Introduction and Overview of What Do You Do With a Drunken Sailor Sheet Music
What Do You Do With a Drunken Sailor sheet music is an iconic jig-style Irish folk song that has been adapted, covered, and recorded by countless musicians. The song is often associated with traditional Irish music and sea shanties. It is probably the most beloved among such pieces of sea songs and chanteys. Traditionally sung on board ships as crew members worked together to hoist anchor, raise sails or perform other tasks in maritime shipping, the song was picked up by folk singers in England and Ireland during the 19th century and it has since become one of the most beloved musical pieces still performed today.
The tune for What Do You Do With a Drunken Sailor originated centuries ago with sailors performing it as they sailed across the seas. It was usually used to keep up morale while working hard at sea or when doing difficult tasks such as hoisting anchor or adjusting sails. It would be sung quite often due to its catchy tune and cheerful nature – sailors even had specific occasions for which they would sing this particular jig-style chanteysuch as when someone got married at sea or returned from shore leave.
Unlike other “work chanties” from this era, What Do You Do With a Drunken Sailor has managed to persist over time because it’s fun to sing! Even though there are multiple versions of this classic piece of maritime music depending on what country you’re listening in, the basic composition remains relatively constant throughout all renditions: The ascending minor key of D/E (depending on whether your tuning is Standard DGBE or Low D GDGB). This notes played consist mostly of simple chord progressions that cycle back around on themselves after 4 bars–-making it easy for listeners to catch onto even if they aren’t familiar with musical notation.
This jaunty melody has been adapted over time into various genres including pop, jazz, classical orchestration and more – but regardless of style choice these covers have retained much of the original essence that made What Do You Do With a Drunken Sailor so beloved by many generations before us! Whether it be heavy metal skull-bangers thrashing out their own renditions or crooning swing musicians paying tribute to historic singing styles; this timeless piece still echoes throughout cultures around world – reminding us all how catchy & universal good music really can be .
Exploring the Origins and History of the Iconic Sea Shanty
The sea shanty is an iconic, traditional song sung aboard ships at sea and in ports across the world. These songs have been around for centuries and served multiple purposes; they were not only used to help rowers keep a steady pace, but also to boost morale, distract sailors from the difficult labor of seafaring life, and offer insights into what it was like to live and work on the water. In order to gain a better understanding of where this tradition of chanting likely originated, we must take a look at the history of music and song at sea.
The earliest reference to such music dates back as far as 878 AD when sailors from Norway sang what are now known as “language chants” or “stroke songs” while rowing longboats down coastal rivers for trading purposes. However, these ancient chanties did not have quite the same sound that we traditionally associate with today’s shanties — vocalizing instead melodies inspired by Scandinavian folk music gone through generations in female-led singing chains.
As sailing trade routes became more established throughout Europe during the Early Modern Period (c. 1400–1700) sailing ships began incorporating both European instruments like fiddles and flutes with drums (or tambourines) which were borrowed from West African cultures. With the introduction of these instruments combined with instrumentally based dance tunes (known as working chants), call-and response chanting was born — likely stemming from West African roots mixed with North American soul influence upon hearing British adaptations while engaging in boat races in coastal waters around New England during colonial times — eventually evolving into classic Anglo-American dialogue typically sung between crew members while hauling anchors or raising sails during port visits around cities like New York or Boston: “Ohho ho! With a lever pull…way oh hoho!”
It wasn’t until after this period that crews would settle on repetitive choruses associated with certain tasks—over time transforming into timeless rhythmic lines used by sailors worldwide until present day – celebrated within movie soundtrack scores such as Disney’s Pirates Of The Caribbean franchise centered on seafaring adventurers in search of undiscovered treasures . Songs such as ‘Drunken Sailor’ remain staples within popular culture showcasing stories about life aboard ship under harsh circumstances; warning landlubbing victims apt to fall victim portside indulgences leading ambitious wanderers astray—forever immortalized in manuscript ballads handed down for centuries among musical performers worldwide fondly regarded by global audiences till current times—proving there’s no discredit paying homage towards our ancestors courageous courage past generations endured ahead traveling international routes braving harsh weather conditions always fighting against enemy forces settling seas dominated defending brand name honor loyalty unto flag unfurled!
Understanding Basic Sheet Music Notation for What Do You Do with a Drunken Sailor
What do you do with a drunken sailor? It is a traditional sea shanty that has been passed on orally through the generations since the mid 1800s. While it is often performed in pubs, it can also be composed and played using standard sheet music notation. Understanding some of the basic symbols used in sheet music will help those wanting to perform this classic favorite!
At its most basic level, sheet music consists of notes placed on staffs – five lines or four spaces that represent different musical pitches. Notes combined into larger rhythmic patterns are represented with whole (baseball diamond) or half note (half-filled baseball diamond) shapes. More complex rhythms are created through combining certain notes with shorter notes such as sixteenth notes (quarter baseball diamonds filled in completely). In addition, musicians use various symbols such as leger lines and accidentals to accurately depict important changes in pitch throughout the song. Legers lines push up high pitched notes over one line (it looks like two slanted tall vertical bars). Accidentals adjust the pitch of a note by sharpening (# symbol) or flattening (b symbol) it by one semi-tone for all subsequent times it appears until there is another accidental.
