Sea Shanties in Moby Dick (1956)

**If you're interested in shanties/chanteys and their history, please check out the "Shanties from the Seven Seas" project, here. 350+ shanties, and growing:
http://www.youtube.com/view_play_list?p=58B55DD66F22060C

**Disclaimer: Before sharing any 'common wisdom' about 'Blood Red Roses', please read here:
http://www.mudcat.org/thread.cfm?threadid=34080#2718143

And watch here:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xIv9FSQ_gWY

If you have anything to add that *engages* with that discussion, I would love to hear it. Otherwise, no use further spreading myths. Now, on to the....

Video Info:

The 1956 version of the film Moby Dick contained some great chanteys, led by the famed English folklorist and singer, A.L. Lloyd. He himself had experience working as a whaler in the Antarctic for 7 months back in the 1930s.

This scene contains two chanteys (shanties). The first is "Blood Red Roses," which is being used to haul up a tops'l yard. Then we hear "Heave Away My Johnnies," being used for the old fashioned spoke windlass to warp the ship out of the dock. (The montage superimposes some hauling over this song, which doesn't go?)

The scene takes place when the Pequod sets sail from Nantucket. Starbuck waves to his wife and kids who are standing up on a "widow's walk" and The Quaker owners of the ship do last minute checks...

Category:

Music

Tags:

• sea
• shanties
• moby
• dick
• blood
• red
• roses
• heave
• away
• johnnies

[shellback1978]

A saying in those ships was "one song is worth 10 men".

[hultonclint]

@shellback1978 "as sailors say a song is as good as ten men" -- RH Dana in _Two Years Before the Mast_, 1840. Oft quoted and adapted thereafter!

[tyrelroo]

This movie is a mess. It's what happens when you try to squeeze a rich, dense classic into two hours without anybody really having any idea of what the book's actually about; and the result is a movie where a good half of what you see is just stuff the script-writer pulled out of his ass.

That said, this is one of two excellent scenes that make the movie worth sitting through.

[hultonclint]

@tyrelroo OK....what's the other scene? :)

[helmuthoorn]

This film is a great work of art and a stunning tribute to Melville as well as to all XIXth century sailors; probably the boldest men ever living on the face of the earth and sea.

[ErnstBecker]

It is the capture the whaling era through film, song, and splendid acting. "Around the World !

Well done .

[rofflemows2]

this movie is awesome, my favorite part is when they harpoon the whale and there's blood spouting everywhere...who says the Japanese have all the whaling fun? o.0

[rofflemows2]

i'm from the Midwest...being aboard ships me feel like "heaving away" =/

[StudebakerHawk57]

Gives me chills every time I watch this segment. There's something about a square-rigger rolling under your feet and a stout wind blowing behind your back that makes a man thank the Almighty he’s alive.

[fuckoffndie1]

The good ole days

[waffamoto]

that is one gnarly tiller

[jessiesherman]

I love the volcabulary these guys use! No one today uses words like whale-fish anymore.

[Metalicalypse]

Im not an old man my father watches movies like these but believe me they are much realistic and well played movies... its just my opinion!

[tyrelroo]

@hultonclint The "final showdown" between Ahab and Moby-Dick, for the practical special effects and everybody's performance :D I'm not sure who's better, Gregory Peck or Leo Genn.