Could 2008 see Snoop Doggy Dog on stage rapping to Bobby Shaftoe? Or Dizzee Rascal doing his thang with Blow The Man Down? They will if lunatic actor and all-round good guy Johnny Depp has his way – he’s keen to see sea shanties make a come-back. According to research by Wood’s 100 Old Navy Rum, 32% of people feel that urban rap is the closest musical genre to the traditional sea shanty.
While working on Pirates of the Caribbean, Depp, pictured right, became very enthused by ship culture and music and is calling for a renaissance of the shanty. The idea has developed and a five-star cast including U2’s Bono, Sting and Lou Reed is set to record a sea shanty album.
Wood’s can also reveal that 82% of people recognised perhaps the most famous of sea shanties, Drunken Sailor (the only song the Royal Navy allowed to be sung on board ship), though nearly a quarter mistakenly thought Rod Stewart’s anthem Sailing was a shanty! What would Rod the Bod say to that?!
Derived from the French verb chanter ('to sing'), sea shanties originated on board naval ships and started to flourish in the 15th Century. They were used to motivate, alleviate boredom and frustration, lighten the burden of hard work and strain, and for camaraderie. Over the years, shanties gradually came to symbolise life on board ship, much as modern day rap music reflects life on the streets and its associated rhythms and frustrations. Could this be a new direction for Jay-Z? Between shanties, bell-bottoms and naval slang, is the spirit of the sea back en vogue?
Many thanks to Wood's 100 Old Navy Rum! I've enjoyed the snippets their research has thrown up, and their survey neatly demonstrates the need to up the ante in raising awareness about the impact of the Royal Navy on British identity and culture...
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