KelticDead Music

The mission of the KelticDead Music initiative is to find tunes and songs from around the world

that have Celtic, Folk, World, Americana, and Seafaring origins, and arrange them into simple sheet

music formats for folk musicians to use, as well as provide links for the music that follows the

arrangements to help in hearing how it can be played. In addition, other links are provided for the

stories and possible lyrics about the selections within video-based, KDM Broadsides for a music-

education experience.

All the selections and sheet music content provided in the KelticDead Music initiative are from

traditional, made-public, made-public with credits, or cited credits where applicable. This material

content is given with permissions. Patrick O. Young, KelticDead Music.

Go to Sea No more

As with most seafaring tunes and songs, the melodies used were often ‘borrowed’

from other folk tunes. In this version of the ballad (Go To Sea No More), the tune

was based upon “The Fisherman’s Song” (also known as “Lament of the

Fisherman’s Wife.”)

Other variants have similar beats and rhythms, such as “Going To Sea Once More,”

out of Nova Scotia which was based upon the melody, “Old Skibbereen.” Each

group or band adds their own musical style each time the song is played.

From the 1700s into the early 20th

Century, Liverpool was the central

seaport in the United Kingdom. Ships

and sailors from all parts of the world

were seen in this port city on the Mercy

Estuary in England.

Made public painting. Prince’s Dock, Liverpool.

The Potato Blight (1845-1847) caused

the Great Famine (an Gorta Mór ) in

Ireland, and millions of poor Irish and

Scots began to flood into the English

seaport of Liverpool to live, to work, or

if possible, to emigrate. It was the

cause of the great migration into

America.

Continued …

KelticDead Folk Music Broadsides