The Space Shanty Contest [Winners Announced]!

masterbdog1 · January 30, 2020

Yo ho ho! Yo ho ho!

Yo ho ho! Yo ho ho ho!

Oh dear captain! Give us our orders!

Oh dear captain! Take the helm!

Oh dear captain! Give us our coordinates!

Oh dear captain! Take the helm!

Yo ho ho! Yo ho ho!

Yo ho ho! Yo ho ho ho!

Hydroid! Our mighty captain,

Who sails the stars with great ambition!

Adventure! Is what he yearns for,

Ones laid with booze and platinum!

Oh dear captain! Snatch all the treasure!

Oh dear captain! Seize the stars!

Oh dear captain! Snatch all the whiskey!

Oh dear captain! Seize the stars!

Yo ho ho! Yo ho ho!

Yo ho ho! Yo ho ho ho!

The ocean! Is his weapon,

He drowns our foes with grim swiftness!

Merciless! Is his style,

Grineer and corpus shiver at his storms!

Oh dear captain! Drown your quarry!

Oh dear captain! Cut them down!

Oh dear captain! Bathe them in your glory!

Oh dear captain! Cut them down!

Yo ho ho! Yo ho ho!

Yo ho ho! Yo ho ho ho!

Yo ho ho! Yo ho ho!

Yo ho ho! Yo ho ho ho!

To his men! He is kind,

He grants us lots of plunder!

We are so, Thankful!

He has saved us time and time again!

Oh dear captain! Give us orders!

Oh dear captain! Take the helm!

Oh dear captain! Give us our coordinates!

Oh dear captain! Take the helm!

Choim · January 30, 2020

Well it is rather short but here is the best I got.

Rise up to the call of Cephalon Cy

Leave the Lotus with a heartfelt bye

I load up my best frame

As we set off to see the Void tamed

Through the starry sea on high

See the Kuva Lich that we spy

To net them would see us fame

As the Grineer would be quite shamed

We will become their bane

Through the Liches that we've slain

Even though the Queens might disagree

We are Tenno of the Void sea

Through this and more we felt much pain

But to look back we feel quite a drain

So to home we look with much glee

As I hope Lotus is to see me

Pedro1936 · January 30, 2020

The Tenno and the Orokin dilemma

The Tenno we are
We're like Eidolon shards
Glimmering from affar
To be the beacons of light

The orokin wanted this
This was their mistake

The Tenno we are
As warrios we stand
To protect the sistem
From the enemy's claws

The Orokin seeked this
This was their fault

As Tenno we live
Charging with our sins
To cleanse the evil
To murder our foes

The Orokin suffered this
It was their punishment

Like machines we were forged
From some unholly pact
The void shall make us
The void shall take us

Like the Orokin
We all should fall

My inspiration for this was principally the questline "The War Within" wich touched me deep like nothing in quite a lott of time and is my favorite quest in the game. but I also added some things here and there to give it a little bit of spice

(It is my first time doing something like this. I hope it's good enought :D)

(NSW)Twilitbeing · January 30, 2020

Really wanted to enter this, but I have no confidence in my own ability to write a tune. Hopefully using an existing melody with new lyrics isn't a disqualifier!

To the tune of "The Rocky Road to Dublin": a journey from Earth to the stars, and one hell of a first year for those of us who began playing on Switch!

Quote

Aphelion a year ago, under glass we woke in

A world we barely know, free will nearly broken

For “strength to the Grineer!” Lost, forsaken, but for

The voice we each could hear rousing us from slumber.

We cut through steel and bone,

Armor hard as stone,

Made ourselves our own,

And for a while we thought it a

Right victorious tale!

Yet surely it will pale

To what’s beyond the Veil

On the rocky rail to Proxima.

[Chorus:]

Tenno, look alive!

Seal the fracture, douse the flame, and drive them out.

Clear the way through Proxima!

Cry “Wafram spotta!”

In time our eyes were wont to turn to what we left behind

When we left the world to burn, hoping still to find

For ourselves a home on Earth. Lonely band of brothers,

We claimed our place of birth – the maid, the crone, the mother.

