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Shanty Lyrics and Music
Many good books have been written on sea shanties. Most of them are out of print. Doerflinger's excellent collection is in print again and available here. The best of all the collections is Stan Hugill's Shanties from the Seven Seas, which can be found used. See below.
If you're near a good library, look for anything by Stan Hugill, Joanna Colcord, Capt. W. B. Whall, or W.M. Doerflinger. Here is a voluminous bibliography by Lars Bruzelius.
Shanties from the Seven Seas by Stan Hugill. This is the most comprehensive work on shanties, by the most famous modern shantyman. Stan Hugill sailed when shanties were still commonly used as work songs. This information is first-hand, learned directly from the sailors who sang the songs to aid their work. We more recent shanty singers regard it as the "shantyman's bible".
Songs of the Sailor and Lumberman by William M. Doerflinger. One of the best collections of shanties ever. Compliments Hugill's work nicely.
What Do You Do With a Drunken Sailor? : Unexpurgated Sea Chanties by Douglas Morgan
The Age of Sail
Two Years Before the Mast by Richard Henry Dana, Jr. An excellent first-hand account of life on a tall ship in Age of Sail.
Traditional Sail
Traditional Sail is the term for the sailing of tall ships and other vessels built and sailing in the historical manner, then and now. Visit that section for the best and most useful references for the modern tall ship sailor.
