Tuesday Tunes

Well, this decade certainly got off to a strange start. The Pope slaps a woman’s hand away when she grabs him, the American President is trying to start a war with Iran, and smoke from Australian fires made the skies in Auckland bright yellow. I sincerely hope our Australian cousins find safety and respite, I cross my fingers that war doesn’t break out, and … I’m not particularly religious, but don’t grab the Pope. Don’t grab anyone, in fact. 2020 … stop grabbing people. Anyway. There’s a project I started a few years ago, and one of my goals for this year is to finish it before the world blows up or burns down. So here it goes …

The Song(s)
Song: Al Die Willen Te Kaap’ren Varen
Artist: Rapalje
Album: Rakish Paddies - 2010 (Originally 2003) - Carnyx
Method of discovery: Research for a book

Theory: This is perhaps one of the simpler versions of the song in terms of harmony - and while you could gussy it up with fancy-schmancy chords, I like the fact that it’s simple for two reasons. Firstly, it makes it easy for me to notate. Secondly, it makes it easy for people to learn. The first two lines alternate between vi and V, which is also what the band primarily vamps over. when you hear the names ‘Jan, Pier, Tjoris en Corneel…’ they hit the following twice: I-V-vi. And that’s pretty much it. I listened to a few versions, and some would occasionally substitute the V for a iii or III, but not too much beyond that.

Research: It’s an old folk song, first written down around the early 20th century, but likely much, much older. There are versions from multiple European countries, though most sources I’ve seen say it’s Dutch in origin. You can hear people in the background joining in, and like many folk songs it’s also commonly a children’s song. The album is an amalgam of three earlier records (Celts in Kilts, Rakish Paddy, and Wack fol the Daddy-o’), and was released in 2003. Each member of Rapalje (which I think means ‘Rabble’ in English, but am not sure) have other creative pursuits that contribute to the band: creating art, rigging the sound, organising the events, and my favourite … cooking the food. The crux of the song is in the title: “All who want to sail, must be men with beards.” (translation not to be trusted 100%)

Personal thoughts: Of all of the versions of this song, this is the one I come back to repeatedly. and I found it in a very round-about way. Long story short, I’m writing a book which involves Dutch sailors, and I needed a sailor’s song for them to sing. So I spent an afternoon googling ‘Dutch Shanties’ and similar terms, until I found this one. And blow me down, not only was it perfect for the book, but it was perfect for the book. I hope to be able to publish it one day, but first I’ll have to finish it.

Give it a go: If you support the growing or having of beards, for yourself or others.

Give it a miss: als je niet van whisky of snorharen houdt

[links]
Spotify: Tuesday Tunes, Al Die Willen Te Kaap’ren Varen by Rapalje
Rapalje: Website, Patreon, Facebook, Wikipedia
Translated pages: The Song on Nederlands Wikipedia, mamalisa