The Shaver [339] (254)

Humorous in a very dry and bitter way, this chantey is actually quite gruesome in relaying the plight of an abused cabin boy who suffers under cruel officers. Hugill writes: "[O]ne of the very few shanties in which the obscenity took a homosexual form."

It is a capstan chantey which writer R. Terry thought was actually the ~origin~ of the [major key version of the] tune for "Paddy Works on the Railway"; he believed that the latter song started at sea and then came ashore (while others believe "Paddy..." originated as a music hall song). The same author, Terry, wrote that only the first 2 verses of "The Shaver" were "printable"; Hugill said that he doubted even that. Then he goes on to print it (!), so it's safe to say he has cleaned and camouflaged it quite a bit. My version removes the very obvious euphemisms ("bloomin'", "hazing"), as does Salty Dick's recorded version very similarly, but I suspect in some hands this was really quite a bit more both disturbing and darkly funny.

Weirdest of all is that among the very few recorded performances of this, the Robert Shaw Chorale (classical-style choir) did it in 1960!

Please check out the whole chanteys project playlist, at http://www.youtube.com/view_play_list?p=58B55DD66F22060C

Category:

Music

Tags:

• sea
• shanty
• chantey
• homosexual
• sailor
• cabin
• boy
• shaver

[joness105639]

I'll have to learn this

[hultonclint]

Yes, do!