Drunken Sailor Effect and Drunken Sailor Song

[Steadman Uhlich]

The Lasting Effects of Being an Ocean Sailor

Walk Like a Drunken Sailor
For the last 21 days I was on a voyaging sailboat, that sailed 1200 nautical miles on the ocean, rocking and rolling with the ocean waves. So, today I still have my sea legs, meaning I walk as if still on the boat, looking like a drunken sailor when I walk with a leaning and weaving gait on land or even in the air, as I did down the aisle of the airplane last night and through the long airport concourse too! ��

Wake in the Wee Hours of the Morning
Also, because I had the 4 hour long 4:00AM night watch for 21 days, my body wants to wake up at 3:30 AM (Eastern Time zone) which is 2:30 AM Dallas time, as it did just now. Yawn!

Such are the lasting effects on the human body of being a sailor. ��
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Drunken Sailor Song

The lyrics, music, and illustration below are for the traditional sea chanty (shanty) or song that is famous for its funny lyrics about a drunken sailor.

This is a good song that I have enjoyed for many years, here sung by a famous Irish traditional band. The song is a traditional sailor's song, a real sea chanty (shanty) sung about a drunken sailor. Sea chanties like this were sung by working sailors, and used to coordinate their efforts, such as when raising sail, or raising anchor.

See the photos below for some examples of the funny lyrics.
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While on the boat for 21 days I had not a single drink of alcohol, (I am not a drinker) though I did make a delicious syrup, using a cara cara Orange and curaçao, for eating with the delicious Dutch Baby I baked and served for breakfast. Despite no alcohol, I still walk like a drunken sailor, "early in the mornin."

It will be a while till I get my lubberly legs and sleep back, as I am set to crew again offshore for another 800nm in a few days on another offshore passage.

[Steadman Uhlich]

"Drunken Sailor" performed by the Irish Rovers
https://youtu.be/cf0E_PJtJWg

[danielamartindm]

I call it "land sickness," and it's amazing how long it lasts sometimes. It manifests as staggering, but it's much more than that. It's like your entire body is telling you that something is just "not right," you're waiting for movement that never comes.

[zeehag]

we sang drunken sailor each time weighing anchor to sail, as traditionally was done before interwebzzz and computers. was an anchor weighing song to get all motorvated without engines. seems dronken sailors didnt like hauling up anchors..hahahahaha


your inner ear controls your inability to walk for a day or two until stable.

[Jim Cate]

Back when we were still weekend sailors we suffered from land leg syndrome, just as you describe. As we became full time cruisers and spent all our time aboard, at sea or at anchor, the effect diminished and nowadays neither Ann nor I experience it at all. Susceptibility to sea sickness also diminished, but didn't disappear entirely.

Our bodies are remarkably adaptable!

Jim

[JPA Cate]

G'day, Steady,

Remember when the Exxon Tanker collided with the reef in Alaska, when the skipper, drunk, was asleep in his cabin?

Final verse to the song, at the time, suggested by an Aussie friend:

What do you do with a drunken sailor.....?
Put him in charge of an Exxon Tanker, etc.

Ann

[Steadman Uhlich]

Originally Posted by JPA Cate

G'day, Steady,

Remember when the Exxon Tanker collided with the reef in Alaska, when the skipper, drunk, was asleep in his cabin?

Final verse to the song, at the time, suggested by an Aussie friend:

What do you do with a drunken sailor.....?
Put him in charge of an Exxon Tanker, etc.

Ann

G'day Ann!

Yes, I remember that incident.
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My take on the "Drunken Sailor" chanty is that it is NOT in praise of drinking.
Instead, I see it as how the rest of the crew would take revenge or "behavior modification" steps in case one of the crew showed up drunk when needed on deck to perform his duty. The traditional lyrics clearly show the "Drunken Sailor" would be treated to some harsh punishment or payback by his crewmates who had to work harder (e.g. Hoisting sails or anchor) while he was inebriated.

So, I enjoy the humor of the lyrics, and consider it a warning that one should never be drunk when called to duty or on watch etc.

Anyway, that is how I see it.

[Steadman Uhlich]

Originally Posted by Jim Cate

Back when we were still weekend sailors we suffered from land leg syndrome, just as you describe. As we became full time cruisers and spent all our time aboard, at sea or at anchor, the effect diminished and nowadays neither Ann nor I experience it at all. Susceptibility to sea sickness also diminished, but didn't disappear entirely.

Our bodies are remarkably adaptable!

Jim

Yes. Understood. Thanks for adding your anecdotes and experience.

After 21 days of little sleep, I slept last night for 12 hours, after walking 5 miles in the heat (of Texas, over 93 degrees) during the day (on land of course) (with some residual sealeg weaving).

I am adapting to land.

[Alan Mighty]

Originally Posted by Steadman Uhlich

My take on the "Drunken Sailor" chanty is that it is NOT in praise of drinking.
Instead, I see it as how the rest of the crew would take revenge or "behavior modification" steps in case one of the crew showed up drunk when needed on deck to perform his duty. The traditional lyrics clearly show the "Drunken Sailor" would be treated to some harsh punishment or payback by his crewmates who had to work harder (e.g. Hoisting sails or anchor) while he was inebriated.

So, I enjoy the humor of the lyrics, and consider it a warning that one should never be drunk when called to duty or on watch etc.

Anyway, that is how I see it.

Sounds reasonable.

I note that what passes for the Australian Navy has moved to restrict alcohol consumption by its crew in foreign ports. See: Australian Navy sailors hit with alcohol crackdown during shore leave in foreign ports - ABC News (Australian Broadcasting Corporation)

And I further note the term 'Mat Salleh' that was popular a century or so ago as a term for British or European sailing ship crew on shore leave in economies using Malay as the dominant market language.

'Mat Salleh' looks like a common name for a male Muslim - it's an abbreviation of the given name 'Mohammed Salleh'.

But it is also reportedly a Malay mishearing of the explanation that Anglophone ship officers and colonial officials gave in reply to a Malay speaker asking for an explanation of the unusual behaviour of a British sailor on shore leave: "just another 'mad sailor'."

Malay and its broader language family (called the Malayo-Polynesian family by some) is perhaps the 4th most popular language on the planet at the moment.

[Steadman Uhlich]

Originally Posted by Alan Mighty

Sounds reasonable.

I note that what passes for the Australian Navy has moved to restrict alcohol consumption by its crew in foreign ports. See: Australian Navy sailors hit with alcohol crackdown during shore leave in foreign ports - ABC News (Australian Broadcasting Corporation)

And I further note the term 'Mat Salleh' that was popular a century or so ago as a term for British or European sailing ship crew on shore leave in economies using Malay as the dominant market language.

'Mat Salleh' looks like a common name for a male Muslim - it's an abbreviation of the given name 'Mohammed Salleh'.

But it is also reportedly a Malay mishearing of the explanation that Anglophone ship officers and colonial officials gave in reply to a Malay speaker asking for an explanation of the unusual behaviour of a British sailor on shore leave: "just another 'mad sailor'."

Malay and its broader language family (called the Malayo-Polynesian family by some) is perhaps the 4th most popular language on the planet at the moment.

Very interesting!
Thanks for sharing that bit of language history.