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Spanish Ladies: the melody (soprano)

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

Carries Sharp's tune in its old minor form, mostly on A and C, up to its top E on "sail" and "But" in the verse and on "channel" and "From" in each chorus, and down to its low D on "to" in "short time to see you again" and on "is" in each "to Scilly is thirty five leagues".

Range
D4 to E5
Key
Am
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 Spanish Ladies

Words: traditional sea shanty (as sung by Captain Lewis, Minehead; printed 1909)

Tune: traditional sea shanty (as sung by Captain Lewis, Minehead; printed 1909)

Spanish Ladies is a capstan shanty, the sailors' farewell to Spain, as Cecil Sharp took it down from Captain Lewis of Minehead and printed it in Folk Songs from Somerset in 1909. Captain Lewis sang it as a song, not as a chanty; round the capstan, Sharp notes, it went much faster, and he set his harmony for the slower pace. Sharp prints the tune in its old minor form, finding the major version sailors of his day sang "far less beautiful". Our arrangement is read from his book, in A minor, on the harmony of his piano part, ending on his postlude's major chord. This is the first verse and the chorus twice for 2 to 4 singers.

All about Spanish Ladies 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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