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14 Apr 10 - 03:35 PM (#2886631) Subject: Lyr Req: Harry Tate's Navy - John Connolly From: GUEST,Brian May (not of Queen) A friend lent me a copy of John Connolly and Bill Meek singing Humber-based folk songs. Amongst these great tracks was Harry Tate's Navy, very poignant, and it knocked me sideways. I just didn't know about these guys. Has anyone got the lyrics? I've looked in the 'normal' places, but drawn a blank so far. It sounds like the best of Eric Bogle, magnificently sincere music. Thanks |
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14 Apr 10 - 04:46 PM (#2886671) Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Harry Tate's Navy - John Connolly From: The Smiler Why dont you become a freind of John's and then you can ask him for the lyrics etc. He is a very nice guy. http://www.myspace.com/johnconolly |
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14 Apr 10 - 04:52 PM (#2886675) Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Harry Tate's Navy - John Connolly From: Brian May Ah, well I'm obviously not clever enough to have thought that one out. I've really only become aware of his music (beyond Fiddler's Green) in the last couple of days. Great idea. I've only recently re-discovered folk music, having had a 30 year or so rest (probably to give my liver a rest). Thanks, I'll take that advice and let you know. Brian |
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14 Apr 10 - 04:57 PM (#2886683) Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Harry Tate's Navy - John Connolly From: The Smiler Brian You you could have seen him live at Faldingworth, the week after MWR |
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14 Apr 10 - 05:01 PM (#2886691) Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Harry Tate's Navy - John Connolly From: The Smiler By the way it's John Conolly |
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14 Apr 10 - 05:20 PM (#2886715) Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Harry Tate's Navy - John Connolly From: Brian May Oh, busted. God I really am most naive. Hmmm, no wonder he's a nice guy . . . I also thought Fiddlers Green was an 'old' folk song as I heard it years ago by the Dubliners. We couldn't have got back to Faldingworth as we (my wife Sheena) and I were flat out ill. What a small world it is - God I really need to win that lottery as I'm sure I have an aptitude for pleasing myself . . . and learning to play the guitars I've bought myself. Les runs a nice show at Faldingworth, looks like Harvey Andrews will be our next one. Thanks for the help . . . now about those lyrics? |
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14 Apr 10 - 05:26 PM (#2886718) Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Harry Tate's Navy - John Connolly From: The Smiler Private message sent to you Brian |
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15 Apr 10 - 07:36 AM (#2887100) Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Harry Tate's Navy - John Conolly From: GUEST,Brian May Bump Still need the lyrics if anyone's got them. I've 'joined' John's 'friends' but don't know how often he visits it. Hopefully the spelling is now correct too. Regards, Brian |
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15 Apr 10 - 08:27 AM (#2887141) Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Harry Tate's Navy - John Connolly From: Charley Noble Brian- The song in question was recorded on By Humber's Brown Water: Disc 2 "Rational Anthem", track 18. Unfortunately the CD notes do not describe this song. I could transcribe the lyrics but if someone else has already done so (and would post them) I wouldn't be outraged. Cheerily, Charley Noble |
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15 Apr 10 - 09:52 AM (#2887197) Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Harry Tate's Navy - John Connolly From: Backwoodsman Without wishing to appear a smart-arse (and because I need lyrics often, so I use this method) - errrrrmm, why not listen to the song and write the lyrics down? Works every time for me! :-) :-) |
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15 Apr 10 - 10:09 AM (#2887208) Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Harry Tate's Navy - John Connolly From: The Smiler Ah but youm is literate BWM :-) |
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15 Apr 10 - 10:42 AM (#2887229) Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Harry Tate's Navy - John Connolly From: gnomad I've had a go at a transcript, but one or two words elude me, for the moment I'll not put it up. A good, poignant song remembering the work of the Royal Navy Patrol Service (also known as Churchill's Pirates) about whom more info here. According to the sleeve notes the song is, in fact, the work of Bill Meek, who sang a good deal with JC but tends to be less-known for some reason. |
