Day Twelve -Sea Shanties, and other sea songs

 

-Anjum Wasim Dar

Sea Shanty

I long for the peaceful sea
the vast water floor holding me
aloft I float undisturbed
and I just sing
Ho Ho Ho, Step firm on the deck’
Hold On Hold On, on the deck’
I long for the peaceful sea
if only I were on Phlae
waving the burgee
but I just sing
Ho Ho Ho step firm on the deck
Hold on Hold on, on the deck
I long for the peaceful sea
so I could sail my razee
all over free
but I hold on, see!
Ho Ho Ho step firm on the deck
Hold on Hold On, on the deck
By
Anjum Wasim Dar

Chantey for the Merfolk’s Child

The sea is wide, the sea is wild.
Sing hey and haul away.
Raise a song for the merfolk’s child.
Haul away my dears.

She was born on a different wave.
Sing hey and haul away.
The treasured child of the merfolk brave.
Away and have no fears.

The sea is dark, the sea is deep.
Sing hey and haul away.
The merfolk sing the sea to sleep.
Haul away my dears.

The merfolk’s child was sweet and mild.
Sing hey and haul away.
But the ocean’s heart is old and wild.
Away and have no fears.

The night was nigh and the waves rose high.
Sing hey and haul away.
They swept the merfolk’s child away.
Haul away my dears.

She washed up on a homely strand.
Sing hey and haul away.
A strange and human-haunted land.
Away and have no fear.

The merfolk’s child sang sweet and strong.
Sing hey and haul away.
But you shouldn’t go where you don’t belong.
Haul away my dears.

The landfolk turned and ignored her plight.
Sing hey and haul away.
For landfolk just don’t know what’s right.
Away and have no fears.

But the sailors saw and they knew the score.
Sing hey and haul away.
For merfolk can’t live up on shore.
Haul away my dears.

They took her back to the deep and black.
Sing hey and haul away.
Close-hauled tight on the sunset track.
Away and have no fears.

A storm arose and wild it blows.
Sing hey and haul away.
It blew all around the compass rose
Haul away my dears.

The topsails tore and the mast came down.
Sing hey and haul away.
But the merchild sang them safe through storm.
Away and have no fears.

They brought the merchild safely home.
Sing hey and haul away.
And she swore she never more would roam.
Haul away my dears.

The sinking wreck with its broken deck.
Sing hey and haul away.
The merfolk raised it and sent it back.
Away and have no fears.

So if you see the merfolk’s child.
Sing hey and haul away.
Sat on a beach stone sweet and mild.
Haul away. Haul away.
Leave her alone my dears, my dears.
Away and have no fears.

-Yvonne Marjot

SEA SHANTEY 

My soul is the sound of the sea
bonny lads
from the first heartbeat’s echo
to her haunting melancholy.

She calls to to me, calls to me
as we haul and we haul
dark drink from the bilge bonny lads
and we haul and we’re free.

My soul is the sound of the sea
bonny lads
White horses plough by the prow
and when I dream, she returns to me.

I yearn for the salty spray
bonny lads
Bitter bite
of the strong south-westerly

Haul of the rope on the rail
bonny lads
The swing of the boom
bonny lads

And one day I will dive to Davy Jones’ locker
Open treasure chest there
so long denied to me
bonny lads

Until then, she calls to me
on a siren’s lips like Spanish gold.
Calls to me, calls to me
so we haul and we haul
till we’re old bonny lads
and sing the song of the sea.

Afore dawn rises, scrub them decks,
bonny lads,
cleaner than a cabin boy’s chin.
Muzzle them canon good, bonny lads
For on the Spanish Main, we will win.

If you whalers get to tonguing
while the rest get to longing
know this, bonny lads –
We will hear Poseidon way before we see him
grasping like a Kraken
at lazy lackeys like thee !

Heave away, haul away, draw that anchor,
Feel the heart swell with pride.
For wild-adventure, we’ll go a-roving,
bonny lads
For we are away on the tide.

NOTES

As Sea Shantey is a song sung in RHYTHM with their work. They’re motivational or UPLIFTING, similar to negro spirituals sung by a chain gang in slavery.

Sailors sang shanties as they worked pumps up and down, (windlass shanty)
removing water from the hold of the ship.

They sang as they sanded the decks in the earliest hours of the morning,
or turned the capstan that pulled the heavy iron anchor up from the ocean floor,
or when they hauled sails into position.

Halyard shanties were sung during long laborious tasks.

Tonguing has a triple meaning :
Musical – Altering the voice in a staccato effect like a wind instrument.
Whaling term – Stripping blubber to make whale oil.
Spiritual – It is the voice of the gods. Sailors were superstitious.

-John Wolf 4th July 2021

Bios And Links

-Helen Meissner

started producing music last year. She calls herself a late starter as while she has been involved in the music promotion business for the last decade, she’s only just, in her mid fifties ventured into the creative arena herself.

Based in Hertfordshire, Helen, who calls herself Helefonix, is about to release her debut album Nature’s Grace. It is heavily influenced by the nature she’s captured around her over the last year and two of the tracks have had national radio play – (Teaching Darkness) How To Fly featuring poet/broadcaster Ian McMillan on Radio 3 and Song Thrush Serenade by Cerys Matthews on 6 Music.

Helen openly professes to be using lockdown inspired production methods to create her sonic landscapes. While the occasional human voice features in a track, most of her work is instrumental.

Nature’s Grace opens with Dawn Chorus and closes with Evensong. Her homage to the important rituals which top and tail her day. In between there are nine tracks which are unique and varied. The album is available on her website & is on general release 5^th Sept ‘21. A few of the tracks are already on her spotify page.

Bandcamp : https://helefonix.bandcamp.com/

Twitter :  https://twitter.com/helefonix

Soundcloud :  https://soundcloud.com/helefonix-midlifemix

Facebook : https://www.facebook.com/Helefonix

Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCyLXvfwXjdPo1bsaF24t_3A

Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/artist/7xXiGIzlyGqrl91hDNb66i

Website : www.helefonix.co.uk

Email: helefonix@gmail.com