This short film showcases a performance by the women’s sea shanty group, Selkies, at a maritime festival (more info needed). They sing the traditional sea shanty “Roll the Old Chariot Along,” also known as “A Drop of Nelson’s Blood.” The song reflects on the aftermath of the Battle of Trafalgar in 1805, one of the pivotal events of the Napoleonic Wars.

At Trafalgar, the British Navy, under the command of Horatio Nelson, decisively defeated the combined French and Spanish fleets, despite being outnumbered. This victory thwarted Napoleon’s plans to invade the United Kingdom and secured Nelson’s legacy as a national hero. The lyrics “a drop of Nelson’s blood wouldn’t do us any harm” reference the unusual transportation of Nelson’s body back to Britain in a cask of brandy mixed with camphor, preserving it for burial.

The Selkies perform on a distinctive replica of a Viking ship and offer us a sense of the festival’s atmosphere and uniqueness.