The classic version of What Do You Do With A Drunken Sailor relies mainly on quarter notes and eighth rests but those familiar enough with music theory can add layers of complexity and intricacies to their own versions due to its simple structure and repetitive nature. Thus understanding how these fundamental pieces work together can provide novice performers with an excellent introduction into deciphering classical music notation and encourage more advanced players to experiment with improvisation techniques for this old classic!
Breaking Down What Do You Do with a Drunken Sailor Verse by Verse
Do You Know What Do You Do with a Drunken Sailor is an old folksong, likely originating from the late 1700s. The song tells the tale of a sailor who has gotten himself overly inebriated and his comrades must figure out what to do with him. While humorous in nature, this traditional tune has been sung, hummed and whistled around campfires around the world for years. For those unfamiliar with the song, here’s a brief breakdown of each verse!
Verse One: “What shall we do with a drunken sailor/ Early in the morning?”
This section introduces our sailors’ struggle – whether they should bother trying to save their fellow shipmate or simply ignore him. In essence, they must decide if waking someone up who has been drinking all night is worth it versus letting them sleep off their intoxication.
Verse Two: “Hooray and up she rises/ Hooray and up she rises/ Hooray and up she rises/ Early in the morning.”
The sailors were woken by their tipsy mate – he comes stumbling back to his bed as his friends cheer (or jeer). The repeated call “hooray” reflects both his comrades’ surprise at seeing him alive after consuming so much alcohol and their appreciation for getting another day closer to being sober!
Verse Three: “Put him in irons/ Put him domination/ Throw him in prison until he ’tis sober.”
With no other viable options, these lines suggest throwing the poor drunkard into prison until he sobers up once more – an ominous promise considering many jails have no means of rehabilitation other than time! But at least this plan offers our heroes a short reprieve from supporting his boozing habits while they find a better solution later on.
Verse Four: “Give us some grog/ Heave away pull together/ Give us some grog before we turn in for the weather.”
Now feeling exhausted from dealing with their rowdy crewmate, the rest of our sailors suggest a bit of grog before turning in for that long-awaited rest; some much deserved liquor after an eventful night! This last verse emphasizes that when facing troublesome situations like excessive drinking, sometimes humour can be used as an effective way to handle them too indeed – though probably not always advised.
Tips for Playing What Do You Do with a Drunken Sailor on Different Instruments
What Do You Do with a Drunken Sailor is the beloved pub song and shanty that has been around for generations. It’s an absolute favorite among different types of musicians – so if you are looking for tips on how to play it on different instruments, you have come to the right place! Whether you’re strumming a guitar, blowing a horn, or plucking strings on the banjo, read this blog post to get your Drunken Sailor groove going.
Guitar: The song is typically played in a basic 2/4 time with common strumming patterns becoming more rhythmic as the pace increases. Feel free to throw in some fingerpicking licks here and there – especially when accompanying friends or family members singing along.
Horns: This can be played in many different styles depending on how ‘jazzy’ your rendition wants to be. For instance, one can incorporate various call and response techniques such as ghost notes and chromatic playing – but just keep it simple if you are a beginner!
Banjo: A great way to re-introduce classics from our ancestors is by jamming them out on the banjo! If you listen carefully, you can pick up subtle nuances from the banjo part of What Do You Do with a Drunken Sailor and apply them to your own version at home. Don’t forget about sliding chords for added texture either!
Frequently Asked Questions About Playing What Do You Do With a Drunken Sailor
What do you do with a drunken sailor” is a popular seafaring song from the early 19th century. The song speaks of sailors who have been out drinking and then getting drunk, hence the title. It’s believed that the melody for this song may be derived from an old Irish shanty.
Though it has been suggested that there may be other hidden meanings within the context of this traditional sailor song, to date there is no empirical evidence of that being true. Therefore, it’s generally accepted as more of a humorous drinking song than anything else.
The lyrics to “What Do You Do With A Drunken Sailor?” basically involve figures of speech used in a sailor port setting such as taking him down below and hauling him away. Depending on who is singing the words, additional verses can also be used – some versions include versions about what to do with drunken women or mates in general terms.
The popularity of this particular sea shanty makes it an easy one to recall due to its catchy lyrics and simple chord progressions; making it ideal as a singalong favorite among sailing groups yet receptive by wider audiences alike too! As its popularity continues however, so continue questions related to understanding what exactly the lyrical content is implying.
It’s important to note that despite how light-heartedly innocent “What Do You Do With A Drunken Sailor?” appears at face value – this does not dismiss the reality that alcoholism was once (as well as still remains) an issue onboard ships among seamen throughout centuries past and present day alike – as evidenced by sobering statistics recently published by TIME Magazine which detail that in 2018 alone ’65 percent’ of deaths in sailors had been attributed towards alcohol related incidents at sea! Consequently, solemnly recognizing what all these tragedies imply should always remain paramount when discussing certain matters within maritime culture today (wherever possible).
