— Welcome to "Swinging The Lead" —


Kent based Shanty & Maritime Folk band

— What we do —

‘Swinging the Lead’ have over ten years’ experience of singing Shanties and Maritime Folk songs and sing an entertaining mix of traditional and contemporary songs, including those written by members of the band.


We are regulars on the Shanty Festivals scene and perform at folk clubs and theatres around the UK, singing acapella and with a variety of musical instruments including mandolin, guitar, fiddle, percussion and harmonica.



— Meet the Band —

From left to right:

Joe, Andy, Pete, Colin, Dave & David.

Joe: Guitar & Vocals

Andy: Percussion & Vocals

Pete: Percussion, Mandolin & Vocals

Colin: Vocals

Dave: Guitar & Vocals

David: Fiddle & Vocals




— The Cutty Sark —


Swinging The Lead are the resident shanty singers on the world famous Cutty Sark in Greenwich, London.


We make regular appearances bringing the ship ‘alive’ by singing working sea shanties.


— Contact Us —

Swinging The Lead are available for hire, most gigs considered, festivals and private events, subject to general terms and conditions and availability.




— Call Us —


Pete Brooker

Tel: 07767 365 640




— Email Us —


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— Only Here For The Pier —


This newly released third album has been extremely well received with some wonderful reviews.


Using a top quality recording studio and sound engineer, the boys wanted to produce something of real quality.

Well they most certainly have achieved that objective!

This album is a must have for all those interested in maritime folk music.



Postal service available @ £8.00 plus P & P.

Please use the "Contact Us" page.


—Testimonials —


"We are so incredibly impressed with the CD, we have listened to it over and over and it's brilliant, enough tracks for a double album. It's so incredibly clear, the lead singers have such strong voices, the violin is fantastic and the group spot on in perfect time and so professional. Normally you have favourite tracks and some are not so good but these are all consistently good. This CD is as good if not better than anything I have played! Congratulations to all the boys". Allan.


“Really love the new CD lads – fantastic production”. Lucy.


“You have done a brilliant job with the new CD. Great song choices, lots of interesting information, great sound quality”.


“Only Hear For The Pier” is superb and the best maritime folk CD I have heard in a long time”. Jim.


"Great CD with a good mix of trad, maritime, original and a few fun songs". John-B.


— Danger —

Second album.

— Swinging The Lead —

First album.

— Swinging The Lead —

The original meaning


Before the days of sonar, ships would determine the depth of the water by posting a sailor at the front of the ship with a lead weight attached to a long rope.

The rope would have a knot in every fathom (6 feet).

The sailor's job was to swing the weight forward into the water and, when the ship passed directly over the weight, determine the depth of the water.

As retrieving the lead weight was hard work, a lazy sailor would swing the lead as if he were about to release it.

He would keep swinging it until such time as he thought he was being watched and only then release it into the water.

Therefore, a sailor who was swinging the lead was being lazy.

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