Stormy Along, John [75-76] (69-70)

Funny, though the "Stormalong" theme is one of the big ones in chantey-dom, you don't find too many recordings of these stormalong variations (Stan Hugill I know recorded at least one of these, but I don't have access to it). So as with the last one...
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9Hn_NMHKxyE
...I am going here off my interpretation of a written text only, trying to imagine the printed page and bring it to life.

Harlow gives two variations of this, for some reason non-consecutively and with different titles ("Storm Along John II" and "Old Stormy"). He calls them "halliard" and "hand over hand" chanteys, which seems to fit my concept of the tune/rhythm better, even though Hugill calls it a pump chantey. As is often the case, there were incongruities in the notation that forced me to guess at some parts (after cross-referencing with Harlow)!
***I have found that these oddities and errors in notation often indicate some attempt at rendering pauses, rubato rhythm, syncopation, or an overlap in voice parts

Sorry for the weird visual, replete with the grotesque faces I make when I am sing (not for a camera), but afterwards I didn't feel like making a dumb photo montage to go with the audio, so...

Also found in:
LA Smith 1888, Sharp 1914

Addendum:
Two recordings of this are by 1) Hughie Jones 3) Robert Shaw Chorale

See the whole "Shanties from the Seven Seas" project, here:
http://www.youtube.com/view_play_list?p=58B55DD66F22060C

Category:

Music

Tags:

• stormalong
• shanty
• chantey
• john
• sea
• song
• labor
• stevedore
• docker
• blues

[hultonclint]

I appreciate that. Sail on...

[12ax7el84]

I like it - esp. the droning choruses.  Good job. The 'faces' show your passion for the material. Kudos from a fellow pyrate.

[hultonclint]

Do you mean the "ah-ha!" shouted/grunted parts? And do you mean "your own thing" like is it part of the particular song or genre or am I adding it?

Sometimes Hugill will write tht a part is "shouted" (in addition to many gen. references 2 rasps, yelps, grunts, yodels). At others it seems appropriate when a forceful effort is applied--this 1 for instance relates to the great heaving of the handle of a jackscrew 2 force the cotton together; it seemed to fit, to me!

[joelwhitson]

How much of that sort of hacking thing you do is your own thing? I wouldn't worry about the faces because your videos are all different and that always gives something to look forward to with each new post to go along with the tunes.

[hultonclint]

You are very kind!

Yeah, these days it is sort of a ~daily~ routine. On work days I try to practice at work, then record in my car at lunch breaks...

[johnnyrafter]

Brilliant. I like all of your videos!!!!! i'VE NEVER SEEN ANYONE MORE INTO SHANTYS

JRII