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Blow, Boys, Blow: the melody (soprano)

The melody of Blow, Boys, Blow, sung by the soprano, in G, from D4 to E5. Hear it on its own or with the others, then sing it and watch each note light up.

Is the shantyman: sings both solo lines of every verse alone, among them "A Yankee ship came down the river" and "Why bullock's lights and donkey's liver.", mostly on B and G, starting each verse on its low D ("A", "And" or "Then") and each second solo line on its top E ("Her", "The", "Why" or "And").

Range
D4 to E5
Key
G
Guide voice
The app's own voice

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How to learn the soprano part

  1. 01 · Your part

    Hear your part on its own until the tune of it is in your ear.

  2. 02 · With the others

    Hear it with the others, so you know where it sits in the chord.

  3. 03 · Sing it

    Sing it with the others under you and watch each note light up as you land it. The mic listens only while it plays, and nothing is recorded.

About Blow, Boys, Blow

Words: traditional sea shanty (as printed by R. R. Terry, 1921)

Tune: traditional sea shanty (as printed by R. R. Terry, 1921)

Blow, Boys, Blow is a halliard shanty, sung for hoisting the sails, about a Yankee ship and what her crew got to eat. Richard Terry notes that spotless decks, and masts and yards that "shone like silver", were the marks of a Yankee packet ship, kept that way by a terrible discipline. Our arrangement is read from his Shanty Book of 1921, where it is called Blow my bully boys, a whole tone higher, in G, on the harmony of his piano part. This is six of his eight verses for 2 to 4 singers: the soprano is the shantyman, singing each solo line alone, and everyone answers "Blow, boys blow." and "Blow my bully boys blow."

All about Blow, Boys, Blow More sea shanties, part by part

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Stackapella recording the alto part of Amazing Grace: each note is a bar with its name, and the one being sung says A little low, go up. Stackapella recording the alto part of Amazing Grace: each note is a bar with its name, and the one being sung says A little low, go up. Stackapella recording the alto part of Amazing Grace: each note is a bar with its name, and the one being sung says A little low, go up. Stackapella recording the alto part of Amazing Grace: each note is a bar with its name, and the one being sung says A little low, go up.
  • A guide sings your partHear your line over the others, slow it down, then take your turn.
  • Your notes light upEach note shows where you landed, and a hint when to go up or down.
  • Record every part yourselfStack your takes in time until you're the whole choir.
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