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15 Apr 10 - 10:53 AM (#2887237) Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Harry Tate's Navy - John Connolly From: Backwoodsman "According to the sleeve notes the song is, in fact, the work of Bill Meek, who sang a good deal with JC but tends to be less-known for some reason." Probably because, although Bill's written some excellent stuff, he didn't write 'Fiddler's Green' and 'Punch & Judy Man', which are the two songs for which John is best known. Those of us who are privileged to know them both, can tell you that they are both very talented, very modest, very generous with their songs, and generally very nice, chaps. |
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15 Apr 10 - 12:27 PM (#2887289) Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Harry Tate's Navy - John Connolly From: Charley Noble Gnomad- Thanks for alerting the rest of us that you are hard at work. Charley Noble |
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15 Apr 10 - 12:40 PM (#2887300) Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Harry Tate's Navy - John Connolly From: dick greenhaus Just to mention, CAMSCO carries all of John's CDs. We may be the only US source, as far as I can tell. |
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15 Apr 10 - 01:25 PM (#2887324) Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Harry Tate's Navy - John Connolly From: Brian May Sorry if I ascribed the song to the wrong chap - I had viewed the sleeve notes, but only briefly. Stopping the music to write the words down (taking me back in time some 30+ years!) is an option, but knowing me, I'd do that THEN find out some kind soul will say 'why didn't you just ask'? Fortunately, I did 6 months in the RN in 1969 and got to drink kai (hot chocolate from a block). I'm also aware of Junkers, Heinkels and the italian bomber (whose words have been sneakily transposed to 'fit' - Savoia-Marchetti. Fact is, I am a lazy *******. So I shall get my 'ears' on. Thanks all for your input. This is a nice forum. |
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15 Apr 10 - 03:17 PM (#2887391) Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Harry Tate's Navy - John Connolly From: The Smiler Brian Do you by any chance have the chords and lyrics to We Will Rock You? |
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15 Apr 10 - 04:00 PM (#2887407) Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Harry Tate's Navy - John Connolly From: Brian May Touche Smiler ;o) |
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15 Apr 10 - 06:00 PM (#2887501) Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Harry Tate's Navy - John Connolly From: bill\sables Cobble has been singing this for a few years, I would think he will see this and post the lyrics for you. |
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16 Apr 10 - 02:04 AM (#2887708) Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Harry Tate's Navy - John Connolly From: GUEST,Brian May Bump Thank you. I shan't get around to it until this weekend. I must admit, I'm sometimes reluctant to get lyrics as some of the 'magic' disappears. Does anyone else suffer from that? You hear a song that really touches you, then the more you think about it/research why and what was written, you almost find out 'too much'. . . Perhaps I'm just weird ;o) |
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16 Apr 10 - 02:42 AM (#2887720) Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Harry Tate's Navy - John Connolly From: Mick Woods Only one "N" in his spelling of Conolly. I know it's a long way off but you can put it in yer diary anyway John will be performing on 1st December 2010 at FOLKMOB |
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16 Apr 10 - 06:40 AM (#2887822) Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Harry Tate's Navy - John Connolly From: Brian May Got the spelling sorted out now - sorry about that (I work with a Connolly with two 'n' spelling). Date noted, thanks. |
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17 Apr 10 - 04:43 PM (#2888740) Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Harry Tate's Navy - John Connolly From: Brian May Bump |
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13 May 10 - 07:59 AM (#2905972) Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Harry Tate's Navy (J Conolly, B Meek) From: GUEST Any takers? |