Humanity to the core,

Stripped to rock by war,

One more haven for

An empire of usurpers –

Of ancient cities shorn,

Her beauty yet reborn,

Returns a woman scorned

On the rocky rail to Proxima.

[Chorus]

Ancient knowledge in our hands, enemies arising,

There’s one who understands the Old War now reprising.

When first returned his voice, himself he claimed inviable –

But without a choice, found it justifiable

Serving once again

As captain, crew, and friend

Until our journey’s end

Upon a shore apocryphal.

Foes are drawing near,

But with Tenno here,

They shall learn to fear

On the rocky rail to Proxima!

[Chorus]

Edited January 30, 2020 by (NSW)Twilitbeing

(PSN)ArkhamHermit · January 30, 2020

STORM CALL

To ye who brook the empty waves

Turn and hearken, sailor

We voyage on to darker shores

Where stars grow ever paler

[CHORUS:]

Weigh, heigh, hold fast

Bare your blade

Weigh, heigh, Storm Call!

We are not afraid

With engines hot and sails a-full

The heading yet uncharted

Though night be long and home be far

Be not ye brokenhearted

[CHORUS]

We face the black with iron eyes

We chase the comet’s blazing

When void consumes and sun has died

We’ll still be here stargazing

[CHORUS]

The time has come to forge ahead

Through storm, through hell, through moonlight

Weigh the anchor, steel your will!

The heavens are your birthright!

[CHORUS]

END.

_______________________________________
NOTES: It's hard not to love a good, hearty song to raise an ale (or whatever a tenno might drink) to. I wanted this to have the feeling of a classical sea shanty, interwoven with mixed metaphors of both a nautical and spacefaring setting, without too much specific context. It's a simple song, with simple words, meant for a simple melody, and intended for ANY sailor. Even in space, the soul of a sailor is the same - this song is meant to bolster the hearts of crews forging onward into hostile environs against all odds.

"The stars can be fickle, but ye best trust 'em nonetheless, and keep a watchful eye. There are worse things than bein' lost in pale mists such as these."

Edited January 30, 2020 by (PS4)ArkhamHermit
Tweaking wording

(PSN)WitcherCuter · January 30, 2020

Black Perl Space

Warrior people follow the chorus:
Certain heart
In the spaces legends will become
Strong like Odin, until death they will fight
Zeus his thunder against our chest had sent
This is a sacrifice, crew members of the Rail Black Perl space

We carry an honor greater than Andromeda
Planets bow to the vacuum
Star chains form a whole constellation
Freedom indeed meets in space
...
We carry an honor greater than Andromeda
Planets bow to the vacuum
Star chains form a whole constellation
Freedom indeed meets in space

Curved over space and singing
All beauty of infinity so let's go

Warrior people follow the chorus:
Certain heart
In the spaces legends will become
Strong like Odin to death will fight
Zeus his thunder against our chest had sent
This is a sacrifice, crew of the Rail Black Perl space
...

buba42 · January 30, 2020

This is my shanty:

OOOOOOH we’ve battled hard between the stars

Wo ho and down they go

Like the battle of Korms Belt full of ire

Wo ho and down they go

We readied our cannons and prepared to fire

Wo ho and down they go

We battled to the sound of Octavia’s anthem and we gunned them with Mesa’s true aim

all while dodging their bullets with Gauss’s speed and repairing the hull and its frame

We readied our cannons and prepared to fire

Wo ho and down they go

We blasted them off to Hydroid’s locker

Wo ho and down they go

So fire the engines and set a course

Wo ho and down they go

To the Plains of Eidolon where sentients glow

Wo ho and down they go

We’ll celebrate our victories, noble as Valkyr; and we’ll feast like Grendel until we tire

Wo ho and down they go

Don’t attack us because, by the void, we’ll know!

Wo ho and down you’ll go

VirtualWarlock2496 · January 30, 2020

Poor Tenno Boy

I'm a poor poor Tenno boy with an Umbra by me side,

On a Railjack I kit-bashed together, the home in which I ride.

From Earth, I sail to meet a friend, to recruit her in my clan,

I search for wreckage to repair and mend, but nothing goes to plan.

Vay Hek and his rotting Grineer are threatening to tear me down,

I smile and wink as through their ships, I tear, and in the vacuum, they drown.

