Paddy Lay Back

Traditional Sea Shanty

Sea shanties (or chanties) are songs sung by sailors to keep them synchronized (and mentally interested) while doing the hard labor of sailing. "Paddy Lay Back" is a capstan shanty, a capstan being a vertically-axled rotating machine used to raise and lower a ship's anchor. Sailors would rotate the capstan by pushing poles radiating from it, with three or four men working a pole. The song would help them keep momentum; if not, something could slip. Not only would the anchor drop uncontrolled, but the capstan would spin quickly and the poles could throw and harm the sailors. 1st trumpet's highest note is G. 1st & 2nd clarinets cross the break