Sea Shanty
1. A traditional work song aboard 17th-19th century sailing vessels. Often a call-and-response song, used to keep all the sailors' motions in time while performing tasks and spirits high.
2. After the early 2021 TikTok 'Sea Shanty' craze, the term began to be applied more broadly to acapella folk music with maritime themes evocative of traditional sea shanties (see: the Wellerman) and even more broadly to all folk music with maritime lyrics/themes. While these are not true shanties, the name has seemed to stick among zoomers.
2. After the early 2021 TikTok 'Sea Shanty' craze, the term began to be applied more broadly to acapella folk music with maritime themes evocative of traditional sea shanties (see: the Wellerman) and even more broadly to all folk music with maritime lyrics/themes. While these are not true shanties, the name has seemed to stick among zoomers.
Have you seen the sea shanty version of "Astronaut in the Ocean" that's been going around on TikTok?
Sea Shanty by GamersRightsAdvocate June 4, 2021
Get the Sea Shanty mug.