Lyr Add: Old Wooden Boats (Micky MacConnell)

Subject: Lyr Add: OLD WOODEN BOATS (Micky MacConnell)
From: Stewie
Date: 14 May 07 - 02:45 AM

^^
OLD WOODEN BOATS
(Micky MacConnell)

I pulled my boat to the pier at Dingle
There I met an old man long home from the sea
He caught my rope and with eyes sun-crinkled
He looked first at my boat and then at me

And he told me, 'Son, I've fished these waters
'For eighty years, both man and boy
'And I was brave, but you're much bolder
'To dare to go to sea in that rich man's toy'

'Because that boat you stake your life on
'It's fibreglass and plastic, stem to stern
'It bears the beaten soul of its factory builder
'For it has never known the love of a craftsman's hands'

'But old wooden boats scold like old mothers
'When you drive them through a west of Ireland sea
'Old wooden boats are like no other
'For the fight for the lives of fools like you and me

He said, 'Open planks will groan and whimper
'And they'll warn you when it's time to feel afraid
'While a plastic hull will crack and splinter
'And, with no warning, sweep you to an early grave'

'When the Northern Star leans on your shoulder
'And it's icy anger builds a troubled sea
'Then put your faith in God almighty
'And in the secrets that the winds once told the trees'

I caught the tide in early morning
In the dawn I watched the Blaskets fall astern
And the wind recalled the old man's warning
And it asked me had I listened, had I learned

That old wooden boats scold like old mothers
When you drive them through a west of Ireland sea
Old wooden boats are like no other
For the fight for the lives of fools like you and me

Old wooden boats

Source: Mickey MacConnell 'Joined Up Writing' Spring Records SCD 1045.

--Stewie.

Subject: RE: Lyr Add: Old Wooden Boats
From: Gurney
Date: 14 May 07 - 05:02 PM

Nice!

Subject: RE: Lyr Add: Old Wooden Boats
From: Stewie
Date: 14 May 07 - 06:11 PM

You can view Mickey singing it on Youtube:

Old Wooden Boats.

--Stewie.

Subject: RE: Lyr Add: Old Wooden Boats
From: GUEST,chordstrangler
Date: 15 May 07 - 04:31 PM

Hi folks...Just to clarify that there is one error in the lyrics posted above. It should read..."Old oak planks will groan and whimper etc..."
Thanks to Stewie for the interest in the song...Regards...Mickey.

Subject: RE: Lyr Add: Old Wooden Boats
From: Stewie
Date: 15 May 07 - 05:03 PM

Hi Mickey, thanks for the correction. I had picked it up myself before sending it to the bloke who is going to sing it for me, but posted my initial transcription here without noticing I hadn't corrected the copy on my computer file. Great song! We used your 'Enid Blyton' in a presentation last year - sung by my friend Sean Roche of Perth W.A.

I met Tom Reid, who has recorded with you, here in Darwin back when the world was young. I think he even had a T-shirt for a workshop I did on Ulster called 'The Bloody Red Hand'. If you run into him, please give him my regards and tell him that I loved his album 'When Princes Meet'. Has he recorded anything else?

--Stewie (Paul Stewart, Darwin, Oz)

Subject: RE: Lyr Add: Old Wooden Boats
From: GUEST,chordstrangler
Date: 15 May 07 - 05:34 PM

Greetings Stewie...So far as I know Tom hasn't recorded anything lately. Unfortunately we have sorta lost touch as he is living somewhere in London at the moment. Should I see him I will pass on your regards......M

Subject: RE: Lyr Add: Old Wooden Boats
From: Stewie
Date: 15 May 07 - 05:59 PM

Many thanks, Mickey.

--Stewie.

Subject: RE: Lyr Add: Old Wooden Boats (Micky MacConnell)
From: Charley Noble
Date: 24 Jun 07 - 09:03 PM

It's certainly a well composed interesting song. I'd love to hear it sung but I suspect that the above post by Guest Mister is full of viruses. Fortunately I have a MAC computer and nothing has been downloaded.

