Away, Susanna [369-371] (277-281)

The first of 3 variations on the "New York Gals" theme that Hugill presents. This one has the less common but nonetheless very chantey-esque "Susanna" in the chorus. As for the solo verses in this version, Hugill says they are of "comparatively recent" date -- I'd guess the later part of the 19th century. He thought they might be from a poem, which I think is a reasonable theory since they are a lot more "composed" sounding than your usual half-improvised, half-cliched phrases chantey. They are also more self-conscious than most chanteys, but this is what also makes them so fun, I think; I especially like the intertextual references to other chanteys: "Bound for the Rio Grande" and "Time for Us to Leave her"-- the latter I changed to "Banks of the Sacramento" because in this context we need an outward bound, leaving the dock capstan chantey!

The international polka dance craze reached the U.S. and England by the late 1840s, so the original "Can't Ye Dance the Polka?" chorus probably dates from around then.

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

Category:

Music

Tags:

• shanty
• polka
• chantey
• dance
• capstan
• song
• sailing

[raymondcrooke]

Good to see your twin brother. A 5 star performance.

[hultonclint]

Now if only the'd get a move on with this cloning thing, we could all have an endless supply of accompanists :)

A jazz musician I once knew trained his son to play the bass (an instrument always in need in jazz combos). His motto: "Grow yer own!"

[philipsmovies]

Excellent! Thanks for singing one of my favourites. You sound great together but the guy on the right is an imposter. Ha Ha.