tune ID: a 'nautical' tune

Subject: tune ID: a 'nautical' tune
From: clueless don
Date: 23 Mar 07 - 09:24 AM

There is a tune that I have known most of my life, but I do not know the name of it or any information about it. It may be an operatic or other classical tune, a show tune, a tune from the soundtrack of a cartoon, a traditional tune, I just don't know. The one thing I do know is that it is a tune that evokes, or is supposed to evoke, the life of the sea.

Here it is in abc notation. I don't know what the usual/traditional key is, so I chose a key arbitrarily:

X:1
T:a "nautical" tune
R:jig
M:6/8
Q:1/8=240
K:c
cA|Gcc c2d|(e3e)cd|eee f2e|(d3d) dB|Gdd d2e|(f3f2) g|
a2g fed|(c3c) cB|A2B c2d|(e3e) cB|A2B c2d|(e3e2)e|
eee e2e|eee e2e|eee e2e|e3g3|
Gcc c2d|(e3e)cd|eee f2e|(d3d) dB|Gdd d2e|(f3f2) g|
a2g fed|A2G FED|a2g fed|(c3c2)|


to hear the tune, copy the abc code (starting with the "X:1" line) and paste it into the window at Concertina.net, then click the "submit" button. You will get staff notation, and a button to click to hear a MIDI version.

I would love to know the name and/or source of this, and any other information that you can provide!

Don

Subject: RE: tune ID: a 'nautical' tune
From: The Fooles Troupe
Date: 23 Mar 07 - 09:36 AM

The (created) midi link refuses to work for me.

Subject: RE: tune ID: a 'nautical' tune
From: Jeri
Date: 23 Mar 07 - 09:41 AM

It bears a passing resemblance to the tune for "Off to Baltimore":

Then I grabbed her on the foot
And the crew began to roar,
Oh, Oh, up she goes, she's bound for Baltimore

I can find neither words nor tune in the DT.

Subject: RE: tune ID: a 'nautical' tune
From: MMario
Date: 23 Mar 07 - 09:42 AM

ditto - so I'm in the process of pulling it into Noteworthy at the moment and should have a midi available soon.

Subject: RE: tune ID: a 'nautical' tune
From: MMario
Date: 23 Mar 07 - 09:49 AM

okay - it is the tune I know as "life on the rolling wave" - I have no idea why; but I definately associate the words with that tune - I can't find any information about it here, at levy or through google.

Subject: RE: tune ID: a 'nautical' tune
From: clueless don
Date: 23 Mar 07 - 10:11 AM

The link works fine for me. If anyone else is having trouble with it, here is the web address in plain ascii:

http://www.concertina.net/tunes_convert.html


It is not the same tune as the tune I know for "Off to Baltimore", but I see the similarity, and it is possible that some folks sing Off to Baltimore to the tune in question.

Thanks for the input so far! Keep it coming, please.

Don

Subject: RE: tune ID: a 'nautical' tune
From: MMario
Date: 23 Mar 07 - 10:24 AM

aha!

A Life on the Ocean Wave
Epes Sargent. 1813–1880

A LIFE on the ocean wave,   
A home on the rolling deep,   
Where the scattered waters rave,   
And the winds their revels keep:   
Like an eagle caged, I pine         
On this dull, unchanging shore:   
Oh! give me the flashing brine,   
The spray and the tempest's roar!   
   
Once more on the deck I stand   
Of my own swift-gliding craft:   
Set sail! farewell to the land!   
The gale follows fair abaft.   
We shoot through the sparkling foam   
Like an ocean bird set free;—   
Like the ocean bird, our home   
We'll find far out on the sea.   
   
