Does anybody have a good song of the sea?

Subject: Does anybody have a good song of the sea?
From: Blue Shack
Date: 13 Apr 99 - 11:04 AM

In the piano lounge of the Jared Coffin House in Nantucket in 1967 sang "The Quiet Man." He sang great sea songs--lots of them. Where are all the great, powerful, serious sea songs? I can't seem to find any, and it is such a great genre. "Drunken Sailor" doesn't get if for me.

Subject: RE: Does anybody have a good song of the sea?
From: Mark Roffe
Date: 13 Apr 99 - 11:54 AM

I always liked Farewell, Nova Scotia .
Eddystone Light has some great low notes to sing ("...on the rolllling sea..")
And, I'm sure, here come dozens more...

Subject: RE: Does anybody have a good song of the sea?
From: Mo
Date: 13 Apr 99 - 12:06 PM

A lot of things by the late great Stan Rogers fit the bill...

Mo

Subject: RE: Does anybody have a good song of the sea?
From: Bert
Date: 13 Apr 99 - 12:08 PM

"A wet sheet and a flowwing sea"

Subject: RE: Does anybody have a good song of the sea?
From: Lesley N.
Date: 13 Apr 99 - 01:35 PM

Tom Bowling (aka The Sailor's Epitaph), Henry Martin, Lord Franklin, Spanish Ladies, Bold Nelson's Praise

Subject: RE: Does anybody have a good song of the sea?
From: Davey
Date: 13 Apr 99 - 03:24 PM

There are many great songs of the sea, sung by a number of Nova Scotia singers and groups such as Evans and Dougherty, Brakin' Tradition, McGinty, and Newfoundland groups such as The Irish Descendents, and a group from the Toronto area called John Prince and a Piece of the Rock. I also have a compilation tape that I purchased on a trip to Nova Scotia called, appropriately enough, 'Songs of the Sea.' Lee Murdock sings many songs about the inland sea, the Great Lakes. Check out contemporary songwriter Tom Lewis, a former submariner now turned folksinger, or the duo of William Pint and Felicia Dale, for some traditional songs.

Subject: RE: Does anybody have a good song of the sea?
From: Night Owl
Date: 13 Apr 99 - 03:50 PM

Gordon Bok has recorded many sea songs...the most powerful one, to me, is his "Sailor's Blessing". His recordings are available through 'Folk Legacy'.

Subject: RE: Does anybody have a good song of the sea?
From: rich r
Date: 13 Apr 99 - 05:59 PM

The Pope has a new CD out that would probably qualify as songs of the see.

rich r

Subject: RE: Does anybody have a good song of the sea?
From: Joe Offer
Date: 13 Apr 99 - 06:57 PM

GROAN...
And for that, rich r wins the

Official Mudcat Art Thieme Memorial Worst Pun of the Week Award.

A real classic, Rich.
-Joe Offer-

Subject: RE: Does anybody have a good song of the sea?
From: Den
Date: 13 Apr 99 - 07:08 PM

Donegal Danny has always been one of my favourites. A very powerful song and a great one to sing.

Subject: RE: Does anybody have a good song of the sea?
From: Matthew B.
Date: 13 Apr 99 - 07:57 PM

Yeesh. Where do I begin. I've collected 400 songs so far, and there must be at least 50 that qualify for me as indispensible favorites.

One of the most popular tunes ever sung at sea (in the English language) was Rio Grande, although the modern-day shanty singers have no particular favorite.

Your best bet is to come to one of our monthly shanty sings in NY City.

Subject: RE: Does anybody have a good song of the sea?
From: Susan of DT
Date: 13 Apr 99 - 08:50 PM

search for @sea and @sailor in the database

Subject: RE: Does anybody have a good song of the sea?
From: Susan A-R
Date: 13 Apr 99 - 10:57 PM

Folk Letacy also has (I helieve) a wonderful songbook by Gordon Bok called "Time and the Flying Snow" Lots of good stuff, with words and chords in it too. Also, when is that Mystic festival??? Seems like that might be a good place to look. Ewan McCall's done a few good ones in his time as well. "Shoals of Herring" comes to mind. Also "Farewell to Tarwathe" "Greenland Fisheries" Stan Rogers "Flowers of Bermuda is a favorite of mine. Interesting rhythms and one of those grisly story lines (with a glorious melody) that I can't seem to resist. I also rather like his "Wreck of the Athens Queen" for a more humorous one.

