I revived an 1820s sea shanty with AI, and it’s a banger

My kids have been really into sea shanties lately, a trend that has caught my family off guard given our eclectic musical tastes. To my surprise, there are a surprisingly large number of modern shanties on YouTube and TikTok. One historic song, "The Wellermen," really spoke to me. Going down a rabbit hole of the song's history, I learned that it was written in 1966 by a New Zealander. However, the whaling classic was inspired by a much older song from 1820. Eventually, I found the lyrics to the original, but there was a problem—the words were cryptic and the melody was lost to the sands of time, making it impossible to sing. So, I decided to leverage today's most powerful music-generating AI to bring it back. The result is a modern shanty that draws word for word on the 19th-century original. Spoiler alert: it's a banger. Here's how I made it and what I learned about the future of AI music.

During the pandemic, sea shanties had an odd cultural moment. The trend was known as ShantyTok. Modern creators discovered centuries-old shanties and started adapting them for young, streaming audiences. Shanties work surprisingly well on social media. They're often simple, repetitive songs, designed to be sung communally. They're dramatic and highly story-driven, which encourages listeners to stick around and listen to the whole thing, rather than swiping away. TikTok and YouTube's algorithms love that kind of engagement. With their messages of struggle and resilience, shanties were also perfect for the Covid-addled moment. The result is that ShantyTok yielded really fantastic modern renditions of ancient classics. "Wellerman" is a perfect example. Collected and put to music by the folk musician Neil Colquhoun in 1966, it was adapted by modern musician Nathan Evans and went viral on social media in 2021. The song tells the story of a ship's captain and his crew, locked in a mortal, never-ending battle with an elusive and powerful whale.

Inspired by the success of "Wellerman" and the resurgence of sea shanties, I decided to revive an 1820s shanty that had captivated me. The original lyrics were cryptic, and the melody was lost, so I turned to AI-generated music to bring it back to life. Using state-of-the-art music-generating AI, I was able to create a modern shanty that perfectly captured the spirit of the original. The AI's ability to understand and interpret the lyrics allowed it to generate a melody that felt both ancient and contemporary. The result was a banger—a song that was catchy, engaging, and true to its historical roots.

Through this project, I learned a lot about the future of AI music. AI has the potential to revolutionize the way we create and experience music. It can analyze vast amounts of data to understand musical patterns and generate new compositions that are both innovative and grounded in tradition. The use of AI in music production is already becoming more common, and it's clear that this trend will continue to grow.

The rise of ShantyTok and the viral success of "Wellerman" demonstrate how sea shanties can resonate with modern audiences. These songs, with their simple, repetitive structures and powerful narratives, are a perfect fit for the algorithms that drive social media platforms. They encourage users to engage with the content, listen from start to finish, and share their own renditions. This has led to a new wave of creativity and preservation of these ancient musical traditions.

In conclusion, my journey to revive an 1820s sea shanty with AI has been both challenging and rewarding. The process taught me about the potential of AI in music and the enduring appeal of sea shanties. The result is a modern shanty that pays homage to its historical roots while captivating a new generation of listeners. As we continue to explore the possibilities of AI in music, it's clear that the future of creative expression is as limitless as the sea itself.