Shanty a Day #382

Welcome to Shanty-a-Day #382! We're the Harris Siblings and we love sea shanties - sing along from home with us and learn a new shanty every day while we're all stuck at home!

Sailor Ain’t A Sailor

Well, me father always told me, when I was just a lad,
A sailor's life was very hard, the food was always bad.
But now I've joined the Navy, I'm aboard a Man o' War
And now I find a sailor ain't a sailor any more.

Don't haul on the rope. Don't climb up the mast.
If you see a sailing ship it might be your last.
Get your civvies ready for another run ashore.
A sailor ain't a sailor, ain't a sailor any more.

Well the killock of our mess, he says we have it soft.
It wasn't like this in his day when he was up aloft.
We like our bunks and sleeping bags, but what's a hammock for?
Swinging on the deckhead or lying on the floor?

They gave us engines that first went up and down.
Then with more technology the engines went around.
We know of steam and diesel but what's a mainyard for?
A stoker ain't a stoker with a shovel any more.

They gave us an Aldis lamp so we could do it right.
They gave us a radio to signal day and night.
We know our codes and ciphers, but what's a semaphore?
The bunting tosser doesn't toss the bunting any more.

Two cans of beer a day and that's your bleeding lot.
Now we get an extra one because they've stopped the tot.
So we'll put on our civvy clothes and find a pub ashore.
A sailor's still a sailor, just like he was before.


Here's the great original recording from Tom Lewis: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vcMgKK6o8jE

Find out about Black Artists' contributions to the sea shanty art form: https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLYk_RGCeOa1y53aXNPExqMoBOFdxA5t8H

Find out ways you can educate yourself and help the AAIP community: https://anti-asianviolenceresources.carrd.co/?fbclid=IwAR3-IfZxPgYoWmvAZREPPGeEHa0L08Pw1_bMu3W9MNkfpreglesOJn-NzBk

https://nymag.com/strategist/article/where-to-donate-to-help-asian-communities-2021.html?fbclid=IwAR39_UxS_eI-5oTLQUPGY2fGwnextPmys58VXxeqS8wCEQETzgzW3y-6Ois

Register for the Duck Pond Sailors’ event:
https://www.chichester.co.uk/whats-on/arts-and-entertainment/remembering-the-sad-execution-of-sussexs-oap-highwayman-3179501?fbclid=IwAR2XE8QlI9CWK9pQeyTiyxRqA-Q6A7_K8xEc0vUn1xnjOzq0aGfagipBLwk

Check out our brand new Shanty Merch! https://www.redbubble.com/people/saigontimemd/explore?page=1&sortOrder=recent

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And if you want to find out more about sea shanties, visit: https://www.historic-uk.com/CultureUK...