FAQ About Role of Maritime Music in Cultural Identity
What is a sea shanty and how does it differ from other maritime songs?
A sea shanty is a type of work song that was once commonly sung to accompany labor aboard large merchant sailing vessels. Its primary purpose was to synchronize the physical actions of sailors to accomplish tasks more efficiently. Shanties differed from other maritime songs, which might have been sung during leisure time or focused more on storytelling. Shanties usually have a call-and-response structure, making them uniquely effective for coordinating teamwork among sailors.