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17 May 10 - 07:53 AM (#2908456) Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Harry Tate's Navy (J Conolly, B Meek) From: Brian May A rather nice post script to this. Smiler suggested I contacted John Conolly through his MySpace pages - which I did. He gave me Bill Meek's number and I ended up chatting with him for about half an hour last night. He filled in the lyrics I wasn't sure of (got the wife on the case so we'd got most of them). He explained how and why he wrote it and how he's spent time with one of the Harry Tate's Navy members. Bill is a great guy and was really approachable, even tried to get me to listen to Martyn Wyndham-Read until I managed to tell him I've got about 9 albums of MWR and they're superb. I would like to publically thank both Smiler, John Conolly and especially Bill Meek. Perhaps I can do this song justice and also remind those of us who didn't know, or those that had forgotten, about the Harry Tate's Navy - Google it if you're interested. Bye for now, Brian |
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19 May 10 - 06:01 PM (#2910168) Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Harry Tate's Navy (J Conolly, B Meek) From: Jim Dixon Brian: If you have the lyrics, please post them here. |
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20 May 10 - 02:57 PM (#2910738) Subject: Lyr Add: HARRY TATE'S NAVY (J Conolly, B Meek) From: Brian May I've just checked with Bill Meek and he's been kind enough to allow me to post here, he's also explained one or two of the more obscure references in the song. Melody is 'What a friend we have in Jesus' So, 'yer 'tis. HARRY TATE'S NAVY - Bill Meek. From the Dogger Bank and Faeroes From Newfoundland's furthest shore Rusty weather-beaten trawlers Came to fight a different war Changed our fish rooms for a mess deck Swapped the trawl for sweeping gear Send out the message on the Aldis Sleep tight the Harry Tates are here Through the hell of E-boat alley Mines and tinfish lurk below Above the bombs and bullets pound us No pay no fags nowhere to go So keep the old 12 pounder firing Though your plates are almost gone Through the bloody seas of battle The Harry Tates are steaming on Sailing out of Akureyri To Murmansk on the Russian run Through the blizzards, fog and ice floes Through a world that's lost the sun Shadows always watching o'er us Junkers waiting for their call Heinkels and Marchetti Sovoia The Harry Tates will take it all Grab your kai and corned beef sarni While the flying foxes drum 'Cos if the OO should fail us We're on our way to Kingdom come By lonely masthead crosses marking Graves of friends that once we knew Don't you worry Merchant Navy The Harry Tates will see you through When the noise of battle's over When sanity returns to men We'll meet you steaming up the Humber Home to Grimsby Town again There in Tommy Taylor's madhouse Where the dockside lasses roam They'll all be rolling out the barrel When the Harry Tates come home Remember England's other navy When the Harry Tates are gone |
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21 May 10 - 02:05 PM (#2911393) Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Harry Tate's Navy (J Conolly, B Meek) From: Les from Hull Marchetti Sovoia should be Marchetti Savoia - it's an Italian bomber. The two main jobs the requisitioned trawlers did in both world wars were minesweeping (the smaller ones) and anti-submarine (the larger ones). Bill includes both in this song. |
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21 May 10 - 03:04 PM (#2911454) Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Harry Tate's Navy (J Conolly, B Meek) From: Richard Hardaker Thanks for posting this song; I feel inclined to sing it "in memorium" for my father who spent 1941 -45 in an anti-submarine trawler HMS Scalby Wyke. He had no nautical background but trained as a "sparks" (radio operator) His sphere of ops. was mainly North Sea & Irish Sea but I recall him telling me he sailed to the Faeroe Isles on one occasion. |
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21 May 10 - 03:21 PM (#2911472) Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Harry Tate's Navy (J Conolly, B Meek) From: Brian May Marchetti Sovoia - Italian three engined bomber. Bill knows it's been transposed, but that comes under the heading of 'artistic licence', we had a laugh about it on the phone. It detracts not in the slightest regarding the sincerity and purpose of this fine song though - as evidenced by Richard Hardaker's post above. I must admit it brought a tear to my eye when I heard it first time on the Humber's Brown Water double CD. The arrangement had an almost ethereal quality. I pride myself on being aware of participants of WWII but I knew nothing about Royal Naval Patrol Service. The 'double O' refers to degaussing coils which attempted to disguise the magnetic signature of the vessel and defeat the German magnetic mines. For anyone who doesn't know, kai is a form of cocoa which was shaved off a big block - they still did it in 1969 at Dartmouth college! I shall be proud to sing this song. I do it in D without a capo. |