Oh, I'm a poor poor Tenno boy with an Umbra by me side,

On a Railjack I kit-bashed together, the home in which I ride.

Corpus frauds extort and steal for their religion of greed

Enslaved and brainwashed the poor and said, "there is no need to feed."

Frohd Bek and his board of thieves bombard us in the name of Grofit,

But we'll bankrupt their corporate life, we with our Warframe puppets.

Oh, I'm a poor poor Tenno boy with an Umbra by me side,

On a Railjack I kit-bashed together, the home in which I ride.

Veiled from our Origin system, Evil's on the march,

The Sentient Erra rebuilds himself, makes Hunhow look so farce.

I sail to find anomalies, shred Symbaliysts with my gore,

But blood is spilled on both village and field, for that's the price of war.

Oh, I'm a poor poor Tenno boy with an Umbra by me side,

On a Railjack I kit-bashed together, the home in which I ride.

zool72 · January 30, 2020

Fire up the engines
All hands to their stations.
We will fight.
We will take flight.
It's off to war we go.

All hands to the weapons
For we have need of them.
We will fight.
We will survive.
It's off to war we go.

Forward to danger now
No one can bring us down
We will fight.
We will defend.
It's off to war we go.

We will use our cunning
They won't know what hit them
We will fight.
We will be smart.
It's off to war we go.

Look it's the Grineer so
Let's fire the weapons
We will fight.
We will strike fright.
It's off to war we go.

All free hands to archwings
We shall take them down see
We will fight.
We will be right.
It's off to war we go.

We need som support now
Fire the ordinance
We will fight.
We will now strike.
It's off to war we go.

We have now struck them down
They will never be found.
We will fight.
We will take pride.
It's off to war we go.

Now we are homeward bound.
Off to the dojo now.
We will fight.
We'll be alright.
Its homeward bound for us.

(NSW)Verdant-Inferno · January 30, 2020

Voidlands:

I dreamed a dream a second dream
Voidlands
Voidlands away me frame

My mother came
Brought light in life
Voidlands away

I dreamed my mom came to aid me
Voidlands
Voidlands away me frame

She came to care
Came to protect
Voidlands away

She came to me showed her life side
Voidlands
Voidlands away me frame

All Orokin
Feared by my stare
Voidlands away

She disobeyed the Orokin law
Voidlands
Voidlands away me frame

They gave no chance
They took no risk
Voidlands away

The seven crew took her away
Voidlands
Voidlands away me frame

And then I knew
My mom was dead
Voidlands away

Then I awoke to stand and fight
Voidlands
Voidlands away me frame

Oh watch on deck
Oh watch ahoy
Voidlands away

(NSW)Echo0001 · January 30, 2020

I didn't really go heavy on the Warframe references; I kind of wanted this to just be a more general "space shanty." I hope that doesn't disqualify. My plan with this was to start each stanza with something about how daunting space might seem, especially when going to war, but then flip the mood in the second half to rebound with a hearty, valiant battle-cry. This isn't the kind of song a Tenno would sing when bored and in transit, but more when they see an incoming fleet of Grineer crewships or Sentient... man o' wars? Squid o' wars? Blade o' wars? You get the idea.

This shanty might be a bit slower-paced than others (I don't know the typical tempo of a shanty, much less a space shanty) but think, like, walking pace where each line is a "DUM da DUM" kind of delivery and the "DUM"s sound when your foot falls. Not every line starts on a "DUM."

Sometimes the "da DUM" is just one word/syllable and you pause on the "da" beat, e.g.

DUM da DUM da DUM da - DUM

Feel the storm (beat) rise a - gain

Or the "da" beat is split up, typically on words that have 3 syllables or short monosyllable words in a row, e.g.

DUM - de-da DUM de DUM de-da DUM

Ceph - a-lon, ho, to where be we bound?

If, uh, if that makes sense. It probably doesn't, but I tried. 😗

Feel the Storm

Feel the storm rise again,
Feel the storm roar again!
Feel the storm rise again,
Feel the storm roar again!

