The Longest Johns ~ 'Sailor Ain't A Sailor' at The Barrel, Thornbury

The Longest Johns sing 'Sailor Ain't A Sailor', the first song of a support set for Duke Special on 29th July 2012. We had a great time singing for this crowd, mainly people come to see The Duke (he is a legend). The song is a cover of the Fisherman's Friends arrangement (seeing as we love them so much).
Thanks to Duke Special for allowing us to share his stage, and to Dan Budd for getting us the gig. Also thanks to Lyn at The Barrel for being so hospitable. We love Thornbury!
The Longest Johns are based in Thornbury, Bristol, and are a folk band specialising in traditional working songs and shanties. (They sometimes do other songs they like too, but don't tell anyone.)
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[@averylividmoose3599]

I was worried the crowd would block out the music but as always guys your amazing voices prevailed and they began to quiet, amazing song and beautiful version too.

[@LordSlvrWOLF]

I was a bit skeptical with the first few seconds of opening vocals, but after they got into it this was actually a great rendition of this song. I've heard a number of good ones, and these gentlemen are around the top of the list. Well done, lads.

[@kylelindberg7771]

awww they look so young

[@legobattledroid4110]

Is there any way we can get a spotify version of this? More clear and quality than a live performance?

[@theassassinstophat2044]

For real I think we all need it

[@ChBrahm]

please

[@seanclaybur1835]

I was just about to ask this question!

[@Pseudowolf]

I don’t know if there’s a “studio” version of The Longest John’s singing it, but if you search “The Last Shanty” (the name of the actual song) you’ll find many others

[@United-Federation-of-Planets]

Uploaded: Aug 5, 2012 Notifications: Uploaded 7 hours ago Oldest Comment is from 3 years ago That one comment who is 100% a YT employee : they had Patreon so they got to watch it years ahead of every one else

[@MBKill3rCat]

I thought the pub patrons would keep talking throughout the video; nah, as soon as you started singing, ears pricked up and conversations stopped. When you're good at what you do, you don't have to ask people to quieten down.

[@alexmatchim]

"The last shanty" I believe is the correct name.

[@michaelmerrigan8229]

alexmatchim you are right I heard the Celtics connection singing it. The Celtics connection sings it better

[@ChonmageXIV]

@@michaelmerrigan8229 I disagree. I really like the energy The Longest Johns have in their songs. Celtic Connection has their pitch perfect a capella, which is fine, but personally I don't think that's how shanties should be sung.

[@danhurl1349]

I think I need an actual recorded version of this

[@brandondorey7830]

My father often told me when I was just a lad A sailor's life was very hard, the food is always bad But now I've joined the navy aboard a man-o'-war And now I find a sailor ain't a sailor anymore (chorus) Don't haul on the ropes, don't climb up the mast If you see a sailin' ship it might be your last Get your civvies ready for another round ashore A sailor ain't a sailor ain't a sailor anymore The killick of our mess, he says we've got it soft It wasn't like this in his day when he was up aloft We like our bunks and sleeping bags, but what's a hammock for? Swingin' from the deck head or lyin' on the floor (chorus) They gave us an engine that first went up and down With some more technology, the engine went around We're good for steam and diesel, but what's a mainyard for? A stoker ain't a stoker with a shovel anymore (chorus) They gave us an aldis lamp so we could do it right They gave us a radio to signal day and night We know our codes and cyphers, but what's a semaphore? A bunting tosser doesn't toss the bunting anymore (chorus) Two cans of beer a day and that's your bleeding lot They gave us an extra one because we swabbed the top Now get on your civie clothes, we'll find a pub ashore A sailor's still a sailor, just like he was before (chorus x 2)

[@jamesgoldsmith9274]

Should be ‘Run ashore’ nor round ashore, and ‘now we gets an extra one because they stopped the tot’ not swabbed the top. But such is folk and shanties that words are muddled, just annoys me as an ex sailor that non sailors sing sailor songs differently.

[@vlad_ap5313]

There is an special place in Earth for people like you!

[@jamesgoldsmith9274]

jvictorgm Thank you for informing me that you’re so offended about my lyric corrections. I know there’s a special place on earth for people like me... it’s called the engine room of a warship. Cheers 🍻 Ps. We’re now back down to just 2 beers a day now, bloody defence cuts. RIP the tot.

