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Maggie May is one of the traditional sea shanties included on the official Windrose Original Soundtrack. A traditional Liverpool-based shanty included on the Windrose OST. The track is often cited in community discussion about the Windrose shanty lineup.

On the Soundtrack

The track appears on the Windrose: Original Soundtrack (Steam App 4564200), released alongside the April 14, 2026 Early Access launch. Vocals are performed by Sean Dagher, the same shantyman who recorded the sea shanties for Assassin's Creed IV: Black Flag. Arrangements are by the Kraken Express audio team.

Origin

"Maggie May" is a traditional forebitter shanty from Liverpool, England, dating to the 19th century. It tells the story of a Liverpool prostitute named Maggie May, who is eventually transported to Van Diemen's Land (modern Tasmania) as punishment for robbing a sailor. The song is a bawdy cautionary tale typical of the forebitter tradition.

In-Game

Triggered at the ship's helm by pressing B while under sail. NPC crew members on deck join the vocals while you steer between islands. Shanties pause when combat begins (naval cannons take priority) and resume once the engagement ends.

Notes

• Included on the Windrose OST alongside the more well-known shanties.

• The song's form as a forebitter (a shanty sung off-duty rather than during work) differentiates it from the halyard and capstan shanties elsewhere on the soundtrack.

• Referenced in Steam Community discussion about the shanty arrangements, suggesting it is a recognizable track in the game for attentive players.

See Also

• Sea Shanties — broader shanty system

• Sean Dagher — vocalist

• Naval Combat — why shanties pause

• NPC Crew — the crew that sings