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Drunken Sailor
A traditional sea shanty in the Dorian mode: verse and chorus. One short motif steps down a whole tone and back up – easy to remember, made for singing together.
A traditional sea shanty from the 19th century, printed in sailors' song collections from 1891. The tune is in Dorian mode, with a minor third but a major sixth. It spans a major ninth, from a whole tone below the root up to the octave. The verse sings one phrase three times: first on the fifth, then a whole tone lower on the fourth, then back on the fifth, climbing to the octave.
How to do it
- Wait for the two count-in clicks. The piano plays the opening phrase alone, then plays along with you.
- Sing the words on the tiles, one syllable per note: “What shall we do with the drunken sailor.”
- Keep the quick eighth notes on “shall we” and “with the” light and even.
- On the second line, step down a whole tone. On the third, climb back up to the octave.
Coach's tip: In the chorus, hold the long “Way hay” notes for their full length, then land the quick “and up she rises” cleanly. On “early in the morning” the line walks down to the root – don’t let the last notes sag.
What to watch out for
Rushing is the usual problem. The eighth notes on “shall we” speed up and the pitch goes soft, so lean on the beat and keep each syllable clean. The second line, a whole tone lower, tends to drift back toward the first line's pitch, so listen for the drop. Don't shout the chorus; the top octave still needs easy support. Stop if your throat tightens.
Who it's for
Level 1, a friendly first song for beginners and a good way to loosen up after a warm-up. Pair it with Long folk phrase without vibrato for the same easy folk feel, or step up to Fast 1-3-5-8-5-3-1 when the eighth notes feel comfortable. No program lists it. The daily training brings it up more often with the Folk / country or Rock style.
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