Lyr Req: William Howell's Mermaid Child #289

Subject: Lyr Req: William Howell's Mermaid Child #289
From: Roberto
Date: 29 Jan 04 - 10:01 AM

Just a detail. In the mate and bosun stanzas, what I understand is "she had a wife", insted of I have, or had. Would somebody help me complete correctly this text? It's from Classic Ballads of Britain and Ireland, Storytelling Ballads as included in Francis James Child's English & Scottish Popular Ballads, Volume 2, Rounder 11661-1776-2 (ballad recorded 1953). Thank you. R

Up spake the captain of our gallant ship
A goodly speaking captain was he
I have a wife in Fishguard town
This night she'll he weeping for me, for me, for me
This night she'll he weeping for me

And the stormy wynds do blow, blow, blow
In the winter we'll have snow, snow, snow
And our gallont ship, lying down to the breeze
And the landlubbers lying down below, below, below
And the landlubbers lying down below

And up spake the mate of our gallant ship
A goodly speaking mate was he
She had a wife in Milford town
This night she'll he weeping for me, for me, for me
This night she'll he weeping for me

And the stormy wynds do blow, blow, blow
In the winter we'll have snow, snow, snow
And our gallont ship, lying down to the breeze
And the landlubbers lying down below, below, below
And the landlubbers lying down below

And up spake -who shall we have now?- the bosun of our gallant ship
A goodly speaking bosun was he
She had a wife in Pembroke town
This night she'll he weeping for me, for me, for me
This night she'll he weeping for me

And the stormy wynds do blow, blow, blow
In the winter we'll have snow, snow, snow
And our gallont ship, lying down to the breeze
And the landlubbers lying down below, below, below
And the landlubbers lying down below

Spoken:
And so it continues — through all the members of the
crew — until eventually they reach the cook. And the
cook was not a "goodly speaking" man, according to
the end of the story, because what the cook had to say
was this:

And up spake the cook of our gallant ship
A badly speaking cook was he
He didn't care a damn for the kettle or the pan
If she sank to the bottom of the sea, the sea, the sea
If she sank to the bottom of the sea

And the stormy wynds do blow, blow, blow
In the winter we'll have snow, snow, snow
And our gallont ship, lying down to the breeze
And the landlubbers lying down below, below, below
And the landlubbers lying down below

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: William Howell's Mermaid Child #289
From: GUEST,MMario
Date: 29 Jan 04 - 10:11 AM

This is the text I have for Child 289

CHILD 289A

AS we lay musing in our beds,
So well and so warm at ease,
I thought upon those lodging-beds
Poor seamen have at seas.

Last Easter day, in the morning fair,
We was not far from land,
Where we spied a mermaid on the rock,
With comb and glass in hand.

The first came up the mate of our ship,
With lead and line in hand,
To sound and see how deep we was
From any rock or sand.

The next came up the boatswain of our ship,
With courage stout and bold:
`Stand fast, stand fast, my brave lively lads,
Stand fast, my brave hearts of gold!'

Our gallant ship is gone to wreck,
Which was so lately trimmd;
The raging seas has sprung a leak,
And the salt water does run in.

Our gold and silver, and all our cloths,
And all that ever we had,
We forced was to heave them overboard,
Thinking our lives to save.

In all, the number that was on board
Was five hundred and sixty-four,
And all that ever came alive on shore
There was but poor ninety-five.

The first bespoke the captain of our ship,
And a well-spoke man was he;
`I have a wife in fair Plymouth town,
And a widow I fear she must be.'

The next bespoke the mate of our ship,
And a well-bespoke man was he;
`I have a wife in fair Portsmouth,
And a widow I fear she must be.'

The next bespoke the boatswain of our ship,
And a well-bespoke man was he;
`I have a wife in fair Exeter,
And a widow I fear she must be.'

The next bespoke the little cabbin-boy,
And a well-bespoke boy was he;
`I am as sorry for my mother dear
As you are for your wives all three.

