"Roll the Old Chariot Along"

Up to this point, all of the performances I’ve embedded have been recordings by a small group. It’s a necessity of the times. There weren’t recording devices back when sailboats were the only way to get around. Steamboats and everything that followed kinda killed the need for sea shanties. But the number of voices is essential to really capturing the power and camaraderie of sailing. And that’s what this performance of “Roll the Old Chariot” from the 2010 Portsmouth Maritime Folk Festival has in spades.

“Roll the Old Chariot Along” is a capstan shanty. It’s for crews pushing along that giant wheel-like winch thing with the bars you see in the movies. It raises the anchor.

This is a capstan

This shanty is also considered a spiritual with origins among the black sailors who joined crews in the 19th century. That aspect is really drawn out with the more voices joining in. David Coffin leads this shanty, but the power comes from the crowd around him.

To download song: http://www.davidcoffin.com/index.php?page=music-and-cds Shot at the 2010 Portsmouth Maritime Folk Festival by Stephan Smith of Piscataqua Productions. To download David Coffin's recording of this song click here: http://www.davidcoffin.com/index.php?page=music-and-cds David Coffin leads the crowd at the "Grand Finale Shanty Blast" in singing "Roll the Old Chariot" Shot by videographer Stephan Smith of Piscataqua Productions.