Why are Sea Shanties the Latest Fad? We Asked Around

And no one would admit that they secretly longed for the sea

Sea shanties are “in” right now. The harmonious sailing tunes have made an unlikely comeback, thanks to the video app TikTok, where a stirring rendition of “Soon May the Wellerman Come,” a 160-year-old New Zealand song, went viral weeks ago. But the question is why sea shanties, of all things, and why now? To find out, we interviewed a range of regular people, none of whom would admit the truth: that their hearts ached to toss away these drab little lives and set out for a life on the ocean.

“I think it’s just a fad,” said Jeremy Rider, 34, “I’m sure the kids on TikTok will be over it and on to something else in a couple of weeks.” Jeremy unconsciously shifted his weight in rolling motion, as though the deck of a glorious sailing vessel were under his feet. “Honestly, the internet has gotten so weird. Gen Z is just all over the place with it,” he continued with a chuckle, after we showed him the “Wellerman” video. But as he spoke he winced a bit, clearly pushing back the thought of being rocked to sleep each night by the rolling waves, his home a living thing that he cared for like a lover.

Meanwhile Jonathan White, 17, was much more enthusiastic about the sea shanty trend. “Sea shanties are lit A-F,” he…