Modern sailor song Whalegunner inspired by the history of Marlborough

The whales and whalers of Cook Strait have inspired a modern sea shanty set to star in an upcoming movie.

Whalegunner describes the mighty humpback whales that cross the strait, and the bravery of the men who chased them in their small boats in the first half of the last century. Whaling ended in Marlborough in 1964.

Marlborough filmmaker Paul Davidson said he was inspired to write the song after several years of filming retired whalers conducting the annual Cook Strait whale survey, of which he produced several documentaries, including Once Were Whalers.

“It was a major Marlborough industry in the past and thankfully that is now a thing of the past. But there aren’t that many people left who can give first-hand accounts of those old whaling days.”

READ MORE:
† Humpback whales have a great time sharing the latest songs in different cultures
† On closer inspection: last summer’s havoc in the port requires reconsideration
† Kaikōura: Why winter is the best time to get out on the water
† Whaling: the rise and fall of New Zealand’s oldest, most brutal industry

The song celebrates the skill and courage of the men in the industry, as it remembers the deaths of whales with sadness and adds the chorus, “We don’t do that anymore”.

Experienced Auckland blues singer Midge Marsden and Melissa O’Connell sang on the track, with guitarist Chet O’Connell providing the accompaniment.

“Everything starts with a good song, and it was a really good song to start with. Great lyrics, great melody, all we did was add to it and paint a picture of what the story is about.

Davidson said the acoustic and electric guitars, with Marsden’s haunting harmonica, evoked the spirit of traditional sea shanties, “but in a rich contemporary style.”

The new song was available online on YouTube and Spotify and would be featured in Davidson’s upcoming movie Making Marlborough – the story of migrants†