Lyr/Tune Add: Young Oysterman

Subject: Lyr/Tune Add: THE TALL YOUNG OYSTERMAN (O W Holmes
From: MMario
Date: 12 Jun 00 - 02:03 PM

THE TALL YOUNG OYSTERMAN
Oliver Wendell Holmes


There was a Tall Young Oysterman, lived by the river side,
His shop was built upon the bank, his boat was on the tide,
The daughter of a fisherman, that was so tall and slim,
Liv'd over on the other side, right opposite to him.


It was this pensive Oysterman that saw a lovely maid,
One moonlight evening, a setting in the shade,
He saw her wave her handkerchief, as much as if to say,
There's plenty time for courting, and daddy's gone away.

Uprose this pensive Oysterman, and to himself, said he,
I'd better leave my boat behind for fear that folks should see,
I've read it in a story book that for to kiss his dear,
Leander swam the Hellespont, and I will swim this here.

Then he popped into the waves, and then he crossed the stream,
And then he clamber'd up the rocks all in the moonlight's beam,
But the moon that instant shone out bright, be sure it was a sin,
Soon they heard the daddy's step, and he pop's in again.

Up spoke the ancient fisherman, what was that my daughter,
'Twas nothing but a brickbat sir, that I chuck'd in the water,
But what is that funny thing that paddles off so fast,
It's nothing but a porpoise sir, that's been swimming past.

Out spoke the ancient fisherman, get me my harpoon,
I'll get into my fishing boat and fix the fellow soon;
Down falls the lovely damsel, as falls a slaughter'd flock,
Her hair drop'd round her pallid cheeks like sea-weed on a rock.

Alas, for these loving ones, she woke not from her swoon,
And he was taken with the cramp and in the water drown,
But fate had metamorphosed them, in pity of their woe,
Now they keep an oyster shep for mermaids down below.

And for this ancient fisherman that caused their sad fate,
The grief that fill'd his bleeding heart was horrid to relate,
He threw his harpoon on the ground close by his daughters side,
And then he popp'd into the waves, kick'd the bucket and died.

---

Click to play (Oyster 1)

ABC format:

X:1
T:The Tall Young Oysterman
M:4/4
Q:1/4=120
K:D
A8|A3AB2c2|d2d3/2e/2c3c|d2A2F2A2|E6A2|^G3^GA2B2|
c3BA3A|B2F2^G2AB|A6A2|G2A2F2A2|G3FE2A2|G2A2F2A2|
F6AG|F3GABcd|e3cA3A|d3de3e|f6AG|F3GABcd|g3ec2A2|
d3dc2d3/2e/2|d7/2||

---

or the other tune I've found so far…..

Click to play (Oyster 2)

ABC format:

X:1
T:The Tall Young Oysterman
M:4/4
Q:1/4=120
K:G
G/2A/2BDDG/2A/2BDD|-D/2G/2c3/2B/2AGBA2|G/2A/2BDDG/2A/2B3/2D/2D|
-D/2B/2A3/2F/2G3/2E/2D3|de3/2d/2B3/2d/2e3/2d/2B|
-B/2d/2edBGBA2|G/2A/2BDDG/2A/2BDD|dedcAAG7/4||

Subject: ADD Version: The Young Oysterman
From: Joe Offer
Date: 20 Dec 04 - 03:10 PM

Hey, MMario, do you happen to remember where you found this one? Here's a slightly different version from Sigmund Spaeth's Read 'Em and Weep: The Songs You Forgot to Remember (1927). I wonder if we can find a text that we can verify as the version Holmes wrote.

THE YOUNG OYSTERMAN

There was a tall young oysterman lived by the riverside,
His shop it was upon the bank, his boat was on the tide,
The daughter of a fisherman, that was so straight and slim,
Liv'd over on the other bank, right opposite to him.

It was the pensive oysterman, that saw a lovely maid,
Upon a moonlight evening, a-sitting in the shade;
He saw her wave her handkerchief, as much as if to say,
"I'm wide awake, young oysterman, and all the folks away."

Then up arose the oysterman, and to himself said he,
"I guess I'll leave the skiff at home, for fear the folks should see,
I read it in the story book, that, for to kiss his dear,
Leander swam the Hellespont, and I will swim this here."

And he has leaped into the waves and crossed the shining stream,
And he has clambered up the bank, all in the moonlight gleam;
Oh, there were kisses sweet as dew, and words as soft as rain;
But they have heard her father's step, and in he leaps again!

Out spake the ancient fisherman— " Oh what was that, my daughter?"
"Twas nothing but a pebble, sir, I threw into the water."
"And what is that, pray tell me, love, that paddles off so fast?"
"It's nothing but a porpoise, sir, that's been a-swimming past."

Out spoke the ancient fisherman, "Now bring me my harpoon!
I'll get into my fishing boat, and fix the fellow soon."
Down fell that pretty innocent, as falls a snow-white lamb,
Her hair drooped round her pallid cheeks, like sea-weed on a clam.

Alas for those two loving ones! She waked not from her swound.
And he was taken with the cramp, and in the waves was drowned;
But Fate has metamorphosed them, in pity of their woe,
And now they keep an oyster shop, for mermaids down below.

Spaeth's notes:

The conversational ballad type is preserved in a gently humorous poem, "The Young Oysterman," by Oliver Wendell Holmes, originally having a tune of its own with a refrain:
With a Rook-chee-took, che-took-che-took-che,
Whack! Fol-lo! diddle-lol la day.
But it can be sung most effectively to the old Gambolier melody ("I'm a Rambling Wreck from Georgia Tech").

Or, if you like, you could sing it to the Boy Scout tune for Dunderbeck. My work on Dunderbeck is how I got here to the poor Oysterman.
-Joe Offer-