`Last night, when the moon shin'd bright,
My mother had sons five,
But now she may look in the salt seas
And find but one alive.'

`Call a boat, call a boat, you little Plymouth boys,
Don't you hear how the trumpets sound?
For the want of our boat our gallant ship is lost,
And the most of our merry men is drownd.'

Whilst the raging seas do roar,
And the lofty winds do blow,
And we poor seamen do lie on the top,
Whilst the landmen lies below.


CHILD 289B

ONE Friday morn when we set sail,
Not very far from land,
We there did espy a fair pretty maid
With a comb and a glass in her hand, her hand, her hand,
With a comb and a glass in her hand.
While the raging seas did roar,
And the stormy winds did blow,
While we jolly sailor-boys were up into the top,
And the land-lubbers lying down below, below, below,
And the land-lubbers lying down below.

Then up starts the captain of our gallant ship,
And a brave young man was he:
`I've a wife and a child in fair Bristol town,
But a widow I fear she will be.'
For the raging seas, etc.

Then up starts the mate of our gallant ship,
And a bold young man was he:
`Oh! I have a wife in fair Portsmouth town,
But a widow I fear she will be.'
For the raging seas, etc.

Then up starts the cook of our gallant ship,
And a gruff old soul was he:
`Oh! I have a wife in fair Plymouth town,
But a widow I fear she will be.'

And then up spoke the little cabin-boy,
And a pretty little boy was he;
`Oh! I am more grievd for my daddy and my mammy
Than you for your wives all three.'

Then three times round went our gallant ship,
And three times round went she;
For the want of a life-boat they all went down,
And she sank to the bottom of the sea.


CHILD 289C

ONE Friday morn as we'd set sail,
And our ship not far from land,
We there did espy a fair mermaid,
With a comb and a glass in her hand, her hand, her hand,
With a comb and a glass in her hand.
While the raging seas did roar,
And the stormy winds did blow,
And we jolly sailor-boys were up, up aloft,
And the landsmen were lying down below,
And the landlubbers all down below, below, below,
And the landlubbers all down below.

Then up spoke the captain of our gallant ship,
Who at once did our peril see;
I have married a wife in fair London town,
And tonight she a widow will be.'

And then up spoke the litel cabin-boy,
And a fair-haired boy was he;
`I've a father and mother in fair Portsmouth town,
And this night she will weep for me.'

Now three times round goes our gallant ship,
And three times round went she;
For the want of a life-boat they all were drownd,
As she went to the bottom of the sea.


CHILD 289D

TWAS a Friday morning when we set sail,
And our ship was not far from land,
When there we spied a fair pretty maid,
With a comb and a glass in her hand.
Oh, the raging seas they did roar,
And the stormy winds they did blow,
While we poor sailor-boys were all up aloft,
And the land-lubbers lying down below, below, below,
And the land-lubbers lying down below.

Then up spoke the captain of our gallant ship,
And a mariner good was he;
`I have married a wife in fair London town,
And this night a widow she will be.'

Then up spoke the cabin-boy of our gallant ship,
And a brave little boy was he;
`I've a father and a mother in old Portsmouth town,
And this night they will both weep for me.'

Then up spoke a seaman of our gallant ship,
And a well-spoken man was he;
`For want of a long-boat we shall all be drowned,
And shall sink to the bottom of the sea.'

Then three times round went that gallant ship,
And down like a stone sank she;
The moon shone bright, and the stars gave their light,
But they were all at the bottom of the sea.


CHILD 289E

UP and spoke the bonny mermaid,
Wi the comb and the glass in her hand;
Says, Cheer up your hearts, my mariners all,
You are not very far from the land.
And the raging seas do foam, foam,
And the stormy winds do blow,
While we poor sailors must mount to the top,
When the landsmen they lye low.

Out and spoke the captain of our ship,
And a fine little man was he;
`O I've a wife in fair London town,
And a widow this night she shall be.'