Subject: RE: Does anybody have a good song of the sea?
From: rich r
Date: 14 Apr 99 - 12:02 AM

Thanks Joe, Art is an inspiration to me and you are certainly an expiration.

rich r

Subject: RE: Does anybody have a good song of the sea?
From: Sandy Paton
Date: 14 Apr 99 - 12:46 AM

Mudcatter par excellence, Dan Milner (AKA Liam's Brother) has a darn good CD of sea songs that you might want to investigate. Take a quick look at Milner's CD. After that, you might want to explore other sea music on our web site. (Boarding Party, Bok, etc.)

If you'd like to see what other Mudcateers thought of Milner's recording, try clicking here: Mudcat comments. If I've loused up these HTML thingies, I'll have to call for Joe's help (again!).

Sandy

Subject: RE: Does anybody have a good song of the sea?
From: SeanM
Date: 14 Apr 99 - 02:42 AM

Wahoo! Go away for a few days and find someone posting right down my alley...

Where to begin...

Maid o' Amsterdam, Strike the Bell, Blow ye Winds of the Morning, Rolling Home, Eddystone Light, Ranzo, Wild Goose, Paddy West, Paddy Lay Back, Mingulay Boat Song, Whup Jamboree, Blow the Man Down (Hey! Watch those catcalls!), 10,000 Miles, Liverpool Judies, Paddy Doyle's Boots, Dead Horse Shanty...

The list goes on forever, For these are a few... of... my... faaavorite thinnnnnggggggsss!!!!

(teehee)

M

Subject: RE: Does anybody have a good song of the sea?
From: Dave T
Date: 14 Apr 99 - 04:48 PM

Like others, I recommend Stan Rogers. I don't really do too many songs of the sea, but one of my favourites is "The Ghost of Maggie's Sailor" by Colleen Peterson. If you don't know it, it's worth buying a tape or CD just for that one song (although her others are great too).

Dave T

Subject: RE: Does anybody have a good song of the sea?
From: tina
Date: 14 Apr 99 - 06:31 PM

Speaking of songs of the sea, has anyone heard a group that sing/plays sea shanties in the San Fran area called "Three Sheets to the Wind"?

Subject: RE: Does anybody have a good song of the sea?
From: LEJ
Date: 14 Apr 99 - 06:43 PM

I second Sandy's recommendation of Dan Milner's CD. It is terrific. When I got Art Theime's CD I also received a Waterbug sampler with a tune called" Long Jack Hearts o' Gold" that is one beautiful song. Not sure who the artist is, but I'm sure it's a traditional tune...LEJ

Subject: RE: Does anybody have a good song of the sea?
From: Brakn
Date: 14 Apr 99 - 08:32 PM

Fiddler's Green????

Subject: RE: Does anybody have a good song of the sea?
From: Barbara Shaw
Date: 14 Apr 99 - 10:19 PM

Midnight on the Stormy Deep
Storms Out on the Ocean
Catfish John
Deep River Blues

Subject: RE: Does anybody have a good song of the sea?
From: Sandy Paton
Date: 14 Apr 99 - 10:25 PM

I think we ought to have an example or two of what is meant by "a good song of the sea." Without that, it's a bit hard to tell if this means a song like "The Sailor's Prayer," "The Sailor's Grave," "Sir Patrick Spens" or "Cruising 'Round Yarmouth."

Sandy

Subject: RE: Does anybody have a good song of the sea?
From: Matthew B.
Date: 14 Apr 99 - 10:39 PM

SeanM -

Great List!! You've mentioned about 1% of my favorites!

- Matt

Subject: RE: Does anybody have a good song of the sea?
From: Ferrara
Date: 14 Apr 99 - 10:42 PM

Well, Blue Shack said he was looking for "great, powerful, serious sea songs." Not the "Blow the Man Down variety but songs like "Sailor's Prayer". (Do they have to be trad and/or anon?) I assume that "Sailor's Prayer" refers to the song that starts "I will not lay me down, this rain a-raging..." Is it that or another? A fine, weighty and moving sea song is given in the DT as "The Farewell Shanty" by Mervyn Vincent. You can hear it on the Boarding Party's tape, "Tis Our Sailing Time," from Folk Legacy. Splendid song. David Jones and the Starboard List have a song called "The Bold Princess Royal" that's a rousing story of escape from a pirate. Not so solemn, but a fine song. In the DT, too. Is there a Navy version of the Armed Forces Hymn? i.e., "Almighty Father, who doth stand / Among the men who fight by land"? I have an image in my mind of another version that is strictly about having God's protection on the sea. ???

