The Mermaid (ballad)

For "The Mermaid" (Child Ballad #42), see Clerk Colvill.
The Mermaid from The Book of British Ballads (1842)

"The Mermaid" (Roud 124, Child 289) is a traditional folk ballad.[1] Originating around the mid-18th century, this song is known by a number of names, including "Waves on the Sea",[2] "The Stormy Winds",[3] "Our Gallant Ship", and "The Wrecked Ship".[2][4]

The song belongs in the category of sea ballads, being a song sailors sung during their time off and not while they worked, but is more commonly thought of as a sea shanty.[5] It is well known in American folk tradition as well as European traditions, and the text has appeared in many forms in both print and oral mediums.[6][7] The ballad remains part of American culture as a song sung at camps operated by the Boy Scouts of America as well as in public school music education classes.[8]

  1. ^ "The Mermaid / The Sailor's Song / Our Gallant Ship (Roud 124; Child 289; G/D 1:27)". mainlynorfolk.info. Retrieved 29 September 2024.
  2. ^ a b Nelson-Burns
  3. ^ Atkinson 1998, p. 446
  4. ^ Winick, Stephen (24 May 2018). ""The Mermaid": the Fascinating Tail Behind an Ancient Ballad | Folklife Today". The Library of Congress. Retrieved 29 September 2024.
  5. ^ Atkinson 1998, p. 440
  6. ^ Niles 2000, p. 325
  7. ^ Cazden, Haufrecht & Studer 1983, p. 262
  8. ^ Hilcourt 1961, p. 20