Far beyond the sun's own bed,
To emptiness, our journey's been led,
But see, a'now, the world all around,
The stars, the sea, the light, the sound!
Sounding off our dreadnought's dread,
Our hulking mass of stone and lead--
Cephalon, ho, to where be we bound?
Forwards, aye, 'till glory we've found!

Feel the storm rise again,
Feel the storm roar again!
Feel the storm rise again,
Feel the storm roar again!

Hark! Abyss, O Void so vast,
Carrying fright of nightmares past,
Confounding, confusing, and promising pain,
Singing misfortune in golden refrain:
Godless, indeed, our souls be cast,
To you, we see, there at the last,
But laughing--aye, laughing!--again,
For ardor's made ye a drizzling rain!

Feel the storm rise again,
Feel the storm roar again!
Feel the storm rise again,
Feel the storm roar again!

Where are we? Here, we be:
In endless black, no home to see;
Only by flame can we be warm,
In turbid space with light deformed,
But find us now, in jubilee;
This war, it's sure, will end in glee:
We find ourselves before the swarm--
But never forget, we are the storm!

Feel the storm rise again,
Feel the storm roar again!
Feel the storm rise again,
Feel the storm roar again!

(I bolded the last words there because you gotta yell them with gumption. with GUMPTION)

(also yes I know "the sound" in that one line doesn't really work in space but imagine either complete silence or only the hum of the engines)

I hope y'all try to sing the winning shanties when you announce them! That'd be a real treat.

(PSN)nexus072 · January 30, 2020

Ho the rising tide it grows

Ho when the come lay me low

Ho the mother and child lay slaughtered

The father grieves for his daughter

Ho faceless army marches

Coming straight to burn our homes.

Ho so go and man your stations

Bring upon devastation

Right the wrongs wraught on our souls

So our enemies heads may roll

Edited January 30, 2020 by (PS4)nexus072

(XBOX)Tighr · January 30, 2020

There is a call that all warframes must heed,

To help the defenseless in their time of need,

For this is the way of the Tenno creed.

To fight on planet, and moon, and star,

To defend those in need wherever they are,

For these people know, the Tenno aren’t far.

To bend and to twist and to fold, but not break,

A promise to keep with each step they take,

They do this for the innocent’s sake.

So come all enemies from far and wide,

And meet your doom to Rhino’s stride.

For every moment you inflict with pain,

Seal your fate with Volt’s electric chain.

So come with your weapons and ships and grenades,

And fall victim to mighty Excalibur’s blades.

Pursue that which you choose to desire,

And meet a swift end to Ember’s fire.

A band of heroes who seek no payment,

And who inhabit all planes of vantage,

Meeting them in battle will be a vicious arrangement,

Facing them at all is to your disadvantage.

Sworn to protect, the Tenno will come,

By K-drive and Railjack they will travel,

Crushed by their victory, your morale is glum,

By their deeds, your plans unravel.

For they protect all realms, from Sedna to Mars,

Because their duty lies to those beneath the stars.

(XBOX)Angel O War18 · January 30, 2020

Rail-Jack’s Rhyme

__________________________________

From the High of the Cetus Skies!
To the Bottom o Fortuna’s Low,
We ride our Rail-Jack Day n Night,
For as Tenno we are Known!

To Send you on your Merry Way,
We must dive into Unknown.
A Hundred Cubic Diadoes and a Fight as well to show,
There’s no end to the dreams we grow!

Port and Starboard steer us straight,
In Nacelle we will never lose faith!
Keeping us steady, the Tail Section ready, to keep us on the course,
For as Tenno we are Known!

Staring at the Dangers we face,
To push along our goals!
We shall band together as crews,
And leave the battle bro’s.

Tenno shall rise when we all ride,

And fight the scourge below,
Warframes of all kind let us rise
The Stars shall be our guide!

From the High of the Cetus Skies,
To the Bottom o Fortuna’s Low,
We ride our Rail-Jack Day & Night,
For as Tenno we are Known!

SpikeandVash · January 30, 2020

What will we do with a sleeping tenno?
What will we do with a sleeping tenno?
What will we do with a sleeping tenno?
Always in his dojo!

Shave his kubrow with a Primed Nikana

Don’t forgot the Helminth!

