The news and herald. (Winnsboro, S.C.) 1877-1900, 1883-12-06
Songs or the Sea.

"The men don't sing much except
when on long voyage, but when they
really get settled down for trip then
Iy0n will hear them at it," said q naval
officer to Il reporter recently.
"What do they sing2" inquired the
reporter. ..
"The songs Of the sea are peculiar.
They belong to q musical world Of their
own, as much as do the negro melodies
of the South. What popularity thore
Is in tho music that sailors most love
am not enough Of musician to tell; ;
but songs that one would at first sup
pose would be popular with Jack he
does not sing at all. What more beau
tiful sea songs have ever been written
than those by Stephen Adams, such as
Nancy Lee and the 'NIidshipmite?n
and yet you never hear them sung by
Sailors"
'rlley sing Dibdin'ssongs Isupposo2"
! "No, strange to say, they dOnOt. Old
Tom Bowlin" is tho only one of Dlb-
din's songs l ever heard them sing. In
that Dibdn struck tho right chord, and
everywhere tho English speaking sailors
sail the ocean that song Is loved and
sung. How often from the decks Of mon
of-wlr or the forecastle Of merchant Sbi ips
l have heard that song float out into the
night:
Here sheer hulk lies poor Tom Bowlin',
The darling Of our crew;
No more he'll hear the tempest howlin',
! For death has broachcd him to.
Many Of the songs popular in the navy
not have been given to the general public
that 1 know Of until the publication of
that excellent little collection OF sea
songs recently compiled and published
by Commodore Luce. Some Of the
songs in this book have beon almost
forgotten even in the navy, and wore
taken down from the lips Of old sailors
who had sung them when they and life
were now"
"What is the nature Of these songs?"
Most of them recount victories Of
the American navy. There is ono song
very popular in tho navy called Tho
Constitution and Guerriere.' 1t tells
how
The Guerrero, a frigate bold,
On the tumbling ocean rolled,
Commanded by proud Dacres,
The Grandee, ohl
and it ends with the statement that
The Yankee boys for fight.:g are tho
dandy, oh.
The time has a rolliclking swing to it
well suited to tho words.'.
'What are 'shanty' songs2"
'Shanty' songs are working songs,
and are sung in the merchant service.
The word 'shanty' is probably from tho
French chantcr to sing. These songs
are in sets, each Of which has q differ
ent cadence adapted for the work to
which it is sung. There ale songs for
shooting home topsails, for weighing
anchor and for all that soft Of thing.
One which is exceedingly popular goes
Pm bound away this very day,
Pm bound for tho Rio Grande,
IIo you, Rio;
Then fare you we'll my bonny blue
bell,
Pm bound for the Rio Grande.
Jack sings this with all sorts OF queer
qnavers in his voice, making the ca
dence by hauling on the ropes.
Blow tho man down, oh, blow the man
down,
Give me some time to blow the man
down,
is popular 'shanty.' Thon tiiose aro
others, i'll which the sailors improvise
largely as they go along. a good shan.
ty' singer Is never at a loss for words. "
'Is this singing help to the mon?"
"Oh, yes. They always work better
OH merchant ships when shey sing. a
good merchant officer secs to it that his
men sing at their work. If they arc
silent he will sing out, Make a little
music there!' There Is always leader
in the singing Of these songs, some man
with a good voice and a great stock OF
lungs. Such mon are much In demand
on merchant ships. There is a song /
had almost forgotten to mention. 1t il
one Of the most popular Of those sung
in the navy, and it is called the Home.
ward Bound Song.' The scene Is LAID
at Pensacola and the song says:
"It's off to the sign Of the dog and bell,
It's there they do good whisky sell,
In comes the landlord with his usual
smile,
Saying 60 it my boys it's worth your
while,
For you know weare llOmeWard bound,
Foryou know we are home ward bound"
These songs may seem muscles and
thin to those who do not spend their
lives on the ocean; but you know the
story Of the Count Amaldos, how that
he heard an ancient helsmsman sing q
wonderful song Of the sea and prayed
that the old man would teach it to hlm:
Woulds't thou then, the hemsman
answered,
Learn the secrets Of tho sca2
Only those who share it's dangers
Comprehend its mystery.