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What the Heck is a Sea Shanty, and Why are They Suddenly Going Viral on TikTok?
Another online craze to take your mind off of the pandemic and politics
“Yo, ho ho, and a bottle of rum!” If you’ve been on TikTok this week, you may have noticed a lot of folks are performing sea shanties to pass the time, and they’re going extremely viral as a result. Why? Well, because they’re freaking fun. And they’re just good for a laugh, on top of showcasing certain folks’ many vocal talents.
Right about now, you might be asking yourself, what the heck is a sea shanty? Well, I’m glad you asked. Basically, think of pirates. Think of the songs they sing while swabbing the deck, or preparing to go an a raid. Think of the lonely fishermen out in their boats past dusk, passing a bottle of whisky or rum, and singing songs to pass the time. Remember that scene in JAWS? Where the group gets drunk and sings a song together that starts, “Show me the way to go home, I’m tired and I wanna go to bed?” That’s a sea shanty!
These songs are a traditional part of life at sea and have a long history dating back to at least the 1500s. And now, thanks to Royal Mail worker Nathan Evans, and a lot of downtime created by the covid-19 pandemic, these traditional songs have regained a lot of popularity in recent months. Many of…
