Lyr Req: Mine Sweepers (Rudyard Kipling)

09 Aug 99 - 09:43 PM (#103540)
Subject: lyrics
From: Fay

Hi,

I need to find the lyrics and melody to "The Minesweepers Song"

Can anyone help ?

---

09 Aug 99 - 11:14 PM (#103564)
Subject: RE: Lyr Req: anyone know lyrics ' Minesweepers So
From: Alice

Is the title really The Minesweepers Song? I found March of the Minesweepers on a recording on this page. Do you have any more information?

---

10 Aug 99 - 09:02 AM (#103650)
Subject: Lyr Add: MINE SWEEPERS (Rudyard Kipling)
From: PKD on Teesside

Hi,

Do you mean this Rudyard Kipling poem?

If so, Peter Bellamy wrote a tune & it is on one of his albums, either "Carry on Kipling" or "Rudyard Kipling Wrote Exceedingly Good Songs".

MINE SWEEPERS
1914-18 Sea Warfare

Dawn off the Foreland--the young flood making
Jumbled and short and steep--
Black in the hollows and bright where it's breaking--
Awkward water to sweep.
"Mines reported in the fairway,
"Warn all traffic and detain.
"'Sent up Unity, Claribel, Assyrian, Stormcock, and Golden Gain."

Noon off the Foreland--the first ebb making
Lumpy and strong in the bight.
Boom after boom, and the golf-hut shaking
And the jackdaws wild with fright!
"Mines located in the fairway,
"Boats now working up the chain,
"Sweepers--Unity, Claribel, Assyrian, Stormcock, and Golden Gain."

Dusk off the Foreland--the last light going
And the traffic crowding through,
And five damned trawlers with their sirens blowing
Heading the whole review!
"Sweep completed in the fairway.
"No more mines remain.
"'Sent back Unity, Claribel, Assyrian, Stormcock, and Golden Gain."

Cheers

Paul

---

10 Aug 99 - 09:03 AM (#103654)
Subject: RE: Lyr Req: anyone know lyrics ' Minesweepers So
From: Walrus

Fay,

Would "The Mine Sweepers Song" be "Mine Sweepers" by Rudyard Kipling?

Mine Sweepers

Dawn off the Foreland -- the young flood making Jumbled and short and steep-- Black in the Hollows and bright where it's breaking-- Awkward water to sweep. "Mines reported in the fairway "Warn all traffic and detain. " Sent up Unity, Claribel, Assyrian, Stormcock and Golden Gain."

Noon off the foreland -- the first ebb making Lumpy and strong in the bight. Boom after boom, and the golf hut shaking And the jackdaws wild with fright! "Mines located in the fairway, "Boats now working up the chain, " Sweepers -- Unity, Claribel, Assyrian, Stormcock and Golden Gain."

Dusk off the foreland -- the last light going And the traffic crowding through, And five damned trawlers with their sirens blowing Heading the whole review! "Sweep completed in the fairway "No more mines remain. "Send back Unity, Claribel, Assyrian, Stormcock and Golden Gain."

I'm not sure if this will come out properly, the line breaks were in when I typed it.

Regards

Walrus

---

11 Aug 99 - 12:47 AM (#103886)
Subject: RE: Lyr Req: anyone know lyrics ' Minesweepers So
From: fay

Thank's, ever so much, take care love fay!

---

11 Aug 99 - 03:35 AM (#103912)
Subject: RE: Lyr Req: anyone know lyrics ' Minesweepers So
From: Pete M

For those that don't know, the ships in the poem weren't warships. In both the first and second world wars, the principal minesweeping effort was by trawlers and steam drifters of the fishing fleet (STUFT (ships taken up from trade) in todays paralance). These ships retained their civilain crews. The skipper of one of the flotilla of converted Lowestoft drifters based in Dover in the first world war was billeted with my grandparents.

I've never felt this poem was Kipling at his best, it just doesn't capture the essence of the job in the way so many of his army poems do. There is another poem of the same era, which I think is far better, unfortunately I can't find it, or remember it all now. I think it may have been by de la Mare. The line that sticks in my mind is

"....of a sudden, the fishery ended."

Anyone know the rest?

