Lyr Add: Shipmates-1914 (C. Fox Smith)

Subject: Lyr Add: Shipmates-1914 (C. Fox Smith)
From: Charley Noble
Date: 13 Jan 06 - 03:40 PM

There are two poems by Cicely Fox Smith entitled "Shipmates." This one is a farewell poem for a good friend who's outward bound but that she hopes to see again. There is speculation that CFS was in love with one of her primary informants, a shantyman by the name of Dan who is featured in more of her poems than anyone else. When this poem was written I would further speculate that she didn't know she'd never see him again. It is likely that Dan was lost at sea as described in a later poem the "Lee Fore Brace."

Here's the original poem:

Poem by Cicely Fox Smith, 1914, from SONGS & CHANTIES: 1914-1916, edited by Cicely Fox Smith, pub. by Elkin Mathews, London, © 1919, pp. 25-26

Shipmates (1914)

Good-bye and fare ye well; for we'll sail no more together,
Broad seas and narrow in fair or foul weather:
We'll sail no more together in foul weather or fine,
And ye'll go your own way, and I'll go mine.

O the seas are very wide, and there's never any knowing
The countries we'll see or the ports where we'll be going,
All across the wide world, up and down the sea,
Before we come together, as at last may be.

Good-bye and fare ye well – and maybe I'll be strolling
And watching the ships there and the crews a-coaling,
In a queer foreign city and a gay gaudy street;
And who but yourself will I chance for to meet?

You'll blow up from Eastward, and I'll blow in from the West,
And of all the times we ever had, it's then we'll have the best,
Back from deep sea wanderings, back from wind and weather,
You and me from all the seas, two friends together!

Good-bye and fare ye well: may naught but good attend ye
All across the wide world where sailor's luck may send ye,
Up and down the deep seas, north and south the Line,
And ye'll go your own way, and I'll go mine!

Here's how I've adapted it for singing (copy and paste into WORD/TIMES/12 to line up the chords):

Poem by Cicely Fox Smith, 1914, from SONGS & CHANTIES: 1914-1916,
edited by Cicely Fox Smith, pub. by Elkin Mathews, London, © 1919, pp. 25-26
Adapted by Charles Ipcar 1/13/06
Tune: after the chorus of Gina Dunlap's version of "River Lea"
Key: F (5/C)

SHIPMATESs (1914)

F-----C---------G------C------------------------F-----C--G
Good-bye and fare ye well, for we'll sail no more to-gether,
C-------------------------------------------F----C--G
Up and down the deep seas, in fair or foul-est weather:
-------C------------------------G—C—F-------C--G
We'll sail no more together, in foul weather or fine,
-----C----G--C----F---------C-G--F
And ye'll go your way, and I'll go mine;
-----C----G--C---F----------C--G-F
And ye'll go your way, and I'll go mine.

Oh the seas are very wide, and there's never any knowing
The countries we'll be seeing, or the ports where we'll be going,
All across the wide world, back across the Line,
And ye'll go your way, and I'll go mine;
And ye'll go your way, and I'll go mine.

Good-bye and fare ye well – but maybe we'll be meeting,
In some foreign city, where we'll shout each other greetings;
Back from deep sea roving, back from wind and weather,
You and me from cross the seas, two shipmates together,
You and me from cross the seas, two shipmates together!

You'll blow up from Eastward, and I'll blow in from the West,
And of all the times we ever had, it's then we'll have the best,
We'll raise a glass and sing our songs, and all things will be fine –
Then ye'll go your way, and I'll go mine,
Then ye'll go your way, and I'll go mine.

So good-bye and fare ye well: may naught but good attend ye
All across the wide world, where sailor's luck may send ye,
Up and down the deep seas, back across the Line,
And ye'll go your way, and I'll go mine!
And ye'll go your way, and I'll go mine!

This one is quite fresh and will probably change as I sing it more.

Cheerily,
Charley Noble

Subject: RE: Lyr Add: Shipmates-1914 (C. Fox Smith)
From: Charley Noble
Date: 13 Jan 06 - 03:44 PM

Here's a link back to the main Cicely Fox Smith thread: Click here!