Subject: RE: Does anybody have a good song of the sea?
From: Arkie
Date: 14 Apr 99 - 10:45 PM

A couple of my favorites are Jack Was Every Inch A Sailor and Neil's Harbor.

Subject: RE: Does anybody have a good song of the sea?
From: Mark Roffe
Date: 14 Apr 99 - 11:11 PM

A yankee sailor used to tell me this poem, but I only remember snippets...
I was born on the crest of a wave,
And rocked to sleep in the cradle of the deep.
My mother was a mermaid, and my father was old king Neptune.
.
[some other lines here...] .
.
When I spits, I spits tar,
I'm tough, I am, I are.

Although looking at it now, it seems a bit trite,
when he would recite this with mock seriousness and true grandeur, it was first rate.

Mark

Subject: RE: Does anybody have a good song of the sea?
From: Joe Offer
Date: 14 Apr 99 - 11:25 PM

I'm glad Davey mentioned Lee Murdock, who has done more recordings of Great Lakes songs than anybody I know of. We who have lived along the Lakes contend that the Great Lakes are as magnificent and powerful as any ocean. One Great Lakes song I particularly like is Henry Clay Work's Lost on the Lady Elgin, about a passenger ship that sank off Waukegan (or thereabouts) in 1860, on its way between Chicago and Milwaukee.
Red Iron Ore is another good one.
-Joe Offer-

Subject: RE: Does anybody have a good song of the sea?
From: Pete M
Date: 14 Apr 99 - 11:41 PM

Ferrara, "Eternal Father, strong to save.." is the standard RN hymn, and a great song, not sure if its what's wanted though.

Pete M

Subject: RE: Does anybody have a good song of the sea?
From:
Date: 14 Apr 99 - 11:46 PM

So now I am more confused than usual.....Is Gordon Bok's song (with Ferrara's lyrics) called "Sailor's Blessing" or "Sailor's Prayer" ??

Subject: RE: Does anybody have a good song of the sea?
From:
Date: 14 Apr 99 - 11:52 PM

and...it appears , my computor is confused as well..above post re "Sailor's ????"" from Night Owl.

Subject: RE: Does anybody have a good song of the sea?
From: DonMeixner
Date: 15 Apr 99 - 12:01 AM

I think the Gordon Bok song that is being mentioned is Rod MacDonald's

"I will not lie me down, these waves a' raging"

Don

Subject: RE: Does anybody have a good song of the sea?
From: Sandy Paton
Date: 15 Apr 99 - 12:21 AM

Correct. MacDonald sings it a bit differently, so I suggest you investigate his version and compare.

Sandy

Subject: Lyr Add: THE CAPTAIN ON THE COAST OF MAINE
From: Art Thieme
Date: 15 Apr 99 - 09:57 AM

THE CAPTAIN ON THE COAST OF MAINE
as recorded by Vivianne Richman on Folkways
This grand song was listed NOWHERE either in the booklet or on the LP itself. It was simply THERE after the last song.

The captain headed home again,
This time a priceless quary,
He brought upon the coast of Maine,
A foreign bride to marry.

He built for her a mansion great
Adorned with splendid treasure,
He sealed it with an iron gate,
And locked it on his pleasure.

For countless days he knew a web,
Of olabyrinthian charms,
Uncounted night the flow and ebb,
Of incandescent arms.

Until he woke to find the dawn,
Imperatively bright,
And knew that soon he must be gone,
To sail the ocean wide.

'Twas then he told her not to fear,
"When I put out to sea,
Open the gate but once a year,
Let no one in but me."

"When will you come again my love,
How shall I know it's you?"
"When seagulls flea the summer dove,
When roses shed their dew."

"When summer puts its golden crown,
Upon the wedded shore,
When sails of dragon blood bear down,
I will be home once more."

She saw him to his ship below,
And when the tide was high,
With full rigged gear and heaving bow,
His vessel spanned the sky.

That solemn pledge, his pilot light,
Went to the deep with him;
And every year at summer's height,
She let a stranger in.

Art

Subject: RE: Does anybody have a good song of the sea?
From: Barbara Shaw
Date: 15 Apr 99 - 05:28 PM

I realized after coming back to this thread that my glib posting of a few songs with water in them was not appropriate for the request. Sorry about that.

However, here's one that is about the sea, metaphorically as well as actually, and it's extremely powerful. The lyrics are actually the poem "Crossing the Bar" written in 1889 by Alfred Lord Tennyson. The music was written recently by Rani Arbo of the band "Salamander Crossing," and she has put an amazing poem to haunting music. It's on their latest album "Bottleneck Dreams."