Out and spoke the mate of our ship,
And a tight little man was he;
`O I've a wife in Dublin city,
And a widow this night she shall be.'

Out and spoke our second mate,
And a clever little man was he;
`Oh I have a wife in Greenoch town,
And a widow this night she shall be.'

Out and spoke our little prentice boy,
And a fine little boy was he;
`Oh I am sorry for my mother,' he said,
`As you are for your wives all three.'

Out and spoke the cook of our ship,
And a rusty old dog was he;
Says, I am as sorry for my pats and my pans
As you are for your wives all three.


CHILD 289F

GREENLAND, Greenland, is a bonny, bonny place,
Whare there's neither grief nor flowr,
Whare there's neither grief nor tier to be seen,
But hills and frost and snow.

Up starts the kemp o the ship,
Wi a psalm-book in his hand:
`Swoom away, swoom away, my merry old boys,
For you'll never see dry land.'

Up starts the gaucy cook,
And a weil gaucy cook was he;
`I wad na gie aw my pans and my kettles
For aw the lords in the sea.'

Up starts the kemp o the ship,
Wi a bottle and a glass intil his hand;
`Swoom away, swoom away, my merry old sailors,
For you'll never see dry land.'

O the raging seas they row, row, row,
The stormy winds do blow,
As sune as he had gane up to the tap,
As . . . low.




checking Bronson

Subject: Lyr/Tune Add: MERMAID / OUR GALLANT SHIP Child#289
From: GUEST
Date: 13 Feb 04 - 12:49 PM

THE MERMAID
Bronson 289.2
Duncan
Sung by Mrs. John Milne 1905
learned in girlhood

Three time roun' went our gallant ship,
and three time roun' went she;
Three times roun' went our gallant ship,
Till she sank to the bottom o' the sea, the sea, the sea,
Till she sank to the bottom o' the sea.

When the stormy seas do roar,
And the stormy winds do blow
And we jolly sailors are toiling up aloft,
While the landlubbers lie down below, below, below,
While the landlubbers lie down below.


OUR GALLANT SHIP
Bronson 289.25
Barry Eckstorm and Smyth
sint in by Mrs. James McGill
learned in scotland

On a stormy sea as we set sail
not far, nor far from land
...
...

Up spoke the Captain of our gallant ship
and a fine old man was he,
O I had a wife in auld Edinboro toon,
and this nicht she'll be lookin' for me, for me, for me,
and this nicht she'll be lookin' for me.
She may look, she may sigh wi' a watery eye,
She may look tae the bottom of the sea, the sea, the sea,
She may look tae the bottom o' the sea.

Then Up soke the mate o' our gallant ship,
an' a brave young man was he,
O I had a wife in fair Edinborol toon,
an' this nicht she'll be lookin' for me, etc.

The up spoke the cabin boy on our gallant ship,
An' a fine wee boy was he,
O I had a sweetheart in aul Edinboro toon,
an' this nicht she'll be lookin for me, etc.

Then up spoke the cook on our gallant ship,
An' a cross old cook was he,
O I hae mair bother wi' ma keetles, pots and pans,
Then ye wil your wives all three, etc.

The three times round went our gallant little ship
An' three time round went she.
An three time round went the gallant little ship,
an' she sank to the bottom of the sea!


THE MERMAID
Bronson 289.30
Sung by A. J. ford 1937
Collewcted by S. R. Cowell


It was Friday morning when we set sail
and we were not far from the land
when the Captain spied a fair mermaind
With acomb and a glass in her hand

Chorus:
O the ocean waves may roll,
And the stormy winds may blow,
While we poor sailors go skipping to the tops
and the landlubbers lie down below.

Well, up spoke the Captain of our gallant ship
And a well-spoken man was ge,
I've married a wife in Salem town
And tonight she a widow will be.

then up spoke the Cook of our gallant ship,
And a red-hot cook was he,
I care much more for my kettles and my pans
than I do for the depths of the sea.

