shipnlate,' and vet you never hear them
sung by sailors"
They sing Dibdin's songs / supposeY''
''No, strange to say. they do not. Old
Tom Bowlin'' is the only one OF Dib-
din's songs ! ever heard them sing. In
that Dibdin struck tine right chord, and
everywhere that English speaking sailors
sail the ocean that song Is loved and
sunG. How often from the decks of NEIL
of-war or the forccastle of merchant
ships i have heard that song roll ont into
the night:
Here a sheer hulk lies poor Tom 8owliR',
The darling of our crew;
No more he'll hear the tempest hoS,in',
For death hes b-oached him to.
Many Of the songs popular in the navy
have never been given 10 the general
pablic that ! know of until the publica-
ton Of tina; excellent little collection Of
sea songs recently compiled and pub
lished by Commodore Luce. Some OF
the songs IL this book have been almost
forgotten even III the navy, and were
taken down from the lips OF old sailors,
who had sang ;hem shen they and life
We're new
what is the nature of these SOngs:"
Most of them recount victories of the
American navy. There Is one song very
popular in the navy called The COnstitu-
ton and Guerriere.' 1t tells how:
The Guerriere. frigate bold,
On the tumbling ocean rolled,
Commanded by proud DGcres.
The GTandee, oh.
aud Il ends with the statement that:
The Yankee boys for fighting are the
dandy. oh.
The time has a rolicking swing to il well
suited TO the worGs.'
What are 'shanty' sOngsI
"'Shanty' d" songs are working songs. and
are sung in the merchant service. The
word 'shanty' is probably from the
French ckunfer, to sing. These songs are
IN sets, each of which has different ca
dence adapted for the work to which it is
sung. There are songs for sheeting home
topsails, for weighing anchor. and for all
that sort of thing. One, which Is exceed
ingly popular, goes:
I'm bound away this very day,
I'm bound for the Rio Grande,
Ho YOU. Rio:
Then fare you we'll my bonny blue bell,
I'm bound for the Rio Grande.
Jack sings this with all sorts of queer
quavers in his voice, making the cadence
10y hauling on the ropes.
Blow the man down, on. blow the man
down.
Give me some time to blow the man
down,
Is also a popular 'shanty.' Then there
are others in which the sailors improyise
largely as they 60 along. A good 'shanty
| singer Is never at a loss for words"
is this singing help to the menI'
l. '-Oh, YES. They always work better on
merchant ships when they sing. A good
merchant officer sees to il that his meu
sing at their work. If they are silent. hG
will sing out, Make little music there!
| There is always a leader in the singing OF
these songs, some man with a gooC
voice ana great stock OF
lungs. Such men are much in demand
on merchant ships. There is a song
had almost forgotten to mention. Ii i!
one of the most popular of those sung il
tho navy, and IL is called the .HomewarC
Bound Song The scene is laid at Pen
sacola, and the song says.
It's off to the sign of the dog and bell
It's there they do good whisky sell,
In cUmes the landlord with his usua
smile,
Saying go it my boys it's worth you
while.
For you know We are homeward bound
For you know We are homewaId bound
These songs may seem musicless anC
thin TO those who do not spend thei
lives on the ocean, but You know tn
story OF the Count Amaldos: how that b.
heard an ancient helsman sing a wonder
full song of the sea and prayed that tn
old man would teach il TO him:
Woulds't thou then, the helmslnan an
swered
Learn the secrets of the sea!
| Only those who share its dangers
, Comprehend Its mystery.