Last week, Tigger's "F" asked about the choices of 'mood' in music. My response was a bit lengthy, so before this week's music choice, perhaps you'd like to see it. Or skip straight through if you prefer!
Right, now, on to this month's music theme. Sea Shanties!!! Unless you have had your head buried in sand this last month or so, it is difficult not to have heard the news of Nathan Evans, the postie from Airdrie who is making good on the music scene. Nathan has actually been putting up his covers, originals and a few shanties on the Instything and Soundcloud etc for a while, but it was this one which somehow hit the 'feels' for folk around the world. Even Andrew Lloyd Webber (Sir) did a 'duet' with it, as has become the fashion. PRESS PLAY ON THE RIGHT TO HEAR NATHAN'S SOLO VERSION THAT STARTED OFF THE CRAZE (yes it's all him).
Why the popularity of this one? Well, it tells the story of sailors isolated from the shore by a long-haul whaling session and the whale keeps eluding them. (There are some who believe a certain H Melville experienced this event and a Big Whale Story grew from it...) The seeming endlessness of their task, the longing for the relief of the supplies ship and the wish for being allowed to return to shore may well have struck a chord with our current state of enforced isolation. It is to be remembered that shanties are the sailors telling their histories so most of them have truth in them. Then there are those about the lassies... They are, perhaps, not all that politically correct, but the fact so many women are as keen on them as men seems to indicate something deeper socially. Then again they are just rollicking good melodies!!! I guarantee you, this one becomes an earworm, and I make no apology for it. Once more with gusto me hearties!!!
thet songs have something what touched our hearts... it's a little bit like da moby dick movie with tunes ;O)
ReplyDeleteMany fun things are not politically correct...ear worm for sure!
ReplyDeleteGreat stuff from Nathan. Interesting that an Airdrie lad would take an interest in sea shanties. This post-industrial Central Belt town certainly doesn't have any fishing or sea-faring heritage, although it did have a large Boots factory where my father did a year long stint as factory manager in the mid-1960s!
ReplyDeleteCheers, Gail.
Hi Yam - it's amazing what's taken off during the pandemic months or should I say lock-down ones ... and I've enjoyed hearing the sea-shanty songs ... Nathan hit the right note ... ear-worms happen without our knowing why ... but our brain is another matter! Stay safe - Hilary
ReplyDeleteThat was great foot-tapping music and I enjoyed it - even if!
ReplyDeleteWhat a fun fun fun performance. OMC I loved this. Each participant offering excellent additions. I loved the wee bit of Highland dance there too. Thank you
ReplyDeleteHugs Cecilia
I rarely listen to music, but when I do it is always what i am in the mood for..
ReplyDeleteI LOVE all kinds of music! When we used to have cable TV, it used to go through our stereo. As well as the TV Channels, we had hundreds of radio stations. I listened to music all day! Things change. Now that cable terminates at a modem distributing the TV channels through an HDMI cable. The stereo died and has been taken to recycle and there is no radio! I asked our provider if they still have the radio service and she looked at me like I was crazy! Do I listen on my computer? Not too often these days, On the old laptop I had a list of links, on this one not too many yet. No more just turning of a dial...It takes too long to go and find the music I want to listen to and then I forget to bookmark it. To make a long story short, I love your music, I can book mark it and I can go and listen when I want! Thanks for the shanties!
ReplyDeleteThanks for introducing us to Nathan. That catchy song did stick with us for a while.
ReplyDeleteSounds like we should be on a pirate ship:) Definitely a catchy tune, and yes, foot-tapping inducement:)
ReplyDeleteSteven Colbert declared 2021 to be the year of the shanty. namaste, janice xx
ReplyDeleteF sailed on barque Endeavour (the replica - she's old but not fossilized) and was fortunate enough to be able to enjoy within the crew a whistle player who used to sit on the capstan playing shanties when they had to work the anchor. The timing and rhythm of shanties is meant to make the pulling and heaving (by a team of humans) more effective. (You've no doubt heard a saying about herding cats?? Well not a patch on getting humans to display unity of intent and action; that requires a sea shanty.) xxx Mr T
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