A
History of Bawdy Song
In the early centuries our language had many descriptive terms to describe
the things that surround us. As we geerally can show in our family tres
an Agricultural labourer or two, or perhaps a small holder or farmer.
Such items things were typically or particularly, concerning things
on the farm and in nature. Naturally sailors living in an all male envoironment
had no hesitation in using such descriptive language without respect
to social considerations. Similarly, these same sailors loved a good
song and were fond of subjects relating to the sea or sentimental ballads
of the home. In thinking of home you think of your sweet hearts, loved
ones and of course sex. So bawdy songs were naturally born -
As
shown in the poem above, sailors influenced by there 'betters' reserved
such songs and words for every day usage and seldom used them in the
areana of entertainment such as at the Forebits or the evening sing
around concerts, unless they were deliberately introduced for their
comic earthy, appeal..
When
studying many of the bawdy songs that now abound, you will find them
rhytmic and generally repetitive. Indeed well suited to accompany the
drudgery of the work at hand. Sailors quickly found such 'stories' easy
to use, and divertive, from the drudgery of the many tasks, required
aboard with the work aboard ship, whilst the amusing aspects of each
song were an addittional appeal. In hauling ropes or working the handles
of pumping engines. Yes folks - the bawdy song was not only born, it
had a very deliberate purpose.
Such work songs, often very bawdy and descriptive in content, are known
from autobiographical accounts to have been used to accompany work aboard
ship and the evidence conected with the Naval shanty 'Drunken Sailor'
is particularly strong in this context. A good clean ship scrubbing
song was 'The Lobster.' often used by us in the latrines etc as junior
seaman.
In
contrast the evening entertainments aboard the sailing ship, at the
forebits during the dog watches, would encourage a different style of
story song known as a ballad, sometimes sung, sometimes spoken, they
would be about most any subject and often favoured historical events,
danger, intrigue and scandel. The men would welcome sentmental tales
of home. Whilst jigs and poular dance tunes, allowed the sailors to
burn of extra energy, but never would the short everyday dits or the
songs that were used at work, bawdy or not be used in this context.
(Generally in England during the eighteenth and nineteenth century,
one of the most popular series of folk songs that were preserved, concerned
a lass called Lady Margaret or character called Robin Hood, and so it
was aboard ship.
With
the passing of the sailing ship and the extinction of such labourous
tasks, by the introductionof winches and cranes. We find a shift in
the use of old work songs with many of the risque items gravitating
to the tap room, beer shop, and brothels that abounded around naval
ports.
Yet
also in the latter years of the age of sail we note that the Public
Schools such as Eton and Rugby , were commonly attracting the sons of
senior military and naval men. The boys naturally thought themselves
big if they sang the songs they heard their
fathers sing in the tap room. Henceforth such songs quickly became associated
with the rougher (more manly) field sports such as rugby. Thus we can
note that the civillian Rugby song was born to exist in parralell with
the waning days of the sailing ship.
Soon
with the passing of sail, and with no physical sail drill to keep the
sailors fit, so they too were encouraged by their officers to play field
sports etc and now with the birth of the iron/steel ship and steam;
ships were being complements included a clubswinger. Inevitably, this
unfathomable need for young officers to 'be one of the boys' or to be
liked, particularly on the sports field, then the example of the officer
class from those public schools was soon to be found duplicated in the
services. The old bawdy work songs now called Rugby songs, had a new
lease of life.
Such
male only songs, blossomed during the First World War, since then there
has been a constant shift in social patterns and entertainments, both
ashore and on ship. Now on the messdeck and in Fleet Canteen, we find
for the very first time these bawdy songs songs being sung, where men
congregated in large numbers, (The Fleet Canteen, The Pussers Bus) We
even find them being copied into the sailors own ditty books.
Bawdy
songs were now being sung wherever an all male company congregatted.
The exception was in the formal Sods Operas. although comical risque
or suggestive songs were often popular, particularly when a few tinnies
had been imbibed. (Such as The Twins etc.) However the informal Sods
Operas of the messdecks often had their own class of bawdy song, which
was often more popular if they used innuendo rather than direct swear
words. (Sailors Wives, being a case in point), whilst on the ratings
messdeck the sports bawdy songs were in very much in use as they were
on any sports run ashore.
Despite
the general civillian and ancient folklore sports influences to the
Bawdy Song. Many of these have a very real naval identity. Still distinguished
after countless years of the folk influence of 'chinese whispers', changing
and altering their texts. Indeed many of the oldest traceable naval
songs which have a clear usage, are in the bawdy category of maritime
song.
Indeed
such is the fascination of bawdy song to the modern sailor that new
songs are still being crafted onto the backs of pop songs Such as Where
do you Go To My Lovely and Rolf Harris'es, Two Little Boys.
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