Chorus*

Assault his team with the big bad Stalker.
Assault his team with the big bad Stalker.
Assault his team with the big bad Stalker.
Midway through a boss fight!

Chorus*

Blast his relay with a supped up dreadnaught
Blast his relay with a supped up dreadnaught
Blast his relay with a supped up dreadnaught
Early on a Tuesday!

Chorus*

Toss him on a derelict until he wakes up

Let Arlo convert him!

Chorus*

Send him to Saturn in a broken Liset

Let the wolves destroy him!

That's what we do with a sleeping tenno
That's what we do with a sleeping tenno
That's what we do with a sleeping tenno
So get out of your dojo!

Chorus*

Way hay and up she rises
Way hay and up she rises
Way hay and up she rises
Give thanks to the Lotus!

The shanty is to "what will we do with a drunken sailor" beat.

PseudoClairvoyant · January 30, 2020

This shanty was inspired a bit by John Kanaka, as I remember it was the other sea shanty I learned when going on a field trip to go on a stationary boat. Also, big shoutout to my friend TheDinkster for helping me make the sea shanty! Couldn't do it without you.

Spoiler

Sally Tan, oh Sally Tan
Oh, don't you cry for me!

When we head off to veil
Feelin' wind beneath our sail
Our victory's fortold
That is why we never fail

Sally Tan, oh Sally Tan
Oh, don't you cry for me!

Then we travel off bay
Finding foes abast our fray
Our victory's fortold
Righteous paths we never stray

Sally Tan, oh Sally Tan
Oh, don't you cry for me!

When we find their supply
And a demon's cursed our loot
Our victory's fortold
And success is in our roots

Sally Tan, oh Sally Tan
Oh, don't you cry for me

When their captain appears
Our performance finds them in fear
Our victory's fortold
For our guide, the Lotus is here

Sally Tan, oh Sally Tan
Oh, don't you cry for me!

(NSW)Fahren · January 30, 2020

On boarding!

My friends take your guns

Those little bugs will cry when my feet touch their ships

The leader of the PHARM calls you so listen to what this murderer is talking about

In my crew the power is not scarce if my two gunners are on the right and left!

YEAH!

Cy warns me that in the distance an asteroid blocks us, I will leave it empty

I get off for a while, dodge missiles daily, until I get to that horrible base, my nikana unsheathed and I think they run then I let my swordsman qualities to show

Ho Ho Ho they beg us "please" we don't doubt and we will kill

They tell us murderers, we are tenno looking for someone who betrayed us and who joined the crab people

Maybe revenge is what we seek

But we are!

The hope of the people, the saviors of the innocent

Can't we have an imminent rest?

I don't know the answer, but I only know that I will end Natah and his contest

It has happened, we get to the red spot! Our experience makes us know that this will be a sport! but wait

What is that thing !? it's not a grineer ship I don't know what happens there, but I'm glad I only know that with my comrades by my side inside the anomaly there will be a new war!

reeku523 · January 30, 2020

We were traveling westward on empyrean flight

We were traveling westward so long

We were traveling westward for anomalous sight

Travelers please heed this song

Up on the railjack the thrusters did burn

And bullets done seem to hail

The enemies aboard and a hole in our wall

And the systems began to fail

The lasers did fly and a tear in his eye

As he pass from this mortal veil

Our captain was gone and yet we push on

And the enemies all hightail

We were traveling westward on empyrean flight

We were traveling westward so long

We were traveling westward for anomalous sight

Travelers please heed this song

We made way for the dry dock it was hydroid we weeped

for he had lost his life

And the void storm did rage for the loss of the brave

and captain that we lost tonight

Though we miss and we mourn, a new captain adorn

and move on we must try

Now its blood that we seek and blood that will seep

for the enemies have struck our pride

We were traveling westward on empyrean flight

We were traveling westward so long

We were traveling westward for anomalous sight

Travelers please heed this song

Edited January 30, 2020 by reeku523

(PSN)Shinkako · January 30, 2020

Well this was a fun challenge! Here's what I came up with. I'm not singing it for the contest but it does have a tune and it's been stuck in my head for the last few days!