Then three times round went our gallant ship
and three times round went she,
then three time round went our gallant ship
and she sank to the depths of the sea.



THE MERMAID
Bronson 289.40
Sung by Emma Dusenbury 1936
Collected by Sidney Robertson Cowell and Laurece Powell

As I sailed out one Friday night
I was not fur from land
When I spied a pretty girl a-ciombing up her hair
With a comb and a glass in her hand.

Chorus:
And the sea is ar-roar,roar,roar,
And the stormy winds may blow,
while us poor sailor boys are climbing up the mask,
And the landlord a-lying down below.

Up stepped the captain of our gallant ship
A well spoken captain was he,
Saying we're all lost for the want of a boat,
And will sink to the bottom of the sea.

Up stepped the mate of our gallant ship,
A well spoken mate was he,
Saying we're all lost for the want of a boat,
And will sink to the bottom of the sea.

I have a wife and children three,
This night they're looking for me
The may look they may wait till the cold water tise
They may look to the bottom of the sea.

I have a mother and sisters three,
This night they're waiting for me,
they may look, they may wait till the cold water rise,
They may look to the bottom of the sea.


X:289.2
T:The Mermaid
C:Sung by Mrs. John Milne -1905
N:Duncan
I:abc2nwc
M:4/4
L:1/8
K:C
G G G E|D C3/2 C/2 C2"^|"G2A2G2c2A2|
G6z2"^|"c2c2c2E2|(F E) F G A2"^|"c3/2 A/2|
G2E3/2 F/2 G E D3/2 C/2|C3/2 D/2 E F (G c) "^|"B A|
G2E3/2 F/2 G E D3/2 C/2|C6"^|"E3/2 F/2|
G3E (G E) D2|C6"^|"G G|A2F2c2A2|
G6"^|"G2|c2c c c c E2|F E F G A2"^|"c3/2 A/2|G2E F (G E) D3/2 C/2|
C3/2 D/2 E3/2 F/2 (G/2 c3/2) "^|"B3/2 A/2|G2E F (G E) D3/2 C/2|C6z2

X:289.25
T:Our Gallant Ship
C:scotland
N:Barry, Eckstorm and Smyth
I:abc2nwc
M:4/4
L:1/8
K:C
z6C2|E2G G (F E) D C|[M:5/4](E D) (E F) G4"^|"A B|
[M:4/4]c2(B A) G2(C D)|C6"^|"C C|E2G G F (E D) C|
[M:5/4](E D) E F G4"^|"A B|c2B A G2B, D|C6D E|F G4z"^|"A B|
c2B A G2B, D|C6"^|"C C|E2G G (F E) D C|[M:5/4](E D) E F G4"^|"A B|
[M:4/4]c2B A G E D C|C D E F G4"^|"A B|c2B A G E B, D|C6z2


X:289.30
T:The Mermaid
C:Sung by A. J. Ford - 1937
I:abc2nwc
M:4/4
L:1/8
K:G
z6G A|B2B2G3G|A (G F) E D2"^|"D3/2 D/2|E2E2F2F3/2 F/2|
G6"^|"D D|B2B2G3G|(A G) (F E) D2"^|"D D|E2E3/2 E/2 F2F3/2 F/2|
G6"^|"E E|D2D2E2D2|G6"^|"G A|B2B2B2G2|A7"^|"A|B2B2G G2G|
A G F E D2"^|"D3/2 D/2|E2E E F2F3/2 F/2|G6z2



X:289.35
T:The Mermaid
C:no text - Tune noted by William Oliver 1855
N:Telfer:
I:abc2nwc
M:4/4
L:1/8
K:F
z6A B|c2B A d2A B|c B A G A2"^|"G E|
c2B A d2c B|A6"^|"A B|c2B A d2A B|c B A G G A "^|
"B G|A2D2F2E D|C2D2E2"^|"c B|A2D2F G F E|D4z4|]


