Friday 1 February 2008

barrett's privateers

A few years ago I went on this great graveyard tour with my sister-in-law during the local festival. We were lead through the graveyard of the first settlers here by people in period dress, with stories and re-enactments. At the end of the tour, all the ghosts and players lined up and sang Barrett's Privateers. I'd heard sea shanties before, but not one so local - and when I turned to mention this to M, she was singing along lustily. As was the rest of the crowd. I think they learn it in school here.

This can be sung either slow and dirge-like or fast and sprightly (usually as a drinking and dancing song) - see how excited the audience is to hear it?

And it's like that every time this song is played! I'm a little surprised I wasn't required to learn it before they'd let me over the Nova Scotian border...

11 comments:

Sarah said...

This is history done right!

Anonymous said...

Gotta love a concert at the rink!
If you're a broken man on a Halifax pier...
Come on, you know they don't stop you at the NS border. We're nice.

meggie said...

Wow. Nice to see tradition alive & loved.

Stomper Girl said...

I used to work for an Australian band called Weddings Parties Anything who did a kickass version of that song. They were quite big in Canada - for an Australian band, I mean.

Loth said...

Note to self: learn the lyrics and teach them to the rest of the family before we all hit NS in July! This got me really looking forward to our vacation - thank you!

BabelBabe said...

hey, do you know Farewell to Nova Scotia? I LOVE that song, too : )

My husband used to play in an Irish band that had a strong component of sea chanties on their set lists. I like 'em.

Joke said...

It makes you fell kinda piraty.

-J.

Anonymous said...

He He....lol...they never taught the song in school....but you can guarantee that once I lived in Halifax for a year....I knew it by heart!!!!!

Crys

Jeanne said...

I love that song, Great Big Sea sings it too... :)

(And I'm not even from Nova Scotia... born in NB though, and my mother is a maritimer)

motherbumper said...

Mmmmmm Joke is right - it makes me feel piratey all over. Oh and just so you know, they won't let you cross the border without knowing all the words to Farewell to Nova Scotia.

Major Bedhead said...

Oooh, I love the GBS version of that song. Those boys can do a mean sea chanty.

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