Songs of the sea and shanties

gordon lightfoot has many a song

Well these were recorded a long time ago but the sonics are just fine- "Sea Shanties" by the Robert Shaw Chorale in Living Stereo by RCA. On CD and LP(if you can find it).

Paul Clayton was one of the most prolific singers of sea shanties, I have one album on CD; it is quite well recorded though not recent.

Procul Harem/A Salty Dog is an inspired rock album filled with nautical allusions of nearly Wagnerian proportions. The early BeeGees song Odessa is about an 1800's shipwreck, but unlike A Salty Dog does not carry the seafaring theme past the opening cut.

It's all old Irish folk songs of the sea and fishing.

jeff

How about Roger McGuinn's "Cardiff Rose" or Tom Waits' "Singapore"? "Singapore" may not exactly qualify as a shanty, but it is an enteratining nautically themed song.

How about Jimmy O'Buffet?

For a performer that specializes in sea shanties try Tom Lewis. I've seen him live and he's the real deal. Plays ukelele or concertina and sings traditional and original songs of the sea. Can't say which of his albums are good, but his web site is

www.thedance.net/~tomlewis/

I have a fantastic suggestion:

The Coral. Ther debut album (eponymous) is about 50 percent sea shanties, and is rather enjoyable.

But don't take my word for it...
http://pitchforkmedia.com/record-reviews/c/coral/coral.shtml

"fisherman's blues" by the waterboys...

not sure if this is the exact genre you're looking for, but an excellent tune and the album also has a great version of van morrison's "sweet thing"

"Beyond the Shore." Deby Benton Grosjean on fiddle.
Anair Records, San Francisco. Taste test at anair.com

Charlie

Stan Rodgers- late Canadian songwriter with many original songs about the sea. Wonderful baritone voice. Pbb- I thought you were form the "Great White North", you probably know him well.

Thanks. Looking for real traditional stuff. Got a CD called "Sea Songs & Shanties" on Saydisc from Amazon. Good stuff. Stan Rogers was a great singer. Died way too young on an Air Cnada flight to the States that had a fire on board. Funny thing is, he apparently wasn't a sailor or that clsoe to the sea. Looked the part and sounded the part though. I would certainly recommend the album "From Fresh Water" as well as "Between The Breaks.......Live". A great song of hope is on that record: "The Mary Ellen Carter" and love "Barrett's Privateers", any song that has mention of Sherbrooke and Halifax can't be all bad.

How about Great Big Sea? They hail from St. Johns, NF and have recorded some great shanties and songs of the sea, using guitar, fiddle, bhodran, pennywhistle, flute. Their live recording "Road Rage" has some of their better material on it as well as some trad stuff as well.

The Strawbs 'Down By The Sea' from Bursting At The Seams. A classic from 1973

The Pogues---[i]Red Roses For Me[/i]

The Decemberists---[i]Castaways and Cutouts[/i]

Both excellent albums that may fit your needs.

My Musical Heritage Society catalogue has:

Sea Shanties: The Men of the Robert Shaw Chorale
CD 5156601

(I have never heard it, I just happened to notice it.)

Charlie