Cheerily,
Charley Noble

Subject: Lyr/Chords Add: SHIPMATES 1914 (C. Fox Smith)
From: Charley Noble
Date: 15 Jan 06 - 03:26 PM

Well, my wording has changed somewhat, as expected. Here's how I'm singing it today (copy and paste into WORD/TIMES/12 to line up chords):

Poem by Cicely Fox Smith, 1914, from SONGS & CHANTIES: 1914-1916,
edited by Cicely Fox Smith, pub. by Elkin Mathews, London, © 1919, pp. 25-26
Adapted by Charles Ipcar 1/15/06
Tune: after the chorus of Gina Dunlap's version of "River Lea"
Key: F (5/C)

Shipmates (1914)


F-----C---------G------C------------------------F-----C------G
Good-bye and fare ye well, for we'll sail no more to-geth-er,
C--------------------------------G-C-----F----C---------G
Up and down the deep seas, in fair or foul-est weath-er:
-------C------------------------G-C-----------F-C--G
We'll sail no more together, in foul weath-er or fine,
-----C----G--C----F----------C--G--F
And you'll go your way, and I'll go mine,
-----C----G--C---F-----------C--G--F
And you'll go your way, and I'll go mine.

Oh the seas are very wide, and there's never any knowing –
The countries we'll be seeing, or the ports where we'll be going;
All around the wide world, back across the Line,
And you'll go your way, and I'll go mine,
And you'll go your way, and I'll go mine.

Good-bye and fare ye well – but maybe we'll be meeting,
In some foreign city, where we'll shout each other greetings;
Back from deep sea roving, back from wind and weather –
You and me from cross the seas, two shipmates together,
You and me from cross the seas, two shipmates together!

You'll blow up from Eastward, and I'll blow in from the West,
And of all the times we ever had, it's then we'll have the best;
We'll raise a glass and sing our songs, and all things will be fine –
Then you'll go your way, and I'll go mine,
Then you'll go your way, and I'll go mine.

So good-bye and fare ye well: may naught but good attend ye,
All around the wide world, where sailor's luck may send ye;
Up and down the deep seas, back across the Line –
And you'll go your way, and I'll go mine,
And you'll go your way, and I'll go mine!

And here's a link to my website where you can access a MP3 sample of the 1st two verses: Clink here!

The photographs with the song by the way were taken by Alan Villiers aboard the four-masted barque Parma in 1933 and feature one of the female sailor apprentices Elisabeth Jacobsen, not Cicely Fox Smith.

Cheerily,
Charley Noble

Subject: RE: Lyr Add: Shipmates-1914 (C. Fox Smith)
From: Charley Noble
Date: 15 Feb 06 - 01:27 PM

Well, maybe some additional tweaking:

Poem by Cicely Fox Smith, 1914, from SONGS & CHANTIES: 1914-1916,
edited by Cicely Fox Smith, pub. by Elkin Mathews, London, © 1919, pp. 25-26
As adapted by Charles Ipcar 1/18/06
Tune: after the chorus of Gina Dunlap's version of "River Lea" and "I Know Where I'm Going"
Key: F (5/C)

Shipmates (1914)


C---------------G------C------------------------F-----C------G
Good-bye and fare ye well, for we'll sail no more to-geth-er,
C--------------------------------G-C-----F/C---------G
Up and down the deep seas, in fair or foul weath-er:
-------C------------------------G-C-----------F-C--G
We'll sail no more together, in foul weath-er or fine,
-----C----G--C----F----------C--G--C
And you'll go your way, and I'll go mine,
-----C----G--C---F-----------C--G--C
And you'll go your way, and I'll go mine.

Oh the world is very wide, and there's never any knowing –
The countries we'll be seeing, or the ports where we'll be going;
Up and down the deep seas, back across the Line,
And you'll go your way, and I'll go mine,
And you'll go your way, and I'll go mine.

Good-bye and fare ye well – but maybe we'll be meeting,
In some foreign city, where we'll shout each other greeting;
Back from deep sea roving, back from wind and weather –
You and me from cross the seas, two shipmates together,
You and me from cross the seas, two shipmates together!

You'll blow up from Eastward, and I'll blow in from the West,
And of all the times we ever had, it's then we'll have the best;
We'll raise a glass and sing our songs, and all things will be fine –
Then you'll go your way, and I'll go mine,
Then you'll go your way, and I'll go mine.

So good-bye and fare ye well: may naught but good attend ye,
All around the wide world, where sailor's luck may send ye;
Up and down the deep seas, back across the Line –
And you'll go your way, and I'll go mine,
And you'll go your way, and I'll go mine!

The chorus is very accessible on this one and has been well received where I've sung it.

Cheerily,
Charley Noble