According to Grove Music Online, a shanty is a work song sung by sailors that is intended to to alleviate the arduous efforts expended at sea. Shanties, which are comprised of solos and boisterous choruses, can be traced back to ancient times; however, most texts and tunes date from the 19th and 20th centuries. Although steam power at sea ended the need for them, the tradition continued on land.
Connecticut's own Mystic Seaport is proud to present the 28th Annual Sea Music Festival this weekend with concerts, demonstrations, and lectures. A noteworthy event will be the commemoration of Stan Hugill's contribution to maintaining the tradition of the shantey and sea music.
If you can't attend this musical event, feel free to hear Malcolm Arnold's Three Shanties for Wind Quintet, op. 4, James Galway and the Chieftains, Over the Sea to Sky: The Celtic Connection, or Alan Lomax's recording of Sea Shanties from Sicily.