Sea Shanties

[legomaster00156]

So, I'm soon to be GM'ing a campaign where the group will be playing anti-slaver privateers. While there are quite a few real life shanties I've found that will work for their crew to sing, I was hoping the Playground would help come up with (full or partial) sea shanties appropriate to a fantasy setting. Golarion-based shanties would be especially great, since that's the setting we're using.

[BWR]

Here's a first draft with terrible meter and content, but hopefully it serves as a starting point.


We sail from port to port all year
Pull her through, me boys, pull her through
Of storms and calms we have no fear
Pull her through, me boys, pull her through
We pull all day and night 'til our hands are bloody
Pull her through, me boys, pull her through

From pole to pole we've many a fight
Pull her through, me boys, pull her through
The cold and heat no longer bite
Pull her through, me boys, pull her through
We pull all day and night 'til our hands are bloody
Pull her through, me boys, pull her through

In every port we have a girl
Pull her through, me boys, pull her through
and they all cry 'give me a pearl'
Pull her through, me boys, pull her through
We pull all day and night 'til our hands are bloody
Pull her through, me boys, pull her through

My last cap'n was a useless sod
Pull her through, me boys, pull her through
He'd drink all day then off he'd nod
Pull her through, me boys, pull her through
We pull all day and night 'til our hands are bloody
Pull her through, me boys, pull her through

My dear old mother Sent to me
Pull her through, me boys, pull her through
"Oh son, dear son, come home sea"
Pull her through, me boys, pull her through
We pull all day and night 'til our hands are bloody
Pull her through, me boys, pull her through

The kraken is a deadly sort
Pull her through, me boys, pull her through
If you see him run back to port
Pull her through, me boys, pull her through
We pull all day and night 'til our hands are bloody
Pull her through, me boys, pull her through

I've seen a ghost ship in my days
Pull her through, me boys, pull her through
Those poor souls were all out of phase
Pull her through, me boys, pull her through
We pull all day and night 'til our hands are bloody
Pull her through, me boys, pull her through

A sailor's fate is cold as Hell
Pull her through, me boys, pull her through
Shipwrecked and drowned in the swell
Pull her through, me boys, pull her through
We pull all day and night 'til our hands are bloody
Pull her through, me boys, pull her through

We drink and drink and get damn high
Pull her through, me boys, pull her through
If we're lucky that's how we'll die
Pull her through, me boys, pull her through
We pull all day and night 'til our hands are bloody
Pull her through, me boys, pull her through

[Garimeth]

Here's a first draft with terrible meter and content, but hopefully it serves as a starting point.


We sail from port to port all year
Pull her through, me boys!
Of storms and calms we have no fear
Pull her through, me boys!
Though shore is far off and waves be high, you know we'll see it through!
Pull her through, me boys! Just pull~ her~ through~~!

From pole to pole we've many a fight
Pull her through, me boys!
The cold and heat no longer bite
Pull her through, me boys!
We pull all day and we pull all night, until our hands are bloody tired
Pull her through, me boys! Just pull~ her~ through~~!

In every port we have a girl
Pull her through, me boys!
and they all cry 'give me a pearl'!
Pull her through, me boys!
But at morning's light its to the pier, we'll see her again next year!
Pull her through, me boys! Just pull~ her~ through~~!

My last cap'n was a useless sod
Pull her through, me boys!
He'd drink all day then off he'd nod
Pull her through, me boys!
I could live with that, but he didn't share - that's how I ended up here!
Pull her through, me boys! Just pull~ her~ through~~!

My dear old mother Sent to me
Pull her through, me boys!
"Dear son, come home and change your ways"
Pull her through, me boys!
This wayward life's the one for me, let others keep their farms!
Pull her through, me boys! Just pull~ her~ through~~!

The kraken is a deadly sort
Pull her through, me boys!
If you see him run back to port
Pull her through, me boys!
There's not a ship who met him yet, his wrath that could survive!
Pull her through, me boys! Just pull~ her~ through~~!

I've seen a ghostly ship in my days
Pull her through, me boys!
Those poor souls were all out of phase
Pull her through, me boys!
Steer clear of them on moonless nights, or else you'll join their crews!
Pull her through, me boys! Just pull~ her~ through~~!

A sailor's fate is cold as Hell
Pull her through, me boys!
Shipwrecked and drowned down in the swell
Pull her through, me boys!
We'll meet our end with heads held high, determination in our eyes!
Pull her through, me boys! Just pull~ her~ through~~!

We drink and drink and then get high
Pull her through, me boys!
If we're lucky that's how we'll die
Pull her through, me boys!
So here's to me, and here's to you, we know together we'll pull her through!
Pull her through, me boys! Just pull~ her~ through~~!

Hope you don't mind I touched up the meter. Basically you can almost think of it as a cadence also, where people trade off the "verse" in between "pull her through me boys!" and the refrain which is sung/shouted by everyone. The very last line of each section is actually four measures long the first sentence being one measure, "pull" and "her" being half notes and through lasting seven beats, with a one beat rest before starting the next verse.

I actually think your meter was pretty good, it was just difficult to get its beat to work with the cadence of a shanty.

[BWR]

Hope you don't mind I touched up the meter. Basically you can almost think of it as a cadence also, where people trade off the "verse" in between "pull her through me boys!" and the refrain which is sung/shouted by everyone. The very last line of each section is actually four measures long the first sentence being one measure, "pull" and "her" being half notes and through lasting seven beats, with a one beat rest before starting the next verse.

I actually think your meter was pretty good, it was just difficult to get its beat to work with the cadence of a shanty.

Do whatever you want with it. Except make money, because then it's all mine mwahahahahaha.

[Garimeth]

Do whatever you want with it. Except make money, because then it's all mine mwahahahahaha.

Record deal is already in the works, as well as discussion with a producer about a new Pirates of the Caribbean movie.

I'll have my people call your people.