The land is no longer in view,   
The clouds have begun to frown;   
But with a stout vessel and crew,   
We'll say, Let the storm come down!   
And the song of our hearts shall be,   
While the winds and the waters rave,   
A home on the rolling sea!   
A life on the ocean wave!

sheet music

Subject: RE: tune ID: a 'nautical' tune
From: masato sakurai
Date: 23 Mar 07 - 10:31 AM

MMario, you beat me to it! Yes, it's A Life on the Ocean Wave (words and midi at contemplator.com), written & composed by Henry Russell.

Subject: RE: tune ID: a 'nautical' tune
From: masato sakurai
Date: 23 Mar 07 - 10:34 AM

Erratum:

The Words by Epes Sargent.

Subject: RE: tune ID: a 'nautical' tune
From: clueless don
Date: 23 Mar 07 - 10:38 AM

MMario, I followed up on your suggestion, and I think I found it! It is apparently a version of the tune to the song "A Life on the Ocean Wave", written by Henry Russell, based on a poem by Epes Sargent. This website gives a midi link, and says it was written in 1838:

Music of Henry Russell

Words may be found at Life on the Ocean Wave

If either of those links don't work, the plain text versions are

http://www.pdmusic.org/russell.html

http://en.allexperts.com/e/a/a/a_life_on_the_ocean_wave.htm


So, it is apparently the tune to a 19th century popular song. Thank you, MMario, and thanks to anyone else who gave it a look and listen!

Don

Subject: RE: tune ID: a 'nautical' tune
From: clueless don
Date: 23 Mar 07 - 10:41 AM

Thank you to MMario and masato sakurai, who apparently submitted their additional information while I was composing my last message.

Don

Subject: RE: tune ID: a 'nautical' tune
From: MMario
Date: 23 Mar 07 - 10:47 AM

sorry it took so long.

Subject: RE: tune ID: a 'nautical' tune
From: Dead Horse
Date: 23 Mar 07 - 05:20 PM

A life on the ocean wave
The bastard that wrote that song
I'd like to crap on his grave
A turd about nine inches long
For he's never been to sea
On a wet Sunday afternoon
And he's never coaled ship on his watch below
Or he'd bloody soon change his tune.

Subject: RE: tune ID: a 'nautical' tune
From: Geoff the Duck
Date: 23 Mar 07 - 07:11 PM

I always thought it went:-

Oh, A life on the ocean wave,
Is btter than going to sea,
De dum de dum de dum,
De dee de dee de deeeee!

Quack!
GtD.

Subject: RE: tune ID: a 'nautical' tune
From: The Fooles Troupe
Date: 24 Mar 07 - 07:42 AM

I could get to the convert site - but any attempt ot download the alleged created midi gave an error that the (newly crested) file did not exist.

Subject: RE: tune ID: a 'nautical' tune
From: masato sakurai
Date: 24 Mar 07 - 11:58 AM

This file

Subject: RE: tune ID: a 'nautical' tune
From: masato sakurai
Date: 24 Mar 07 - 11:59 AM

This file will work.

X:1
T:a "nautical" tune
R:jig
M:6/8
L:1/8
Q:1/8=240
K:C
cA|Gcc c2d|(e3e)cd|eee f2e|(d3d) dB|Gdd d2e|(f3f2) g|
a2g fed|(c3c) cB|A2B c2d|(e3e) cB|A2B c2d|(e3e2)e|
eee e2e|eee e2e|eee e2e|e3g3|
Gcc c2d|(e3e)cd|eee f2e|(d3d) dB|Gdd d2e|(f3f2) g|
a2g fed|A2G FED|a2g fed|(c3c2)|

Subject: RE: tune ID: a 'nautical' tune
From: masato sakurai
Date: 24 Mar 07 - 12:17 PM

Also the tune to "A Life on the Vicksburg Bluff."

Subject: RE: tune ID: a 'nautical' tune
From: bubblyrat
Date: 24 Mar 07 - 07:55 PM

It is played often in Great Britain, as it is the Official march-past of the Royal Marines. So it is to British Marines exactly what the Halls of Montezuma tune is to the USMC-----in other words, it"s SACRED !!