Recently, a new viral craze has washed ashore and flooded our Instagram, TikTok and Twitter feeds. The briny new trend? Captivating videos of harmonizing choruses singing classic sea shanties (an especially popular one is the New Zealand sea shanty “Wellerman”) that build into something akin to nautical symphonies.
If you want to get in on the trend (And why not? It may be a while until your next adventure on the high seas) the South Street Museum has made it easy for you with a monthly sea-music event called “Sea Chanteys and Maritime Music.” The event is the original NYC shanty singalong, and it features members of The New York Packet singing songs round-robin from living rooms, kitchens and other spaces across the city.
Lest you think the museum is hopping on this trend like a pirate clutching a treasure map onto a deserted island, the institution has actually been hosting sea shanty music events for years. The music series previously took place on the tall ship Wavertree and just moved online in April of last year.
"Sea chanteys fit in beautifully with the New York tradition," said Laura Norwitz, the South Street Seaport Museum’s Senior Director of Program and Education. "Sailing ships were a melting pot of languages and cultures, and chanteys and forecastle songs, along with hard work and shared challenges, helped sailors merge into one community. When we sing these songs today—some old, and some updated with up-to-the-moment lyrics—we celebrate our connection with our maritime heritage and also with the community we create enjoying home-made music together."
Each online singalong also includes a virtual trip to the South Street Seaport Museum where you can check out links from the song selections to items in the museum’s collection. Best of all, since you can do it from the comfort of your couch, you don’t even need to find your land legs!