Well the ammo's all been counted and the fuel has been topped up,
The archwings are all mounted, and the floors are all mopped up,
Our resources accounted, and the Omni's are stocked up,
Hey-o Tenno, we'll send them to the Void!

The enemy is plenty but compared to us they're weak,
The holds are waiting empty and morale is at its peak,
Battle stations ready, oh the havoc we will wreak,
Hey-o Tenno, we'll send them to the Void!

The Grineer are great in number but their clones are prone to fail,
They'll hear our cannons thunder as their squadron we assail,
Their resources we'll plunder and their plans we will derail,
Hey-o Tenno, we'll send them to the Void!

The Corpus, well, they're ruled by greed, their profits are their pride
Their machinations we'll impede, their goals will be denied,
We'll make them pay for their misdeeds, their earnings nullified,
Hey-o Tenno, we'll send them to the Void!

The Sentients promise bloodshed, revenge for wrongs long past,
Destruction: total, widespread, is the doom that they forecast,
Their momentum will be stopped dead, for our strength is unsurpassed,
Hey-o Tenno, we'll send them to the Void!

We Tenno are not new to war, it's long become our trade,
Warframes fight from star to shore, strength openly displayed,
We'll even every single score, all trespasses repaid,
Hey-o Tenno, we'll send them to the Void!

SugarCube676 · January 30, 2020

Daughters betray their fathers,

For a love undoubtedly true,

But now your children are lost,

Our bond was not as we knew.

Children hide from monsters,

Taking the ones, they love,

Lost inside a forbidden place,

Bestowed a gift from above.

The gods we knew have died,

Killed by their children,

Now we come to take their place,

Wondering who’re the villains?

We sail upon a sea of stars,

Looking for our lost mother,

Running back to her true kin,

We unite with each other.

The Mother may be gone,

Or maybe she was never here?

Still we march on forward,

Unencumbered by fear.

Now we sail beyond the bound,

Please remember our song!

Now we sail into the unknown,

Empowered by our call!

capilast · January 30, 2020

For the golden lords.

(EDIT: forgot to say this is meant to be a Dax railjack crew song from during the old war)
(The latin bits are roughly "away to the void, we fight for orokin")

Ad vacuum replendum, pro nobis orokin.
Forward our Ship it takes us.
Onward to war for the golden lords.

Sentient forces shrivel, under the might of void.
But we traverse it safely.
May their oro be destroyed.

Ad vacuum replendum, pro nobis orokin.
Forward our Guns they take us.
Onward to war for the golden lords.

Infested forces shrivel, ahead the guns of tenno.
Tho' our lords have made them.
They'll be slain by the Morrow.

Ad vacuum replendum, pro nobis orokin.
Forward our blood it takes us.
Onward to war for the golden lords.

The war Shall win by Dax hands, or the devilry of void.
But just one thing is certain.
The sentient will be destroyed.

Edited January 30, 2020 by capilast
Forgot to add something i needed to say for context of the song

(NSW)Yefi · January 30, 2020

The fortress of Fortuna is a haven for tenno kind,
Where all the debt-slaves of Nef Anyo can unwind,
Come in from the Vallis and the cold Venus night,
All thanks to Miss Eudico, the lass for whom we fight!

So join Rude Zuud and the rig-jockeys for a tankard of ale,

Take refuge 'low the surface, noisy but away from the gale,

Bring your servofish to the Business for him to gut,

Praise the Lady Eudico, for her you bust your butt!

Give Ticker a cred to help a poor unfortunate soul,

'Afore you sail your Railjack to a distant shoal,

Make port in Fortuna and chug rotgut all night,

Hail the renowned Eudico for she knows right!

(XBOX)RustyDraz · January 30, 2020

"Clem"

Mhhmm! Clem!
Mhhmm! Clem!
Grakataa!!
Grakataa!!
Grakata-ta-ta Clem!
Mhhmm! Clem!
Mhhmm! Clem!
Grakata, Chh-Clem! Grakata, Chh-Clem!
Grakata-ta-ta Clem!
Mhhmm! Clem!
Mhhmm! Clem!
Grakataa!!
Grakataa!!
Grakata-ta-ta Clem!
Clem Clem Clem Clem!

Thalasas · January 30, 2020

Long Gone the Lotus