Rogue's Gallery: Pirate Ballads, Sea Song and Chanteys

While shooting Pirates of the Caribbean II, director Gore Verbinski and actor Johnny Depp came up with the idea of piecing together a compilation of pirate songs and sea chanteys of yore, sung by various musicians who fit the bill. Subsequently, 2008’s Rogue's Gallery: Pirate Ballads, Sea Songs, & Chanteys is as entertaining as the Pirates of the Caribbean film series. Most everyone here really embraced the characters of salty sea scoundrels. It starts with a cover of the traditional “Cape Cod Girls” by Baby Gramps, a silver-bearded old crooner famous for his grizzled throat singing. Both Richard Thompson’s timeless guitar style and rich vocal timbre fit the age-old “Mingulay Boat Song” with authentic authority, while Nick Cave sounds like he was born to sing “Fire Down Below.” Even comedic actor John C. Riley contributes “My Son John” with nary a hint of his satirical style. (Anyone wondering why Shane MacGowan isn’t here can find him opening the 2013 sequel, Son of Rogues Gallery: Pirate Ballads, Sea Songs & Chanteys.)