The Sailor's Hornpipe facts for kids
The Sailor's Hornpipe is a famous traditional tune and dance. It's also known as The College Hornpipe or Jack's the Lad. This lively music and dance style came from sailors in the Royal Navy.
The Hornpipe's History
The tune first appeared in print around 1797 or 1798. It was called "College Hornpipe" by J. Dale in London. But older versions of the tune exist. For example, one was found in a handwritten collection from 1770.
The hornpipe dance shows what sailors did on their ships. It copies their daily tasks. Sailors liked this dance because it didn't need much space. They also didn't need a partner. This made it perfect for dancing on a ship.
Samuel Pepys, a famous diary writer, called it "The Jig of the Ship." Captain Cook even made his sailors dance the hornpipe. He believed it helped them stay healthy. The dance became less common when ships stopped having musicians like fiddlers.
For a long time, sea dances were popular in plays. But the "sailors' hornpipe" we know today became popular in the 1800s. The dance moves came from real sailor jobs. These included pulling ropes, rowing, climbing the ship's rigging, and saluting.
During the Last Night of the Proms concert in London, this tune is played. It's part of Sir Henry Wood's Fantasia on British Sea Songs. People in the audience bring small foghorns and party horns. They blow them along with the music. This creates a loud and exciting ending as the music gets faster.
The tune was also used in the animated Popeye cartoons. This started in the 1930s. It was usually the first part of the opening theme song. Then it changed into the "I'm Popeye the Sailor Man" song.
Famous Recordings
Many musicians have recorded this tune. Here are some of them:
- Mike Oldfield on Tubular Bells (1973) and Tubular Bells 2003 (2003)
- Achim Reichel as "Piratentanz" on Klabautermann (1977)
- Yo-Yo Ma, Edgar Meyer, and Mark O'Connor on Appalachia Waltz (1996)
- Carlos Núñez on Cinema Do Mar (2005)
- The Spotnicks as "Bach Goes to Sea" in 1963
- The Tornados as "Popeye Twist" in 1962
