The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1900-09-30
WORK SONGS OF SAILORS.
CHANTS BY WHICH THEIR LABOR
SEEMS TO BE LTGHTENED.
A Song for Nearly Every Task From shore 20
shore-Au Attempt to Pick Out the Mean
ing Of some OF Them-A Few Examples.
From the Boston krsnino Transcript.

IRON the Boston Erenlnp Transcript.
The time was when all ocean travellers were
compelled TO enter into close contact with the
real son Of the waters-with Jack in his proper
element, Jack AT home with his fingers In the
tar pot. But steam has changed all this. To-
day the true sailor Is rs unknown to the average
travelled landsman as his more -stay-at-home
brother. That the seaman as our fathers
knew him Is becoming a vanishing quantity
Is but a partial truth true only In the fact that
he has passed from our minds. because our
travelling does not take us into his company
unless we 90 by very uncommon routes.
That Jack has changed Il a mere obvious
necessity. What could stand still In this kan
garoo-llke age? Almost the. very manners
and morals of yesterday are obsolete to-day.
So with the sailor-that scapegrace, never
settling member Of the human family. The
family has moved on up the Hill OF progression,
and no has %perforce gone with II, But while
there are sailing ships-"windjammers," he
terms them the real Jack will be alive, Like
the folk-song Of mountain peasantry. he can
not die while legends live. The young recruit
to the great waters is moulded and trimmed
by old hands. as the latter were by true old
salts who have completed and passed In their
loGbooks for the inspection Of the Sailmaster
Of all VOYAGES IN this they are assisted by
their peculiar environment and ny the unnoticed
forces at work during long, dreary passages
under canvass. Thus Is the sailor. not the
mere steamboat seaman, kept in existencs;
thus does he pass on the songs which belong
solely 10 him and are so Enthusiastically Of
his life.
That the decp-water sailor-as is termed
the one who keeps 10 far-RoinH sailing ves-
sells has a song for almost every piece Of work
wherein four to n dozen men are engaged Is
probably news TO thousands who can claim
to have been beyond the shores Of This right
little. tight little island" Aboard ship these
songs are known by the name OF "chantieS"-.
wiicq. j., In all probability, either a sailors
Eluralizing Of our word chant" or a corrup-
ton Of the French "chanson."
We will take a set Of these songs In order.
q. on a yoy age and begin with the crew on
Fast India Dock. The command has come to
move her To tho lockout; the mate passes It
forward. the bo'sun wells IT, in at the f~o'oastle
~soher-appear on deck, The shore boatnen
pull away with the line II is made fast TO a boil
capstan: the bars are shipped, and round we
go-sullenlv, for This IL the initial note Of some
eighteen months comparative ISOLATION. Then
and officers cries out, "A song, bows. a song
Come. isn't there a 'chantv-mnn' IN the crowd"
permanent than his whiia shipmates. despite
the fitting melancholy air Of his farewell
begins:
We're on the plains Of Mexico,
Ohotusl: Away santa ANIMAL
Hutfah Tor santa AnnsI
Santa Anna fough hi his way.
All on the plains Of Mexico:
Santa Anna gained the day.
HurTah for Santa ANIMAL
In the chorus all men at the capstan Join.
In "chantieS. proper never more than three.
generally but one or two, lines are sung by
Ike the words, are Of a s66dddy kind Very
often the singer will introduce lines of his own
making, either out Of, conCeit or because he
the chorus ever remains the same. Rarely
does II happep that, however moody the men
they do not finish il Justify and IN a better frame
Now, while more Of the above has been sung
Of n considerable length the vessel has short
her heaving line. Hero the end Is taken
and mis- time from q British throat-we move
around n the old ballad-like tune NJ:
IT'S Of a na,h packet Of bully. boy fame;
sails from the herSey, and the Dreadnought's
her name.
Bound away. bound away
She sail, from the Merssy. where the broad waters
Then away to the wes'ard, God. let her gol
Bound away, bound away, where The stormy winds
She's a Liverpool packct-O God. let her gol
BY the time the Dreaduought" is concluded
ship Is taken in tow, her tuRhoat being Of
y lbIE' tlhl ItNtIlNl llhht. lbT tlIlPfS, nn-
the breeze he. a steady easterly one. are
usually tovrd well down channel. We will
that the wind is fair. The lower top
,li!s are looSed and shcetod home. the fore
and lower ~stayNiils follow: then all hands
'ook Included man the fotctopsail h~alyqrds,
IN the dow inward part with the second or third
lfiCcr, and We g"t
whistey is the ufe Of man,
Chorus Whisky, Juhnuy''
win thIS word, aud at every recurrence Of II all
whystey is the ute Of man.
whisky for me, Johnny
Whisky made me 60 TO sea.
NhlSkrv. johnny
WhiSkey made me 60 20 sea,
whisky for me, JOHNNY
If the singer be Of the common order he will
tell what he would do were the ocean
made Of whl~key; how. Il he had a "whiskey
hop he, would hang II on a halyard block
md haul the men mp to II: and more Of the same
ind until the mate cries "Belay!" But oCasion-
lily a man will give the remainder Of this song
Is proper version that is, the evil of its sub
After the fore the maintopsail will be hoisted
nd with the work We shall probably hear
mother outward bound dirty. such as:
4So S4sr' are Hr you g gT RIST e. Fl ~ Dg yflIc, sir!,
VI, where are you bound IN, bully boys an :
We're bound 10 the Rio Grandel Pull I
The above Is also used "a a windlass "chanty" !
heaylng M the anchor to leave home. The s
then generally runs: G
h. where are you bound to, sailor boys air &
'horuSl Heaye o. Rio, -,
h, whore are you bound to Jolly Jack tarsi =.
We're bound TO the Rio Gfaude' q
hen IT'S hcave-o, Riol have o RiOl l.
nd fare YOU well, my bonny young girl. =
or we're bound to the Rio Grandel .
h. what to DO there. my sailor boys an' a
HeAve O. Rio! 4
;; !, What DO you DO ,h-Jc: my Jolly Jack ar' '
Then rs heave o, Riol &c =
After n stan2a on the fever, this song goes ]
y 10 say what tho vessel will load according h
probability, how she will return home and q
hat, the sailor boys" will do on arrivai-if q
icy live 70 come back: and It's air Is as near NJ n
IN be mat OF the independent milkmaid, II
hose face was her fortune.
Thus the heavy sails are set and the lighter q
res follow; The tow line l. cast on: FnRisnd's a
hlte Gins. fade away astern, ne the sun sinks a
Glow the horizon ahead. night comes down. "
ith lis vague fear for the new voyaGer's heart Il
Z commonpl1cencss to the oceans wander. a.
6, and we are alone to do our business on "
. waters Now day slips nv on the heels II
night; night goes ms uncventually after IN.
ey stretch into weeks: the breeze freshers tr
ID We laughter halyards to the somewhat L
tune Of The Banks Of SacramentoS 81
. first part being. OF
w my lads, get your beds and lie down. ",
With a hoo dahl IAN null together1 "
Nv, my lads, get your beds and lie down, "
With a hoodah, hoodah-O PULL W
Ow. boys. blow fot California, ca
With q hoo dahl
lere'S plenty Of gold. so I've been told,
the hanks Of Sacramento.
with a hoo-dah, hoo dab OF