Let the Bulgine Run / Eliza Lee - Shanty

3 years ago
39

This Windlass or Capstan Shanty has a few different versions and seems to be about the steam/diesel engines on the wharf used to unload/load cargo.

Some different versions of the lyrics here:
http://boundingmain.com/music/lyrics/clear-track-eliza-lee/
https://www.contemplator.com/sea/elizalee.html

I did find a picture of a ship called Rosalind from around the time this shanty would have been popular. I also found some photos in the Australian archives of various wharf engines.

There is some connection with this song, but not sure which came first:
http://www.traditionalmusic.co.uk/folk-song-lyrics/Let_the_Bulgine_Run.htm

The Shanty gets a brief mention in this book from 1885:
https://www.google.com.au/books/edition/Brainard_s_Musical_World/HYYyAQAAMAAJ

All about the Black Ball Line here:
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Black_Ball_Line_(trans-Atlantic_packet)

I listened to this version from Kimber's Men:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4_XGB5a_F80

Eliza Lee was an author around the time of this shanty, so maybe having Eliza 'on your knee' isn't as saucy as the rest of the song suggests:
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Eliza_Lee

I recently watched @Paul Davids brilliant video on recreating the guitar tone from Jeff Buckley's Hallelujah cover. I had a go at using three different reverb FX chains panned differently and with different delays. Not sure if it sounds much different to my usual approach, but it was fun to try something new.

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