And that reminds me of an old Swinburne poem ("From the Triumph of Time") I used to love about the sea (among other things) which has one particular group of stanzas about the "great sweet mother, mother and lover of men, the sea" which is just crying out for someone to put to music.

Subject: RE: Does anybody have a good song of the sea?
From: Mo
Date: 15 Apr 99 - 07:13 PM

Isn't "Eternal Father, Strong to Save" the original? Until Ferrara mentioned it I didn't know there was a non-naval version. Mind you, it's such a great tune, you can't blame them for wanting to pinch it...

Mo

Subject: RE: Does anybody have a good song of the sea?
From: Harald
Date: 15 Apr 99 - 07:22 PM

I wonder nobody mentioned Three Score And Ten. We had a great thread concerning this song. I think it was Wolfgang who provided all the ship´s names that sunk during this desaster with those three score and ten sailor´s being drowned. Is that powerful and serious enough ?

Subject: RE: Does anybody have a good song of the sea?
From: Wotcha
Date: 15 Apr 99 - 10:39 PM

Great songs all. If you want more depression/tears, after listening to "Three Score and Ten" try "The Grey Funnel Line." For something more uplifting try a modern shanty "Roll Down" by Peter Bellamy (for some reason entitled "Around me Brave Boys" on the DT), or the jolly "Get Up Jack! John, Sit Down."

Enjoy.

Cheers, Brian

Subject: RE: Does anybody have a good song of the sea?
From: Art Thieme
Date: 17 Apr 99 - 09:43 PM

This one is a song (or a poem) by the one and only JOHN REED (1913)---yes, the same who wrote __TEN DAYS THAT SHOOK THE WORLD__ --- and who was the central figure in the film _REDS_

title: DEEP WATER SONG

The bounding deck beneath me,
The rocking sky o'erhead,
White, flying spume that whips her boom,
And all her canvas spread.

Her topmast rakes the zenith,
Where planets shoal and spawn,
And to her stride God opens wide,
The storm-red gates of dawn!

chorus)
Then walk her down to Rio,
Roll her 'cross the line,
Chinese Joe's a-tendin' door
Down to Number Nine,
Deep they lie in every sea,
Land's End to the Horn---
For every sailorman that dies,
A sailorman is born.

Along the battered seawall,
Our women in the rain,
Full wearily have scanned the sea
That brings us not again.

Oh, I'll come home my dearie---
Aye, one day I'll come home,
With heaped up hold of Spanish gold,
And opals of spun foam.

chorus)
Then walk her down to Frisco,
Lay her for Hong Kong,
Reeling down the water-front
Seven hundred strong,
Deep they lie in every sea,
Land's End to the Horn--
For every sailor man that dies,
A sailorman is born.

Tall, languid palms that glimmer,
Blossoms beyond belief,
Sea-gods at play in shouting spray,
On sun-splashed coral reef.

Falling star at twilight,
Questing sail unfurled,
Through unknown seas I follow these,
Down-hill across the world.

last chorus)
Then walk her down to Sydney,
Through to Singapore,
Dutch Marie and Ysobel
Waitin' on the shore.
Deep they lie in every sea,
Land's End to the Horn,
For every sailorman that dies
A sailorman is born.

Art

Subject: RE: Does anybody have a good song of the sea?
From: Cap't Bob
Date: 17 Apr 99 - 10:53 PM

I have been a sailor for years and years. For the most part sailors like fast moving rollicking songs although at times they will tolerate a slower song with deeper meanings. We play at yacht clubs quite often and the top of our list of songs about sailing are: 10,000 Mi Away All Alone Again Apostle Lights Barretts Privateers Drunken Sailor Eddystone Light Farewell Nova Scotiaa Fiddlers Green Final Trawl Good Ship Galibar Great Lakes Song Greenland Fisheries Leave Her Johnny Leaving of Liverpool Marco Polo Mary Ellen Carter Mermaid Mingulay Boat Song Quare Bungle Rye Red Iron Ore South Australia Safe in the Harbor Take Me Back on Bay Three Score and Ten The Bigler We'll Rant & Roar CAP'T BOB

Subject: RE: Does anybody have a good song of the sea?
From: gargoyle
Date: 18 Apr 99 - 01:26 AM

Come all ye old fishermen listen to me,
I'll sing ye a song of the fish in the sea.

Undoubtedly one of my favorites: SONG OF THE FISHES

If you can identify each of the species on a the gunwales or even a chart you are an ol' salt.

If you have personally caught each of the species you are a master-baiter.