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Glossary

Sea Shanties

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Wikimedia Commons Alan Villiers

Haul Away Joe


Shanties or Chanteys are work songs used on sailing ships. Their rhythms coordinated the efforts of many sailors hauling or heaving. Some of the songs would also be sung during the crew's leisure time. Haul Away Joe is an example of a short-haul shanty, sung when brief but great force was needed on a line. The Mystic Seaport Chanteymen performed this shanty on the recording "Songs of the Sailor."

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