“The Sailor's Alphabet”

Description

Capstan/pumping shanty; sailors remember the alphabet and tell of their, "merry" lives: "A is the anchor that hangs o'er the bow/And B is the bowsprit that bends like a bow.... So merry, so merry, so merry are we/No mortals on earth like a sailor at sea"

Notes

We've cross-referenced this enough that it deserves its own entry, although it's identical in form to "The Logger's Alphabet." - PJS

Cross references

• cf. "The Logger's Alphabet" (subject, form) and references there

Recordings

• Clifford Jenkins et al, "The Sailor's Alphabet" (on LastDays)
• Sam Larner, "Alphabet Song" (on SLarner01); "The Sailor's Alphabet" (on Voice12)
• Capt. Leighton Robinson, "The Sailor's Alphabet" (on AFS, 1951; on LC26)
• Leighton Robinson w. Alex Barr, Arthur Brodeur & Leighton McKenzie, "Sailor's Alphabet" (on AFS 4230 B, 1939; in AMMEM/Cowell)

References

1. BrownIII 229, "Alphabet of the Ship" (1 text)
2. Peacock, pp. 885-886, "The Sailor's Alphabet" (1 text, 1 tune)
3. Creighton-NovaScotia 98, "Alphabet Song" (2 texts, 1 tune; the "C" text is "The Logger's Alphabet")
4. Harlow, pp. 52-54, "The Sailor's Alphabet" (1 text, 1 tune)
5. Hugill, pp. 456-458, "The Bosun's Alphabet," "Old English Chantey" (2 texts, 2 tunes) [AbEd, pp. 341-342]
6. Roud #159
7. BI, RcTSAlp