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Origins: Survivor Leave (Ken Stephens) |
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Subject: ADD: Survivor Leave (Ken Stephens) From: Bugsy Date: 31 Oct 22 - 01:13 AM I came across this powerful song in another thread and wondered if anyone knew the background to this song. Not the meaning of "Survivor Leave", but the narrative of the song. Is it based on a particular tragedy, or a generalization. SURVIVOR LEAVE (Ken Stephens)(Ken Stevens) I never really reckoned the ship would die in seconds - No time to think or fight or even grieve - And for some the smoke and fire became a funeral pyre, And I'm lucky to be on survivor leave. CHORUS: Survivor leave, survivor leave, And I'm lucky to be on survivor leave. It isn't so surprising when you scan the bare horizon And death's arrived before you've time to breathe. Ship's discipline can't waver when there's no way left to save her, And I'm lucky to be on survivor leave. Now, me mates that caught the blow never had a chance to know, And the aftermath just makes my stomach heave. We could only call the roll, and attempt some fire control, And I'm lucky to be on survivor leave. Now, those moments of pure strife, they're going to last me all my life, Though the family's glad I've got this special leave. There's nothing more I'm dreading, now I've come from Armageddon, And I'm lucky to be on survivor leave. Oh, there's got to be a reason to heal all the hurts and lesions, On the killing ground, it's too bad to believe. What's the use of disagreeing, when you're fighting and not seeing, And the whole world can't be on survivor leave? (Final chorus, sung twice:) Survivor leave, survivor leave, And the whole world can't be on survivor leave. Cheers Bugsy Boarding Party Recording: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_x_K8sgDcpQ |
Subject: RE: Origins: Survivor leave -Ken Steven From: DaveRo Date: 31 Oct 22 - 03:54 AM I googled 'survivor leave' and came across this from Hansard - the record of the House of Commons, 1939: TORPEDOED SHIPS (SURVIVORS' LEAVE). |
Subject: RE: Origins: Survivor leave -Ken Steven From: cnd Date: 31 Oct 22 - 08:09 AM Here is a link to a short bio of Ken Stevens. Here is the notes on the song from Fair Winds and a Following Sea by The Boarding Party (Folk-Legacy FLG00109) In August of 1982 we spent a few weeks touring England and Wales, performing in folk clubs and festivals. It was raining when we drove into Portsmouth for a concert that night, and took a ride down by the harbor where the ships of the Royal Navy had returned only a few days earlier from participating in the Falkland Islands crisis. The battered vessels appeared to show signs of damage considerably more extensive than had been reported by newspapers in the United States.(link) |
Subject: RE: Origins: Survivor leave -Ken Steven From: Charley Noble Date: 06 Nov 22 - 08:37 PM cnd, You certainly have that right. The song was inspired by the Falklands War but resonates with the sea battles in all previous wars. Great song! Charlie Ipcar |
Subject: RE: Origins: Survivor leave -Ken Steven From: Herga Kitty Date: 08 Nov 22 - 10:48 AM It might help if Ken Stephens' name was spelt correctly in the title of this thread - could a Mudelf please oblige.... ? Kitty |
Subject: RE: Origins: Survivor leave -Ken Steven From: Bugsy Date: 14 Nov 22 - 11:11 PM Herga Kitty, that's the spelling I was given with the lyrics. I've been trying to google him without much success, only finding the lyrics again. is he from UK, Canada or USA? CHeers Bugsy |
Subject: RE: Origins: Survivor leave -Ken Steven From: The Sandman Date: 15 Nov 22 - 05:13 AM He was from the UK, he played concertina [anglo] I knew him and his wife Lee, I Thin he was from either Portsmouth or Southampton. He was a friendly pleasant man and a good performer. I have a recollection of playing music and he joined in with a harmonica |
Subject: RE: Origins: Survivor Leave (Ken Stevens/Stephens) From: Joe Offer Date: 15 Nov 22 - 05:32 AM Folk-Legacy has the name as Ken Stevens in the album notes. The Miskinfok Website refers to the songwriter as both Ken Stephens and Ken Stevens. So, I'll include both in the thread title. -Joe- |
Subject: RE: Origins: Survivor Leave (Ken Stevens/Stephens) From: The Sandman Date: 15 Nov 22 - 05:43 AM He and Lee ran a folk club, which I played at. In correspondence betwen us , I am fairly sure he signed Ken Stephens. He was playing at Harwich Shanty Festival in 2021. |
Subject: RE: Origins: Survivor Leave (Ken Stevens/Stephens) From: Herga Kitty Date: 16 Nov 22 - 06:48 PM Definitely Stephens, and I've seen him recently. He lives in Southampton and has written a number of songs including Herzogin Cecile and Rattling Winches as well as Survivor Leave. Kitty |
Subject: RE: Origins: Survivor Leave(Ken Stephens-alt: Stevens) From: Joe Offer Date: 16 Nov 22 - 06:54 PM Thanks, Kitty. Stephens it is. But since Folk-Legacy and Smithsonian Folkways identify him as "Stevens," I'm going to leave the alternate spelling of "Ken Stevens" for the benefit of those who search for the name under that spelling - this incorrect spelling skipped past even the very watchful eyes of the legendary Sandy Paton, who published the recording. |
Subject: RE: Origins: Survivor Leave (Ken Stevens/Stephens) From: Bugsy Date: 16 Nov 22 - 06:57 PM Thanks everyone for the background on Ken Stephens Cheers Bugsy |
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