After Scottish postman Nathan Evans’ rendition of sea shanty Wellerman went viral on TikTok last year, it sparked a surge of interest in the genre which is still going strong, with his Wellerman remix reaching No.1 in the UK charts last month.
Ahead of pubs reopening on Monday, Britain’s oldest brewer Shepherd Neame decided to mark the occasion by offering its own unique take on the sea shanty trend.
Shepherd Neame’s Digital Marketing Executive Stacey Young, who also works as a professional singer, teamed up with friend and fellow Kent musician Karl Reid to write and record Barman, released today (Friday, April 9).
Stacey and Karl individually recorded their vocals at home, and then met in Whitstable to film socially distanced footage at a number of Shepherd Neame pubs around the town for the video to accompany the song. They also invited Shepherd Neame team members and licensees to contribute their own footage singing along to the song, which was incorporated into the finished film. Participants featured include Chief Executive Jonathan Neame, giving a rousing ‘Huh!’ at the end of each verse.
Stacey said: “Everyone is really excited about pubs reopening next week, so we thought it would be fun to celebrate the occasion by creating our very own Shepherd Neame sea shanty! We altered the lyrics of Wellerman to reflect the challenges of the past year and our excitement at finally reopening our pubs. We are really pleased with the finished result – particularly the accompanying film, which is a fantastic celebration of our licensees and team members. We hope people enjoy watching it as much as we enjoyed making it!”
Shepherd Neame temporarily closed the doors of its 312 pubs and hotels on November 5 last year, along with its brewery shop, in line with Government advice.
Following the Government’s confirmation on Monday (April 5) that pubs can open outside spaces from April 12, before being able to offer indoor service from May 17, preparations are now ramping up to welcome back customers at those Shepherd Neame pubs with suitable outside spaces. A full list of the 201 sites reopening on Monday is available here: https://www.shepherdneame.co.uk/pubs-hotels-reopening-2021. The rest of the estate will reopen on May 17. Shepherd Neame’s brewery shop in Court Street, Faversham, will also reopen on Tuesday (April 13).
Watch Shepherd Neame’s Barman video here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DQS3q73WnuM
The audio file is available to download here: https://we.tl/t-mFr1hKTPXb
ENDS
Shepherd Neame’s Barman Lyrics
There once was a pub right by the sea
The sign on the pub said Shepherd Neame
We all went up, we all sat down
Oh cheers, my pub mates, cheers (huh)
Soon may the barman come
To bring us beer and tea and rum
And, when last orders are done
We’ll take our leave and go
For many months, or even more
The pubs were opened then closed once more
All joy was lost, pulled pints no more
And to the pub we could not go (huh)
Soon may the barman come
To bring us beer and tea and rum
And, when last orders are done
We’ll take our leave and go
Da-da-da-da-da
Da-da-da-da-da-da-da
Da-da-da-da-da-da-da-da-da-da-da
We all want beer, and food and water
And the staff they’ll come to take your order
So efficient are they, we do applaud ‘em
And the drinks will surely flow (huh)
Soon may the barman come
To bring us beer and tea and rum
And, when last orders are done
We’ll take our leave and go
They’ve not been closed so long before
But this time they’ve been closed some more
We all called our locals and swore
If they opened the pub we’d go (huh)
Soon may the barman come
To bring us beer and tea and rum
And, when last orders are done
We’ll take our leave and go
Da-da-da-da-da
Da-da-da-da-da-da-da
Da-da-da-da-da-da-da-da-da-da-da
When closure is done, and we’re all freed
We’ll visit Sheps pubs, we’ve all agreed
As we belong to the Sheps family
And we’ll keep our group in tow (huh)
Soon may the barman come
To bring us beer and tea and rum
And, when last orders are done
We’ll take our leave and go
As far as we know, pub opening’s on
Their gardens bloomed, and the menus done
And we will make a regular call
To support our pub, their team and all (huh)
Soon may the barman come
To bring us beer and tea and rum
And, when last orders are done
We’ll take our leave and go
Soon may the barman come
To bring us beer and tea and rum
And, when last orders are done
We’ll take our leave and go
About Shepherd Neame
Britain’s oldest brewer Shepherd Neame has been based in the market town of Faversham, Kent for over 300 years. Perhaps best known for great British classic ales such as Spitfire, which carries the Royal Warrant, its diverse portfolio includes Five Grain Lager, the Bear Island Collection and the Whitstable Bay Collection. It also brews international lagers under licence including Samuel Adams Boston Lager, and is the sole UK distributor for premium Thai lager Singha. The independent family business boasts an award-winning visitor centre and more than 300 pubs and hotels throughout London and the South East, from the historic heart of the City to the Kent coastline.
Press release from Shepherd Neame
For further information please contact Public Relations Manager Kathryn Tye on 01795 542259 or email ktye@shepherdneame.co.uk or visit www.shepherdneame.co.uk