Just off the Mississippi river in western Illinois, patrons clink Guinness glasses over beef stew and mashed potatoes. Dollar bills from across the world line the ceiling in the quaint pub. And voices begin to gather.
“Captain’s in the pilothouse, ringin’ the bell
Who’s on the way, boys, who’s on the way?”
It’s Thursday night at Morrison’s Irish Pub—AKA “your Ireland away from Ireland”—in Alton, Illinois. Here, it’s called Sea Shanty Thursday. Each week, people come together to sing Irish folk work songs, historically meant to keep up morale (and productivity) among sailors.
Regular Melissa Herzberg, a student at Southern University Illinois Edwardsville, has been going each week for a year “and always will.”
“I found a community at Morrison’s. Thursdays give me something to look forward to every week, giving me the motivation I need,” says Herzberg, who filmed one of the shanty nights.
Elders share their lyrics and know-how with newbies who, combined, pack the pub.
“It’s always filled with love and laughter,” Herzberg says. “And nothing shines brighter than those singing some of the most fun songs to sing with those they love.”
Other Midwest community groups include the Grand Island Shanty Club in Munising, Michigan; Sea Shanty Sundays in Galena, Illinois; monthly sing-alongs in Sun Prairie, Wisconsin; the Stoughton Sea Shanty Society in Stoughton, Wisconsin; and the All Hands Sea Shanty Crew in Duluth, Minnesota.
Find a more comprehensive list with the Maritime Music Directory International list and get your sing on!