Shanties: Difference between revisions

A <b>shanty</b> is a maritime work song sung by sailors to coordinate their actions and maintain morale. Shanties generally have a call-and-response structure, with a "[[shantyman]]" calling out a line of verse and the other sailors responding as the chorus. Each shanty is suited to a particular task, which is performed to the [[rhythm]] of the song. Aboard sailing ships in the [[Skaugan Main]], [[bards]] were in great demand as shantymen, especially because their shanties could be enhanced with magical energy. In addition to his own songs, [[Ka-Ess Lizardkin]] would have been familiar with many shanties and work songs of the period. Some of the most popular have been included in this index.

A <b>capstan</b> is a large, horizontal [[wikipedia:windlass|windlass]], used on ships to raise and lower sails and anchors. As sailors marched around the capstan, they would sing these shanties to maintain a steady pace.

A <b>halyard</b> is a line used to hoist sails and yardarms. This was a slow and laborious task. The accented notes in halyard shanties indicate to the crew when to pull the line.

<b>Pumping</b> shanties accompanied the operation of the bilge pumps - grueling and unpleasant work.

<b>Short haul</b> shanties were sung for tasks that required short bursts of great strength, designed around accents in the same manner as halyard shanties.