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21 May 10 - 03:31 PM (#2911482) Subject: Lyr Add: IN TRAWLERS BOUND FOR WAR (Ross Scrivener From: Ross My Dad was one of the pirates; joined up in 1943 aged 18 He died in 2004 (from industrial asbestos poisoning inhaled whilst working on building sites in the 1950's) We used to (& I still do) go the annual reunion parade at Sparrows Nest in Lowestoft (where the musuem is & the records/photographs are kept) - it's held the first Saturday in October every year There also branch reunions held all over country including Liverpool and Grimsby It was a huge event in the 1990's where hundreds would turn up with Royal Marine band etc/march through the town Last year was quite sad as numbers very sparse I wrote this song for Dad - Roy Scrivener IN TRAWLERS BOUND FOR WAR He was only eighteen years of age When he first went to sea Born in rural Hertfordshire A sailor boy to be And when the war clouds gathered in; a world worth fighting for He went to sea, with the Royal Navy In trawlers bound for war In Trawlers bound for war, me boys, In trawlers bound for war He went to sea, with the Royal Navy In trawlers bound for war He dreamt that he would see the world From a battleship, tall and proud And though he topped his training course His dreams were not allowed And when the Hood was vanquished deep, with a thousand lives or more He went to sea, with the Royal Navy In trawlers bound for war In Trawlers bound for war, me boys, In trawlers bound for war He went to sea, with the Royal Navy In trawlers bound for war So he spent his war time years On a trawler named Rolls Royce And every day, they'd hunt sea mines Never veer off course And heroes names are sometimes lost, in a world worth fighting for He went to sea, with the Royal Navy In trawlers bound for war In Trawlers bound for war, me boys, In trawlers bound for war He went to sea, with the Royal Navy In trawlers bound for war Well, he wasn't the perfect Father And I not the perfect son But every year, on an Autumn morn We'd join together as one At Sparrows nest in Lowestoft, we'd remember those once more That went to sea, with the Royal Navy In trawlers bound for war In Trawlers bound for war, me boys, In trawlers bound for war He went to sea, with the Royal Navy In trawlers bound for war Ross Scrivener 2009 |
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21 May 10 - 03:41 PM (#2911492) Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Harry Tate's Navy (J Conolly, B Meek) From: Les from Hull I'm sure they were called much worse than that, Brian! They got two ships out of a four ship convoy my Dad was on during the North African invasion. You can read Paul Lund and Harry Ludlum's excellent book 'Trawlers go to war' here |
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22 May 10 - 05:26 AM (#2911856) Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Harry Tate's Navy (J Conolly, B Meek) From: Brian May Les, It'll be my pleasure and privilege to read that. Thank you. I used to fly regularly with an Italian lad (pilot) and his grand dad used to be pilot on the SM79. Brave guys too. Ross, Lovely song, trouble is, I get quite emotional when I sing these. What melody do you use for that? Or is it a 'bespoke' one you've created? I went to Mailly le Camp a couple of years ago in France, to commemorate a raid on a Panzer division. There were only about 10 veterans there now, but it was moving nevertheless. The French peoples' attitude was particularly warming. I think I understand what you mean. I'm 60 this year and my wars (RAF aircrew) have always been minor in comparison. My dad was aircrew initially, then a Forward Air Controller all through North Africa and Italy - in fact, he was a D-Day Dodger! |
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22 May 10 - 09:05 AM (#2911921) Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Harry Tate's Navy (J Conolly, B Meek) From: Arthur_itus D-Day Dodgers |
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22 May 10 - 12:40 PM (#2912007) Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Harry Tate's Navy (J Conolly, B Meek) From: Ross Hi Brian; yes, I'm afraid it's one of my own tunes The words are supposed to convey a bit of my Dad's angst in coming to terms with 'what happened' after the war had ended His medals where in my play bin for most of the sixties and the most you could get out of him was that he'd been lowered in a diving suit with a broom to sweep the mines Roger Waters had a great line - 'Did you exchange, a walk on part in the war, for a lead role in a cage' He found the RNPSA (to his surprise) whilst on holiday in Lowestoft in the late 70's - the medals were polished up and he never missed a reunion until he died It helped him a lot to understand & he made a lot of friends Surprisingly, he was involved in D day, clearing mines to allow the bigger ships safe passage across the channel - He got the France & Germany Atlantic Star medal for that I was talking to one of his friends who was in RAF ground crew in England during the war & what he remembered about D day As it was top secret; he didn't know - it was just a BUSY day |
