Origin: The Schooner Kandahar

Subject: 'The Schooner Kandahar' - source?
From: GUEST,Heather-Anne Getson
Date: 28 Mar 08 - 10:27 AM

Hello Everyone,

Back in 2002 (I almost typed 1902!), the lyrics to the song "The Schooner Kandahar" were published on this list. The song was published in Doerflinger's "Songs of the Sailor and Lumberman" and noted as being on pages 196 - 198.

It is recorded as being from the singing of Frank Risser.

Does anyone have a copy of the book and could check to see if there is any additional information about the singer? There were several Frank Rissers in the Lunenburg area.

I'd appreciate any help with it - it's for a small display at the Fisheries Museum of the Atlantic, in Lunenburg.

~ Heather

Subject: RE: 'The Schooner Kandahar' - source?
From: Amos
Date: 28 Mar 08 - 10:45 AM

Lyrics were posted here.

THe reference source was: Songs of the Sailor and Lumberman
William Main Doerflinger (1909-2000)

Originally published in 1951 as Shantymen and Shantyboys
Second printing, retitled Songs of the Sailor and Lumbermen, 1972.
Revised with additions, 1990

(THis does not answer the question about Frank Risser of Lunenberg, however).

There was a skipper in Lunenberg -- "Captain Frank Risser of the Marshal Frank, "one of the best known of Lunenburg's fishing skippers" -- who was active in 1937 and was written up in the local papers for his part in rescuing survivors of a collision. Not a likely candidate for the question, I guess.


A

Subject: RE: 'The Schooner Kandahar' - source?
From: GUEST,Heather-Anne Getson
Date: 28 Mar 08 - 11:00 AM

Thank you, Amos ...

Yes, there was a Captain Frank Risser. He could have been the source of the song, since the vessel Kandahar was launched in April 1900. He would have known of Captain Shupe (written as Shube in the song).

There was also a Frank E. Risser and a Frank M. Risser, all roughly of the same time period.

It really would be great to have a sense of which one of the men sang the song.

~ Heather

Subject: RE: 'The Schooner Kandahar' - source?
From: GUEST,Heather-Anne Getson
Date: 28 Mar 08 - 12:45 PM

Further to this topic, does anyone know what the tune would be, for the song?

Subject: RE: 'The Schooner Kandahar' - source?
From: GUEST,Peace
Date: 28 Mar 08 - 01:45 PM

Similar to "The Schooner Baltimore". (Saw that on a site somewhere.)

Subject: RE: 'The Schooner Kandahar' - source?
From: GUEST,Peace
Date: 28 Mar 08 - 01:46 PM

PS

There's a midi file on Mudcat. FYI.

Subject: RE: 'The Schooner Kandahar' - source?
From: Charley Noble
Date: 28 Mar 08 - 04:15 PM

Heather-

Here's what Doerflinger says in his introduction to this song:

"One song of this sort concerns a voyage made in 1896 in the schooner Kandahar of Lunenburg. The words were received in 1931 from Captain Thomas Conrad of Rose Bay, Lunenburg County, Nova Scotia, one of the last survivors of the Kandahar's "jolly crew." Captain Conrad said was by Sepley Collin, a shipmate on the voyage it narrates. Mr. Collin later lost his life at sea. The tune was by a younger man, Captain Frank Rise, a Banks fisherman also hailing from Rose Bay." (From Songs of the Sailor and Lumberman, p. 196)

Hope this is helpful.

Cheerily,
Charley Noble

Subject: RE: 'The Schooner Kandahar' - source?
From: cetmst
Date: 29 Mar 08 - 07:46 AM

Charlie - In the 1951 edition "Shantymen and Shantyboys" the name is written Captain Frank Risser. Is Rise a change in the 1972 edition or a typo?

Subject: RE: 'The Schooner Kandahar' - source?
From: Charley Noble
Date: 29 Mar 08 - 01:41 PM

Cetmst-

Captain Frank "Risser" is correct.

Cheerily,
Charley Noble

Subject: RE: 'The Schooner Kandahar' - source?
From: gnu
Date: 29 Mar 08 - 02:45 PM

Lunenburg.... Blue Rocks... Mahone Bay... Ironbound Island... Peggy's Cove... Peggy Anne Cook.... ahhh, the memories of my youth.
Absolutely beautiful.

Subject: RE: 'The Schooner Kandahar' - source?
From: GUEST,Heather-Anne Getson
Date: 31 Mar 08 - 09:14 AM

You are all absolutely wonderful!! Thank you so very much. I hope to include a short article about the song in our newsletter, "Dorymates", and eventually have a small display about traditional songs.

Our website is http://fisheries.museum.gov.ns.ca and my blog (not as regular as the title "Daily Blog" suggests), is http://www.fisheries-museum.blogspot.com/

I may do a short piece about the vessel Kandahar, based on the song and the local belief that three "a's" in a name brought good luck.

On a personal note, I'm glad to have the identification of Captain Frank Risser confirmed. It would have looked quite selfish, on my part, if the singer had been Frank M. Risser ~ he was my father!

Subject: RE: 'The Schooner Kandahar' - source?
From: GUEST
Date: 04 Apr 08 - 08:32 AM

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