Origins: Eager for departure to Departure Bay

Subject: Origins: Eager for departure to Departure Bay
From: shantymandavid
Date: 03 Sep 07 - 09:25 AM

So, who can help? Who penned this song? First heard it at a
Victoria Folk Music Society camp retreat. The first few lines are...
"There's a little boat, little people on the deck.
They got on their rain gear, they got on their turtle necks...."
So, who wrote it, when and are there any known recordings?
Thanks,Shantyman David

Subject: RE: Origins: Eager for departure to Departure Bay
From: Charley Noble
Date: 03 Sep 07 - 12:51 PM

Shantyman Dave-

I first heard the song sung by James Keelaghan on one of his earlier recordings SMALL REBELLIONS. Keelaghan shares composing credit with Ron Casat, © 1988 SOCAN.

Keelaghan's notes for this track:

"I know I'll be corrected if I've got this wrong, but I seem to remember being told that Hannibal's elephants were finally defeated by hogs set alight and flung into their midst. Right or not, it's a great tale that somehow got wedded to a chorus Ron wrote about waiting for the B.C. ferries. Life is strange."

Now you know as much as the rest of us!

Cheerily,
Charley Noble

Subject: RE: Origins: Eager for departure to Departure Bay
From: shantymandavid
Date: 03 Sep 07 - 07:09 PM

Thanks Mr Noble,
Come to think of it,and clearing away some cobwebs, I may even have heard Mr Keelaghan sing that song in Duncan,BC, back, late 80's early 90's, in a nice theatre/performance space attached to an ice hockey/skating complex. (boasting the WORLDS LARGEST HOCKEY STICK outside, running the length of the complex) Really a sight!
Several folks of the numerous and vibrant Vancouver Island folkclub/coffee house scene have given it their treatments.

There's nothing like seeing the prop wake of the ferry boat you wanted, as it pulls away from the dock....
thanks again,
David

Subject: RE: Origins: Eager for departure to Departure Bay
From: Charley Noble
Date: 03 Sep 07 - 10:12 PM

David-

You're more than welcome.

And there's always the joy of watching the "pierhead leap," the passenger leaping aboard at the last possible moment.

Give my regards to the Victoria Folk Club folks and tell them that I plan to work my way back there in a year or two.

Cheerily,
Charley Noble

Subject: RE: Origins: Eager for departure to Departure Bay
From: Charley Noble
Date: 15 Jan 23 - 02:38 PM

I don't suppose anyone has transcribed the lyrics of this song?

Cheerily,
Charlie Ipcar

Subject: RE: Origins: Eager for departure to Departure Bay
From: Charley Noble
Date: 15 Jan 23 - 03:30 PM

Well, I did my own transcribing:

By James Keelaghan and RonCasat on Small Rebellions, ©1988 SOCAN

Departure Bay

There’s a little boat,
Little people on the deck;
They’ve got on their raingear,
They’ve got on their turtlenecks;
They don’t care about the weather,
They don’t care about the spray;
Don’t seem to care about the freighter
That’s heading right their way.

Chorus:

Eager to be off,
Eager to be going!
Eager to be on my way!!!!!!
Anticipating motion,
Or another ocean,
Eager for departure to Departure Bay!

Fog is rolling in,
Gonna be a bad one;
It’s as thick as soup,
Gee, I sure wish I had some;
Well, I spent all my money
Playing video games;
Don’t you hate that when it happens,
Don’t you hate it when it rains. (CHO)

The Gates of Hell are guarded
By a pair of vicious dogs;
Hannibal was thwarted
By some flaming Roman hogs;
Me, I was defeated
By the ferry schedule;
Now I’m standing by the dockside
In twenty pounds of sopping wool. (CHO 2X)