Most everyone has heard a version of the famous 'Sloop John B' song about drinking sailors and 'I want to go home' ... biggest hit was that of the Beach Boys in 1966, but new versions keep on being recorded
It is actually a century-old folk song from the Bahamas, based on a real true story. (A 'sloop' is a single-mast sailboat, which can be somewhat large with a crew.)
In earlier, more native lyrics, they sing the words 'I feel so break-up', creole-style, instead of 'I feel so broke up'
In 1935, local native Bahamas people were recorded singing this famous song a capella, just voices ... authentic and historic, 'Histe Up the John B Sail' https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LwcGyvhuMQg
The story and song came from an 1800s Welsh sea captain, John Bethel - 'John B' - who settled in the Bahamas, and wound up losing a boat, perhaps because of hard-drinking local sailors
Captain John Bethel built a lovely 4-bedroom home for his wife near the water ... and rather amazingly, you can stay there in this authentic personal home of 'John B', the rental currently only at a modest $255 on an average night ... rental page with photos https://www.vrbo.com/4553150ha
Two additional, terrific versions of the song to suggest
From 1950, The Weavers, here titled 'Wreck of the John B', great voices and instruments with island rhythms ... how do such old recordings sound so good? https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8CvTloNDFFg
And from 2014, a brilliant amateur group from Philadelphia, the 'Fendertones', who do 'Sloop John B' in the Beach Boys style, but even more magnificently perhaps https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GmJ6e06eYcM
Thank you for all the great music in these posts
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Sloop John B - Bahamas
Most everyone has heard a version of the famous 'Sloop John B' song about drinking sailors and 'I want to go home' ... biggest hit was that of the Beach Boys in 1966, but new versions keep on being recorded
It is actually a century-old folk song from the Bahamas, based on a real true story. (A 'sloop' is a single-mast sailboat, which can be somewhat large with a crew.)
In earlier, more native lyrics, they sing the words 'I feel so break-up', creole-style, instead of 'I feel so broke up'
In 1935, local native Bahamas people were recorded singing this famous song a capella, just voices ... authentic and historic, 'Histe Up the John B Sail'
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LwcGyvhuMQg
The story and song came from an 1800s Welsh sea captain, John Bethel - 'John B' - who settled in the Bahamas, and wound up losing a boat, perhaps because of hard-drinking local sailors
Captain John Bethel built a lovely 4-bedroom home for his wife near the water ... and rather amazingly, you can stay there in this authentic personal home of 'John B', the rental currently only at a modest $255 on an average night ... rental page with photos
https://www.vrbo.com/4553150ha
Two additional, terrific versions of the song to suggest
From 1950, The Weavers, here titled 'Wreck of the John B', great voices and instruments with island rhythms ... how do such old recordings sound so good?
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8CvTloNDFFg
And from 2014, a brilliant amateur group from Philadelphia, the 'Fendertones', who do 'Sloop John B' in the Beach Boys style, but even more magnificently perhaps
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GmJ6e06eYcM