[@vlad_ap5313]

@@jamesgoldsmith9274 Oh, no, you got everything wrong. I meant that it is a very kind act to put the lyrics on the comment sections, but I forgot to put the names before commenting, so I understand why this would be confusing. And about your correction, it really helps those that want to get the full meaning of the song, and I don't have anything against it, at all. Sorry if my message was ambiguous, didn't mean to be rude. Good luck in the engine room with your 2 beers!

[@bartcouprie4986]

And that, ladies and gentlemen, is how you win a crowd!

[@catwo8297]

Five people don't understand what a good song is...

[@yeetboi4882]

NotASmurf 7

[@wherethespitfiredare9794]

10 of the bastards now

[@CostcoComrade]

Therapist: don't worry, beardless Dave doesn't exist. He can't jlhurt you. Beardless dave:

[@phantomaviator1318]

I am curious as to what the song is exactly about. Starts off with a Man O' War, but later a radio and ciphers are mentioned. I'm guessing it goes from the 1700s to the 1900s?

[@coyote9594]

Yep

[@coast2coast00]

He joins the navy to be on a Man 'O War ship like his father, but finds all the sailing ships gone, replaced by steamers and diesels. Or maybe his grandfather was a sailor, and his father didn't want to be a sailor, because of the hard life, so it skips from ~1880 to ~1920.

[@Pseudowolf]

It's about how seafaring technology has come a long way since the "old days". I don't think it's meant to be any one particular period. It's just talking about how instead of things like having to sleep in hammocks, climbing the rigging, etc, it's all been replaced by new technology and so these guys today have it easy. It's a kind of "kids these days" type of song, though at the end the song says sailors are always sailors, no matter what type of ship they serve on.

[@Dontfindacoolnikname]

how great would it be if they recreate it as a non live version

[@GnomezMay]

This song gives me so much serotonin

[@nbenefiel]

I am so thrilled to see a new generation doing a great job with the songs I grew up with.

[@lizbethotaku6593]

They are the longest of johns

[@one-eyedpete3302]

Certainly longer than mine!

[@AUTOBOTS241]

You guys should do this for one of your albums 😅

[@FluffyGamer2005Ed]

I bet you guys don’t read these comments from 10 years ago :3

[@nathalierosie91]

Haha this is brilliant 😁 this should have more views 😂

[@wmpriest123]

jeez that crowd ruined the whole start of the video, especially that one woman with the irritating voice I could hear above the loud roar of babble

[@milankamalinic6625]

The best shanty

[@ghostmoth8617]

they've come a long way

[@Hammer1978]

Just beautiful, I'm crying. It reminds me of my Uncle Andrew. He was in the Navy and survived Pearl Harbor.

[@nbenefiel]

My dad was in the South Pacific. He once called us all to see a newsreel of his ship being attacked by a Kamakaze.

[@Hammer1978]

@@nbenefiel ouch. Our relatives were amazing!

[@Pseudowolf]

I didn’t have any Navy relatives, but one grandfather was in a Army Air Force (the Air Force didn’t become a separate branch until after WWII) & flew bombers (mostly). My other granddad was in the Army & survived storming Omaha Beach at Normandy. Then met my grandmother later in France because she was also in the Army as a nurse. I tell people it’s a miracle I exist because it’s a miracle they all made it back alive & in one piece since both of my parents were born after WWII ended.

[@cavfre148]

Ahh this brings back childhood memories

[@rdvqc]

Nice version of this Tom Lewis song.

[@inkyfingers317]

Good job, just one lil critique, y'all messed up the last verse, It's supposed to go, "A sailor's still a sailor, just like he was before." In fact, if you listen, at least one of you started to sing the correct line lol.

[@TheBritishEmpire920]

And a British matlot, this song is pretty accurate 😂

[@captainbeaky]

Oooh - don't you all look young.... 😄

[@bibs7855]

Fantastic work lads.

[@lacyhart2043]

Ho sailing

[@CallMeCamuran]

So young lol

[@RogueSith07]

REMASTER THIS!

[@-SHAFIVR-]

“A sailor ain’t a sailor ain’t a sailor anymore!!”

[@billcox8870]

The song is called, the last shanty.

[@apachex5318]

Will this song be Available in the us?

[@dodthemod5678]

After doing an ancestry search and finding my ancestors were all sea men pirates in vikings i now understand why i love the sea and singing these songs it's in the blood