Sea Songs List
In the summer of 2000, Halifax was visited by the Tall Ships. To celebrate the visit of an important part of Halifax's past, the Helen Creighton Folklore Society asked Dan McKinnon, a local songwriter, to put together a list of songs found in the Helen Creighton Collection that are tied to the sea. The results were compiled and evaluated, with a number of the songs selected from the Public Archive tapes for inclusion on a double CD set. The complete list is provided here for those who may want to access material not on the CDs.The list includes the access numbers of the listening tapes. You would be able, with this information, to have the Public Archive personnel locate the tape you need. With the tape counter information that Dan supplied, you will then be able to listen to the song you have chosen.
| Tape Counter | Tape Number and Content |
| AC: 2146 - MF NO: 289.241
Side 1: Charlie Harnish; Earl Smith |
|
| 132-172 | 1207 - Brigantine Sirocco - Charlie Harnish |
| 176-237 | 1208 - Lorelon - Charlie Harnish |
| 268-306 | 1210 - The Mermaid - Earl Smith |
| 306-331 | 1211 - The Golden Vanity - Earl Smith |
| 363-394 | ? - Narrative - Wrecks off Cape Sable etc. - Earl Smith |
| AC: 2182 - MF NO : 289.356
Side 2: Dan Livingston |
|
| 148-172 | 1738 - Windy Weather - Dan Livingston |
| 236-243 | 1743 - The Yankee Liner - Dan Livingston |
| 327-344 | 1749 - Whisky Johnny - Dan Livingston |
| 359-402 | 1751 - The Wreck of the Cariboo - Dan Livingston |
| AC: 2185 - MF NO : 289.235
Side 1: William H. Smith, & Jim Apt |
|
| 000-034 | 1165 - Lay Out Tack Sheets and Foresail Haul (Paddy Lay Back) - W.H. Smith |
| 046 | 1167 - Dreadnaught - W.H. Smith |
| - | 1168 - Old Mother Head’s - W.H. Smith |
| 083 | 1169 - Cross the Western Ocean (Leave Her Johnny....); & narrative - Jim Apt |
| 096 - | 1171 - Big Five Gallon Jar - W.H. Smith |
| 123 | 1172 - Cape Cod Line - W.H. Smith |
| AC: 2221 - MF NO : 289.33
Side 1: Yarmouth Sea Captains - Lead singer; Arthur Hilton |
|
| Start 131 | 156 - Blow the Man Down |
| End 174 | 157 - Whiskey Johnny |
| AC: 2223 - MF NO : 289.31
Side 1: Walter Roast, Richard Hartlan, & Mr. Dennis Williams |
|
| Start 020 - 046 | ? - In Canso Strait - **Not Listed - Walter Roast |
| 048 - 076 | 141 - Nova Scotia Song - Walter Roast |
| 105- | 143 - The Banks of Newfoundland - Richard Hartlan |
| 144 - The Kate O’Brien - Walter Roast | |
| End 268 ** Skip in song |
145 - The Ghostly Sailors - Walter Roast |
| 346 - 390 | ? - Alphabet Song -(The Sailor’s Alphabet) - Mr. Dennis Williams |
| AC: 2224 - MF NO: 289.29
Side 2: Mrs. Edward Gallagher |
|
| 120-156 | 131 - Golden Vanity (Sweet Trinity) - Mrs. Edward Gallagher |
| 371-426- | 136 - The Chesapeake and Shannon - Mrs. Edward Gallagher |
| Tape Glitch |
| Tape Counter | Tape Number and Content |
| AC: 2239 - MF NO: 289.100 & 102
Side 1: Mrs. Edward Gallagher |
|
| 015-065 | 490 - Henry Martyn - Mrs. Edward Gallagher |
| 351-423 | 498 - Broken Ring Song - Mrs. Edward Gallagher |
| AC: 2241 - MF NO: 289.108
Side 1: Yarmouth Sea Captains - Lead Singer; Arthur Hilton |
|
| Start 119 | 545 - Homeward Bound |
| 546 - Robin Ranzo - (Reuben Ranzo) | |
| 547 - Shenandoah | |
| 548 - Blow My Bully Boys Blow | |
| 549 - Narrative - Explanation of Shanty Singing by Capt. R.A. Goudy | |
| 550 - Narrative - Ship Torpedoing in 1916 by E.E. Manning - unfinished ? | |
| 551 - A-Roving | |
| 552 - Poor Old Man | |
| End 368 | 553 - Narrative - About Halyard Shanties |
| Side Two: Captain Nehemiah C. Larkin | |
| Start 000 | - Narrative - The Wreck of the Regina 1883 |
| **(It seems that the narrative, which is in two pieces, is backward) | |
| Also, it would probably be best to take the first part of the narratives on the tape | |
| End 123 | starting at 000 on the counter and ending at 123. |
| AC: 2252 - MF NO: 289.231
Side 1: Leander Macumber; W.H. Smith; Mr. & Mrs. Jim Apt |
|
| 274-283 | 11?? - Leave Her Johnny Leave Her - Leander Macumber |
| 357 | 1137 - Blow the Man Down - W.H. Smith |
| 1138 - Rio Grande - W.H. Smith | |
| 1139 - Fire In the Foretop - W.H. Smith | |
| Buzz in tape | 1140 - Isle of Fuji (I’m Bound for the Isle of Beauty) - W.H. Smith |
| 415-434 | 1141 - Corbett’s Barquentine - Mr. & Mrs. Jim Apt |
| AC: 2269 - MF NO: 289.258
Side 1: Stillman Muise |
|
| 087- | 1315 - Sinking of the Vestris - Stillman Muise |
| -128 | 1316 - Heroes of the Vestris - Stillman Muise |
| Side 2: Horace Johnson Mf No: 289.259 | |
| 000-053N | Narration about Reefing the foresail and the Captain’s Ghost |
| AC: 2271 - MF NO: 289.268
Side 1: Tom Cornealy Noisy Tape |
|
| 000-037 | 1358 - Tom Cornealy - Tom Cornealy |
| 196-278 | 1361 - Captain Conrod - Tom Cornealy |
| 361-412 | 1363 - The Schooner Mary Jane - Recitation & Narrative - Tom Cornealy |
| Tape Counter | Tape Number and Content |
| AC: 2276 - MF NO: 289.288 Side 1: Tom Cornealy |
|
| Start 014 | 1444 - 2) Boatswain Call the Watch - Tom Cornealy |
| on counter | 1445 - 4) Narrative, Story of a windjammer - Tom Cornealy |
| 1446 - 5) Rolling River - Shenandoah - Tom Cornealy | |
| End tape | 1447 - 6) Poor Old Man (& Old Hoss) - Tom Cornealy |
| 161 | 1448 - 7) Rio Grande - Tom Cornealy |
| Side 2: Charlie Harnish | |
| Start 000 | 1449 - The Sailor’s Grave - Charlie Harnish |
| 1450 - The Wreck of the Atlantic - Charlie Harnish | |
| End 081 | 1451 - The Flying Cloud - 1 vs. & melody - Charlie Harnish |
| AC: 2279 - MF NO: 289.299 Side 1: Mr. Oliver Hubley |
|
| 138 - | 1533 - Nova Scotia Song & Narration - Mr. Oliver Hubley |
| - 216 | 1534 - Narration & A Ship’s Maiden Voyage - Mr. O. Hubley (Double entendre) |