FAQ

Yes! In fact we encourage this. At Pōneke Shanty Club we change lyrics all the time. (We even have entire songs that are about public transport but use tunes from shanties or similar songs.) Many of our members also find they want to alter the highly gendered language in shanties to suit the singer(s) involved. 

The lyrics for particular shanties might be uncomfortable to sing in modern times (they are sometimes very, very old songs). Don't be afraid to make the song your own and only sing words you are comfortable with.

On the sailing ships of times past, many task on board required getting the crew to carry out lengthy, laborious, repetitive tasks such as: hauling ropes; pumping water; or turning the capstan.  Sailors figured out that having someone sing a song with a good rhythm to it helped them stay in time and keep going at these tasks. Sailors would join in during the choruses (they probably didn't have enough breath to sing the verses: it was pretty hard work on a ship). 

Here is a list of shanties for inspiration.

For this competition, 'Greater Wellington Region' refers to the regions of Wellington City, Lower Hutt, Upper Hutt, Porirua, Kāpiti Coast and the Wairarapa. 

You are more than welcome to sing anything that is "shanty-like", in that it needs to be a song sung by many people together (not just one singer). If the song you want to sing involves the singers keeping time, or singing about historical seafaring tasks, then it definitely fits the bill. In general, 'working songs' (especially if the lyrics involve sailing or the ocean) also fit under the 'sea shanty' umbrella.

If you want to make a submission in a language other than English, please do so! The organisers love the opportunity to learn new songs too, and if your song(s) are not in English, we encourage you to include a link to a translation of the words. This is not required, but we hope that you would consider it. Having a copy of the lyrics would enrich our lives and provide the judges a deeper appreciation of your submission.