This page catalogues many of the best war-related songs -- both anthemic and antiwar -- that I have heard. This list is of songs that are on albums which otherwise don't have war and wartime as their whole theme. A separate page reviews records that are mainly about war and antiwar propaganda songs.



Sea Shanties and Sailing Songs



Jerry Bryant "Roast Beef Of Old England: Traditional Sailor Songs" (Essay Records, 2000)
Songs inspired by Patrick O'Brian's series of Jack Aubrey novels...


Paul Clayton "Sailing And Whaling Songs Of The 19th Century" (Legacy, 1994)


Paul Clayton "Whaling And Sailing Songs From The Days Of Moby Dick" (Legacy, 1994)


Stan Hugill "Stan Hugill Reminisces - Shanties And Stories Of Life Under Sail" (Greenwich Village, 1979)
An LP of spoken word and earting song by the author of Shanties From The Seven Seas, one of the great authoritative texts on the subject of sailing songs. I haven't heard this album, but I do know it exists.


Stan Hugill/Various Artists "Sea Songs: Newport Rhode Island" (Sea Heritage, 1980)


Stan Hugill "...In Concert At Mystic Seaport" (Mystic Seaport, 1998)


Hyde Street Chantey Singers "Sea Songs & Chanteys" (Hyde Street, 2002) (LP)
This San Francisco-based vocal choir tackles the classics: "Away For Rio," "Paddy Lay Back," "Leave Her Johnny, Leave Her," etc., albeit in a fairly genteel, Irish Rovers-ish kinda way. This disc is alright, but it lacks the grittiness that marks the best best chanteys recordings.


The Revel Players "Blow, Ye Winds, In The Morning" (Revel Records, 1992)


The Robert Shaw Chorale "Sea Shanties" (RCA Victor, 1961)


The Starboard List "Songs Of The Tall Ships/Cruising 'Roung Longmouth" (Gene's Records/Adelphi, 1996)


The Twelve Buccaneers w/ Colin Wilkie and Shirley Hart "Shanties" (1972)


Various Artists "AMERICAN SEA SONGS AND SHANTIES" (Rounder, 2004)


Various Artists "BLOW THE MAN DOWN: A COLLECTION OF SEA SONGS AND SHANTIES" (Topic, 1993)


Various Artists "CLASSIC MARITIME MUSIC" (Smithsonian Folkways, 2004)


Various Artists "LA MER: ANTHOLOGIE MARITIME DE LA CHANSON FRANCAIS" (Fremeaux, 2004)


Various Artists "A PINCH OF SALT: BRITISH SEA SONGS OLD AND NEW" (HMV) (LP)


Various Artists "ROGUE'S GALLERY: PIRATE BALLADS, SEA SONGS AND CHANTIES" (Anti, 2006)


Various Artists "ROUND CAPE HORN: TRADITIONAL SONGS OF SAILORS, SHIPS AND THE SEA" (Topic, 1998)
A doozy, featuring tracks by many legends of British traditional song -- Frankie Armstrong, Peter Bellamy, Ray Harris, Louis Killen, A. L. Lloyd, Ewan MacColl, Cyril Tawney, Mike Waterson and others.


Various Artists "SAILOR'S SONGS AND SEA SHANTIES" (Highpoint, 2004)



Books

"The Sea, Ships & Sailors: Poems, Songs and Shanties"
selected by William Cole, Illustrated by Robin Jacques
(1967)

Links

  • Roots & Rhythm mailorder has a nice selection of raunchy pre-war oldies available for sale. Good way to find some of these hard-to-find indie releases...

  • Africana.Com has a good article about gospel pioneer Thomas A. Dorsey, who is also credited as a co-creator of hokum blues. The essay describes, in slightly clinical terms, what the hokum blues were all about...

  • The Blue Pages has a truly encyclopedic overview of the "party record" genre, with copious information about many hokum blues and jazz artists as well... great resource!





Main Jazz Index
Pop Reissues
Pop Music Index

Copyright 1998-2006 Slipcue.Com. All Rights Reserved.
Unauthorized use, reproduction or translation is prohibited.