X:289.40
T:The Mermaid
C:Sung by Emma Dusenbury 1936
I:abc2nwc
M:4/4
L:1/8
K:F
G2G A B2(B A)|G2c2c3"^|"c|
d2d (d f2)d|c6"^|"d d|
f2A A B2B A|G2A2B2c3"^|"c|
d2d2B2A A|G8|B3B A2B A|G2G2G2"^|"B c|
d3d f2d2|c6"^|"d d|
f2A2B B B A|G2(A B) c2"^|"c c|
d2d2B2A A|G8

Subject: Lyr Add: THE MERMAID ('Friday morning we set sail'
From: Jim Dixon
Date: 15 Mar 04 - 09:37 AM

From a 19th-century songsheet (broadside) at The Library of Congress American Memory Collection:

THE MERMAID

One Friday morning we set sail;
It was not far from land,
Where I espied a fair mermaid
With a comb and glass in hand.

The stormy winds they did blow,
The raging winds do blow,
While we, poor sailors, go up to the top,
And the land lubbers down below.

The boatswain at the helm stands,
Steering his course right well,
With tears a standing in his eyes,
Saying: How the seas do swell!

Then up spoke a man of our gallant ship,
And a well spoken man was he:
I have married a wife in fair New-York town,
And this night she a widow will be.

Then up spoke a boy of our gallant ship,
And a well spoken boy was he:
I've a father and mother in fair Boston town,
And this night they will weep for me.

Then up spoke the captain of our gallant ship,
And a valiant man was he:
For the want of a long-boat we all shall be drown'd,
And sink to the bottom of the sea.

Now the moon shone bright and the stars gave light,
And my mother is looking for me;
She may look, she may weep with a watery eye,
She may look to the bottom of the sea.

Now three times around went our gallant ship,
And three times around went she:
And three times around went our gallant ship,
When she sunk to the bottom of the sea.

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: William Howell's Mermaid Child #289
From: GUEST,museita
Date: 31 Oct 11 - 08:06 PM

Learned in Brisbane, Australia ca 1944 from a school songbook of traditional UK songs.

One Friday morning when we set sail on our ship not far from land.
'twas there we espied a fair pretty maid
With a comb and a glass in her hand, her hand, her hand,
With a comb and a glass in her hand.

Chorus:
And the raging seas did roar-or-oar (sung up the octave)
And the stormy wynds did blow
And we jolly sailorboys
were up, were up aloft
And the landlubbers lying down
below, below, below
And the landlubbers lying down below.

Then upspake the captain of our gallant ship
And an upright man was he,
I have married a wife in fair Bristol town,
And tonight she a widow will be, will be, will be
And tonight she a widow will be.

Then uspake the mate of our gallant ship
And fair spoken man was he
I have left me a sweetheart in fair London town,
And tonight she will weep, will weep for me, for me for me
And tonight she will weep, will weep for me.

And then upspake the little cabin boy
And very brave boy was he,
I've a mother and father in fair Boston town,
And tonight they will wait, will wait for me, for me, for me
And tonight they will wait, will wait for me.

Then three times round went our gallant ship,
And three times round went she,
And three times round went our gallant ship
As she sank to the bottom of the sea, the sea, the sea
And she sank to the bottom of the sea.

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: William Howell's Mermaid Child #289
From: kendall
Date: 07 Jul 19 - 05:00 PM

Sorry but none of these is what I'm looking for.

Just as well, that one is just plain nasty. imagine that...a dirty sailor song.:-)

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: William Howell's Mermaid Child #289
From: GUEST,maeve
Date: 07 Jul 19 - 05:22 PM

For Kendall:
A Clean Song by Oscar Brand

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: William Howell's Mermaid Child #289
From: kendall
Date: 08 Jul 19 - 08:03 PM

thats the nasty one I couldn't remember. (Such a loss) :-)