FTX-035 - RATCLIFFE HIGHWAY

SHANTIES OF THE SEVEN SEAS

STAN HUGILL

Stan HUGILL (1906-1992) A foremost authority on maritime music talks about their background and purpose and sings 20 outstanding shanties with chorus, seven of them accompanied. Further details and variants are given in his book SHANTIES OF THE SEVEN SEAS (Routledge & Kegan Paul, 1961) and Hugill's other books: SAILORTOWN (Herbert Jenkins 1967) & SHANTIES & SAILOR SONGS (Herbert Jenkins 1969). Of special interest on this recording are the SING-OUTS or improvised shouts or chants (#2).

1. RATCLIFFE HIGHWAY (with ch & acc/ talk before) - 4'57"

2. SING-OUTS (talk & examples) - 2'05"

3. OH AYE RIO (unacc) - 1'15"

4. STORMALONG (with ch/ talk bef) - 2'32"

5. A LONG TIME AGO (with ch & acc/ talk bef) - 3'09"

6. RANZO RAY (with ch/ talk bef) - 2'43"

7. WHISKY JOHNNY (unacc) - 2'12"

8. JOHN KANAKA (with ch/ talk bef) - 1'52"

9. PADDY LAY BACK (with ch & acc/ talk about "forebitters" & song) - 5'06"

10. JAMBOREE (unacc) - 2'41"

12. THE ESSEQUIBO RIVER (with ch/ talk bef) - 3'01"

13. WAY DOWN IN DIXIE (with ch/ talk bef) - 1'40"

14. SWANSEA TOWN (with ch & acc/ talk bef) - 2'45"

15. JOHN CHEROKEE (with ch/ talk bef) - 2'10"

16. THE EBENEZER (with ch & acc/ talk bef) - 3'38"

17. FIRE DOWN BELOW (unacc) - 2'50"

18. THE CAMPANERO (with ch & acc/ talk bef) - 4'16"

19. THE FIVE GALLON JAR (unacc) - 0'57"

20. ROW, BULLIES, ROW (with ch & acc/ talk bef) - 4'12"

Recorded and produced by Peter Kennedy, London,15th June 1961 and published by Folktrax 1975.

THE YORK & ALBANY CREW: Invited to the Studio in 1961 were John Brune, John Cain, Sydney Carter, Alec Davidson, John Dawe, Stan Kelly, Kevin McGrath, Frank Taylor and John Trendell. The crew were named after a public house in Parkway, Camden Town in London where the chorus got together over a drink. Geoff ROSE provided the accordion accompaniment.

STAN HUGILL was born 1906 in the coastguard station at Hoylake, Cheshire, of a seafaring family. He served in sail and steam in foreign and British vessels for 26 years, a prisoner-of-war for 4 years, and after the Second World War he became an instructor at the Outward Bound School at Aberdovey in N.Wales. His books include SHANTIES OF THE SEVEN SEAS (Routledge & Kegan Paul, 1961), SAILORTOWN (Herbert Jenkins 1967) and SHANTIES & SAILOR SONGS (Herbert Jenkins 1969).

Other SHANTY recordings: FTX-203 Workchants and Shanties from the Portland Stone Quarries, Dorset - 205 Shanties, Seasongs and Sail talk from R.F.P.Halliday and A.H.Rasmussen - 207 Shanties & Forebitters from Stanley Slade, the Bristol shantyman.