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22 May 10 - 03:41 PM (#2912084) Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Harry Tate's Navy (J Conolly, B Meek) From: dick greenhaus I'm a bit surprised at how few Americans are familiar with the work of Messrs. Connolly and Meek. Aside from Fiddler's Green (which almost everyone thinks is Trad), they're virtually unknown here. And yet, they've written (and performed) some fine songs. |
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23 May 10 - 10:57 AM (#2912518) Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Harry Tate's Navy (J Conolly, B Meek) From: Charley Noble Nice work, lads, piecing together this song and filling in the history. And it's good to see Ross's song as well. The song certainly sings fine to the tune of "Brennan on the Moor" but what tune are you using? Charley Noble |
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23 May 10 - 03:44 PM (#2912662) Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Harry Tate's Navy (J Conolly, B Meek) From: Brian May Thanks Arthur, I have an excellent album from the McCalmans with this track onboard. They sing it really well. I think the danger of this song is that people attempt to sing it TOO well. It's dripping sarcasm and we should treat it accordingly (this is only my opinion of course). The best version I've ever heard is by the McCalmans, another grossly underrated group of musicians. Thanks Dick, but lamentably, I must tell you that your comment applies to me up to a few weeks ago too. It's a dose of 'Seek and ye shall find' and I wasn't, so I didn't. I'm over that now - and catching up fast. |
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24 May 10 - 02:59 AM (#2912942) Subject: Lyr Add: TRAWLER MEN GO OFF TO WAR (Ross Scrivener From: Ross Cheers for the nice comments Please sing the song to any tune you feel fits Here is another song (Don't worry - it's the only other one) TRAWLER MEN GO OFF TO WAR Trawler-men go off to war To clear the seas, defend our shores They braved their lives for you & me Their names should go down in history CHORUS: Well, they fought on the seas, while the seas fought back And they never were far from hostile attack They cleared all the mines, to keep ships free And some know no graves, except the bottom of the sea The year was 1939 And our ships were threatened, by sea mines They braved their lives for you & me To ignore all the dangers, and clear the seas CHORUS: Well, they fought on the seas, while the seas fought back The Royal Naval Patrol Service A name that doesn't mean so much They braved their lives for you & me With a silver badge attached to their sleeve CHORUS: Well, they fought on the seas, while the seas fought back At Sparrows Nest in Lowestoft Lies a monument, with a ship on top They braved their lives for you & me Whose ghosts can be seen, still protecting the seas CHORUS: Well, they fought on the seas, while the seas fought back Try to remember, please don't forget Those forgotten sailors, on their small ships They braved their lives for you & me Their names should go down in history CHORUS: Well, they fought on the seas, while the seas fought back And they never were far from hostile attack They cleared all the mines, to keep ships free And some know no graves, except the bottom of the sea Ross Scrivener - 2003 Inspired by my Dad, Roy Scrivener's war time service |
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14 Dec 13 - 12:11 PM (#3584072) Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Harry Tate's Navy (J Conolly, B Meek) From: GUEST,Brian May As a post script to this, I've played Harry Tate's Navy in John Conolly's presence and he's talking about learning it himself. . . If I were him, I'd carry on being as creative as he is, and leave us less-gifted carry on promoting his partner's work. I'd love to hear JC singing it though. Furthermore, when I was speaking to Bill Meek on the phone, he was discussing his favourite singer was Martyn Wyndham-Read. I was privileged enough to do a week in France with MW-R and Iris and was able to tell him. When I fed that back to Bill, he was delighted. What a small world we live in at times. |
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15 Dec 13 - 07:28 AM (#3584254) Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Harry Tate's Navy (J Conolly, B Meek) From: SPB-Cooperator some stories |
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15 Dec 13 - 07:33 AM (#3584257) Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Harry Tate's Navy (J Conolly, B Meek) From: SPB-Cooperator more history |