Lyr Req: F223 (Roy Jones)

Subject: F223 lyrics - the author?
From: GUEST,Pete Watkinson - Portsmouth Shantyman
Date: 28 Mar 11 - 01:14 PM

We have the words and our recollection of the tune what we don't have is who wrote it. It was collected from Loraine who we used to see at many song festivals but now not for some time. We know that the writer saw a photograph showing a man standing alone on a dockside gazing at a solitary fishing boat. There was no more detail, only the number on the side of the boat– F223 - can anyone help?

Subject: RE: F223 lyrics
From: GUEST,999
Date: 28 Mar 11 - 01:45 PM

Roy Jones maybe?

Subject: RE: F223 lyrics
From: Jeri
Date: 28 Mar 11 - 02:25 PM

"We have the words ..."
It would be a lot more helpful if you could post what you have.

The likelihood of us recognizing a song is better that recognizing a photo someone else saw once upon a time, once upon a place.

Subject: RE: F223 lyrics
From: Snuffy
Date: 29 Mar 11 - 08:13 AM

It was indeed written by Roy Jones. I have heard both Roy and Sue sing it.

Subject: RE: F223 lyrics
From: Les from Hull
Date: 29 Mar 11 - 09:07 AM

F is the fishing registration letter for Faversham.

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: F223 (Roy Jones)
From: Jim Dixon
Date: 30 Mar 11 - 07:35 PM

Colin and Karen Thompson perform F223 by Roy Jones on their album "Time and Tide" (2001). There is a 1:10 sample on their web site. (Click to play.) I listened, but I find it very hard to understand.

Subject: Lyr Add: F223 (Roy Jones)
From: GUEST,Sue Jones
Date: 10 Apr 11 - 08:43 PM

Roy and I do indeed sing it. Roy wrote it after seeing a picture in a book "Photograms of the Year" in the public library and it was chosen by the Guardian photo editor. Roy wrote the song, c1992, while walking home from the library in about 45 minutes. It was one of those songs, the Muse descended. After writing the song he needed a title and returned to the library to see if the boat had a name, hoping for "Queen of the Minches" or something similarly romantic, but the only identification on the photograph was F223, hence the title of the song. Karen and Colin Thompson recorded it on their album "Time and Tide" and it was also donated to a couple of charities in Lincolnshire and Hull for their fund raising CDs. Roy wrote it as an unaccompanied song but Colin Thompson added his excellent guitar to it. Do NOT attempt this guitar part without the aid of a safety net as Colin is very very good. Roy says please feel free to sing it to your heart's content but with feeling, as it is a love song.

F223
(Roy Jones)

Take down the lights lads now they're just keepsakes
The wheel's pinned to the bar room wall
The wheel house bound now for the skip mates
Let go the grab and watch it fall.

Chorus
And the daylight fades along the sea wall
The waves break on my stupid heart
As this day ends it leaves a gap now
Never drawn upon my charts.

She's all alone now at the quay side
There's not one other smack in sight
We'll stand and watch the last tide turning
We'll stand together one last night.

Chorus

In the morning she'll be gone then
And with her how I used to be
She's more than food and warmth and shelter
She's my sweet mistress of the sea.

Chorus

I'd rather take her by her moorings
And swimming tow her far from shore
And when we reach the shining home grounds,
We'll follow the nets and rise no more.

Chorus

Take down the lights lads now they're just keepsakes
The wheel's pinned to the bar room wall
The wheel house bound now for the skip mates
Let go the grab and watch it fall.

And the daylight fades along the sea wall
The waves break on my stupid heart
As this day ends it leaves a gap now
Never drawn upon my charts
As this day ends it leaves a gap now.

Subject: RE: F223 lyrics
From: GUEST,Pete Watkinson - Portsmouth Shantyman
Date: 15 Apr 11 - 05:05 PM

Thanks 999. we now know that to be spot on.

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: F223 (Roy Jones)
From: GUEST,Pete Watkinson - Portsmouth Shantyman
Date: 16 Apr 11 - 12:30 AM

Strange. When I opened the thread last night it showed no progress since 28th March. Now I see 'tis all there. Thank you to you all.

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: F223 (Roy Jones)
From: GUEST,sue Jones
Date: 30 Apr 11 - 08:12 PM

I sang it at Banbury Song and Ale weekend and afterwards was alerted to this thread by a Mudcatter there.

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: F223 (Roy Jones)
From: AmandaLynne Music
Date: 01 May 11 - 07:27 PM

A very beautiful sing indeed Sue..I look forward to hearing you sing it again some day soon

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: F223 (Roy Jones)
From: GUEST
Date: 03 Nov 11 - 08:21 AM

Thanks Lynne. Roy will probably be singing it at Banbury on Saturday and thanks to Portsmouth Shantymen for the copy of the CD.

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: F223 (Roy Jones)
From: GUEST
Date: 23 Dec 11 - 08:56 AM

Many thanks for the copy of the Portsmouth Shanty Men's CD with their rendition of F223.

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: F223 (Roy Jones)
From: GUEST
Date: 07 Dec 15 - 06:24 PM

A friend who recorded it has posted it on You Tube now sung by Karen Thompson and guitar by Colin Thompson. :-)https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mjhIGbFnVNg&feature=share

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: F223 (Roy Jones)
From: GUEST,#
Date: 07 Dec 15 - 06:55 PM

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mjhIGbFnVNg&feature=share

What a beautiful song. So well sung and played. Wow.