Lyr Add: Sailor on the Deep Blue Sea

Subject: Lyr Add: SAILOR ON THE DEEP BLUE SEA
From: Charley Noble
Date: 08 Jul 07 - 01:09 PM

There's a partial version of this traditional song in the Digital Tradition but it's missing at least two verses. This is the way my family used to sing it, probably picked up from the Carter Family Recording in the 1930's (copy and paste into WORD/TIMES/12 to line up chords):

SAILOR ON THE DEEP BLUE SEA

-------G-------------------C
It was on one summer's evening
------G---------------D7
Just about the hour of three
-----------------G-----------------C
When my true love went for to leave me
----G----------D7--------G
To sail on the deep blue sea.

Oh, he promised to write me a letter;
He said he'd be true to me,
But I've not heard from my darling
Who is sailing on the deep blue sea.

Oh, my mother's dead and buried;
My father's forsaken me,
And I have no one for to love me
But the sailor on the deep blue sea.

"Oh, Captain, can you tell me,
Can you tell me where can my sailor be?"
"Oh yes, my little maiden,
He is drownded in the deep blue sea."

Farewell to friends and relations .
It's the last you'll see of me,
For I'm going to end my troubles
By drownding in the deep blue sea.

"Charley on the MTA" is the most familiar parody of this song.

Cheerily,
Charley Noble

Subject: RE: Lyr Add: Sailor on the Deep Blue Sea
From: Q (Frank Staplin)
Date: 08 Jul 07 - 03:57 PM

Poor Willy- mourned by everyone, but not in properly dignified manner. Nice arrangement, Charley!

In the DT three times- The Carter version as "Waves on the Sea;"
also as "Sailor on the Deep Blue Sea," from Randolph, Ozark Folksongs, with midi, and "Deep Blue Sea," uncredited fragment. Poor Willy got drownded, it seems, at the hands of everyone who could carry a tune.
Guest posted a longer version in thread 30033- Deep Blue
Also in that thread Joe Offer and Jon Freeman suggested that he be buried in a silken shroud and I posted a couple of verses from here and there, and noted (not seriously) that even Stephen C. Foster made at least two songs about Willy.

It was noted that the song has two tunes in folk rendition. Charley uses the Chorus of "The Ship that Never Returned," Henry Clay Work, 1864 (1884) (later the Metrorail or MTA song); thread 43070- Ship That Never

They bear comparison with "The Mermaid" (thread 55634) and "Married to a "Mermaid," (also in the DT) where the young fellow was not identified by name and was given a happy ending. Mermaid

Subject: RE: Lyr Add: Sailor on the Deep Blue Sea
From: Charley Noble
Date: 08 Jul 07 - 05:03 PM

Q-

Thanks again for the clarification.

Charley Noble

Subject: RE: Lyr Add: Sailor on the Deep Blue Sea
From: Q (Frank Staplin)
Date: 08 Jul 07 - 05:21 PM

Dunno if it clarifies anything-

Be interesting to know when the sailor first got drownded. An older one out there?

Subject: RE: Lyr Add: Sailor on the Deep Blue Sea
From: EBarnacle
Date: 08 Jul 07 - 08:41 PM

Q got there first. Shucks!

Subject: RE: Lyr Add: Sailor on the Deep Blue Sea
From: Charley Noble
Date: 08 Jul 07 - 10:38 PM

Eric-

Q is very quick on the draw!

Cheerily,
Charley Noble

Subject: RE: Lyr Add: Sailor on the Deep Blue Sea
From: GUEST,Woody Brison (qv. on YouTube)
Date: 08 Jul 22 - 06:43 PM

I heard this song on YT sung by a couple of guys with a mandolin. Their harmonies are excellent. I swizzled some of the words around. Not sure about some of these rhymes, any suggestions?

1. Where has our sailor gone?
Oh where has our sailor gone?
It's many a day since his ship sailed away
And the lonely time grows long

2. If only my burdened mind
Some token of peace could find
If only the sea would tell me where he be
But nary a hint or sign

(Chorus)
The ocean abounds with danger
And if the truth be told
There's many a man who's never seen again
And the winds blow so icy cold

3. What say you, deep blue sea?
Oh what say you, deep blue sea?
It heaves and it sighs but there's no reply
And my sailor remains unseen

4. Oh captain, tell me true
Does our sailor sail with you?
No, love, HE dinnae sail with me
He sleeps in the ocean blue   (chorus)

5. I stand on the beach and brood
And gaze at the windy blue
As you cradle your guest and hold him to your breast
Does he mention my name to you?   (chorus)

6. One day the sea's deep bed
Is going to give up its dead
Our sailor's smile is gone for a while
But one day   we'll   see   him   again