Charley Noble

Subject: RE: Lyr Add: Old Wooden Boats (Micky MacConnell)
From: Stewart
Date: 24 Jun 07 - 11:40 PM

Charlie, see Stewie's post 14 May above - it's on Youtube, sung by Mickey MacConnell, a great rendition. I've just learned this song and love to sing it.

Cheers, S. in Seattle

Subject: RE: Lyr Add: Old Wooden Boats (Micky MacConnell)
From: Charley Noble
Date: 25 Jun 07 - 09:50 AM

Stewart-

An excellent link by Stewie! Sounds to me as if Micky's tune is a harmony for Rolling Home, or at least inspired by Rolling Home.

I'd certainly love to hear Micky sing in person some time, and swap a few songs with him.

Cheerily,
Charley Noble

Subject: RE: Lyr Add: Old Wooden Boats (Micky MacConnell)
From: Charley Noble
Date: 04 Jul 07 - 12:39 PM

Are you sure the third verse is correct; "stern" and "hands" don't make the best rhyme, although maybe that's not so important.

Charley Noble

Subject: RE: Lyr Add: Old Wooden Boats (Micky MacConnell)
From: CET
Date: 04 Jul 07 - 08:30 PM

This brings back good memories. I had the pleasure of hearing Mickey perform at the Ballyshannon Folk Festival in 1991 and I still have a cassette of his that I bought there. I've sung "The Leaving" once or twice, but not recently. I should dust it off again.

Edmund

Subject: Lyr Req: Old Wooden Boats
From: Sandy Mc Lean
Date: 30 Nov 07 - 08:40 AM

Does anyone have lyrics for Old Wooden Boats by Mickey MacConnell?
He has a great video of the song on YouTube but I can't make out all of the words.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=N98OEvvgeSg

               Thanks,
                   Sandy

Subject: Lyr Add: OLD WOODEN BOATS (Mickey MacConnell)
From: GUEST
Date: 30 Nov 07 - 10:12 AM

These lyrics have been posted to the forum, but don't want to come up with a search. Here they are again:

OLD WOODEN BOATS
(Mickey MacConnell)

I pulled my boat to the pier at Dingle
There I met an old man long home from the sea
He caught my rope and with eyes sun-crinkled
He looked first at my boat and then at me

And he told me, 'Son, I've fished these waters
'For eighty years or more, both man and boy
'And I was brave, but you're much bolder
'To dare to go to sea in that rich man's toy'

'Because that boat you stake your life on
'It's fibreglass and plastic, stem to stern
'It bears the beaten soul of its factory builder
'For it has never known the love of a craftsman's hands'

'But old wooden boats scold like old mothers
'When you drive them through a west of Ireland sea
'Old wooden boats are like no other
'For they fight for the lives of fools like you and me

He said, 'Oaken planks will groan and whimper
'And they'll warn you when it's time to feel afraid
'While a plastic hull will crack and splinter
'And, with no warning, sweep you to an early grave'

'When the northern star leans on your shoulder
'And it's icy anger builds a troubled sea
'Then put your faith in God almighty
'And in the secrets that the winds once told the trees'

[Instrumental break]

I caught the tide in early morning
In the dawn I watched the Blaskets fall astern
And the wind recalled the old man's warning
And it asked me had I listened, had I learned

That old wooden boats scold like old mothers
When you drive them through a west of Ireland sea
Old wooden boats are like no other
For the fight for the lives of fools like you and me

Old wooden boats

--Stewie.

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Old Wooden Boats
From: Stewie
Date: 30 Nov 07 - 10:29 AM

My apologies, Joe. Once again, I failed to notice that my security scan swallowed my cookie.

--Stewie.

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Old Wooden Boats
From: Sandy Mc Lean
Date: 30 Nov 07 - 11:05 AM

Thats great Stewie! Thanks very much!
Mudcatters come through again, and quickly too!