Pete M

---

11 Aug 99 - 02:28 PM (#104012)
Subject: RE: Lyr Req: anyone know lyrics ' Minesweepers So
From: Walrus

Oooh that is embarrassing!

I post a set of lyrics and then find I've been beaten to the post by ONE MINUTE ! Aaarghhh!

I must learn to type faster. (or just with fewer mistakes)

Regards

Walrus (Hey! it's not a name. Its a description !)

---

12 Aug 99 - 07:31 AM (#104230)
Subject: RE: Lyr Req: anyone know lyrics ' Minesweepers So
From: PKD on Teesside

Hi Walrus,

I confess to cheating, not typing.

There is a wonderful page at the Rochester Institute of Technology web site with all of the Rudyard Kipling Peoms. I just picked one up & dropped it.

Try:

www.rit.edu/~exb1974/mine/kipling/kipling_ind.html

Carry On Kipling !

Paul

---

12 Aug 99 - 09:26 AM (#104259)
Subject: RE: Lyr Req: anyone know lyrics ' Minesweepers So
From: Roger the zimmer

I tried playing it on a tiple but it's too difficult.
YES [drum roll]
It's ruddy 'ard, tipling!
Runs for cover.

---

12 Aug 99 - 01:18 PM (#104356)
Subject: RE: Lyr Req: anyone know lyrics ' Minesweepers So
From: Nogs

The Kipling site is a good one,though it does not contain the words to 'The Prophet' as set to music by Peter Bellamy and recently performed by 'Finest Kind' on their CD "Lost in a Song" (wonderful harmonies, if you haven't heard it before)

---

13 Aug 99 - 02:29 AM (#104613)
Subject: Lyr Req: PROPHETS AT HOME (Rudyard Kipling)
From: PKD on Teesside

Do you mean this??

PROPHETS AT HOME

"Hal O' the Draft"--Puck of Pook's Hill

Prophets have honour all over the Earth,
  Except in the village where they were born,
Where such as knew them boys from birth
  Nature-ally hold 'em in scorn.
When Prophets are naughty and young and vain,
  They make a won'erful grievance of it;
(You can see by their writings how they complain),
  But O, 'tis won'erful good for the Prophet!

There's nothing Nineveh Town can give
  (Nor being swallowed by whales between),
Makes up for the place where a man's folk live,
  Which don't care nothing what he has been.
He might ha' been that, or he might ha' been this,
But they love and they hate him for what he is.

Recorded by Peter on MERLIN'S ISLAND OF GRAMARYE.

Cheers

Paul

---

13 Aug 99 - 01:52 PM (#104770)
Subject: RE: Lyr Req: anyone know lyrics ' Minesweepers So
From: Walrus

O.K, while we're on the subject of Kipling;

Does anybody actually sing any of Kipling's works? If so, what tunes do you use?

There are some that almost suggest themselves (at least to me) "Tommy" goes to "Rising of the Moon" and "Birds of Prey March" works to "Cheer Boys, Cheer" but does anyone have any other suggestions?

Regards

Walrus

---

16 Aug 99 - 07:45 AM (#105450)
Subject: RE: Lyr Req: anyone know lyrics ' Minesweepers So
From: PKD on Teesside

Quite simply, yes.

I sing quite a few of Kipling's song, all as set by Peter Bellamy, and I know of quite a few others who sing this material.

I do (in no particular order) "Cells", "The Road to Mandalay", "The Prodigal Son", "Tommy", "Bill 'Awkins", "The Roman Centurian's Song" and the incomparable "Follow Me Home". And probably quite a few others that don't spring to mind.

Cheers

Paul

---

16 Aug 99 - 02:29 PM (#105557)
Subject: RE: Lyr Req: anyone know lyrics ' Minesweepers So
From: Walrus

Paul,

I'm afraid I don't know Peter Bellamy's works, can you please point me in the right direction (record titles, other sources etc.).

Regards

Walrus

---

16 Aug 99 - 02:32 PM (#105558)
Subject: RE: Lyr Req: anyone know lyrics ' Minesweepers So
From: Nogs

Paul: Thanks for the reply, but the poem that I was looking for begins
I will not look for noble saints to guide me on my way
Nor for male or female devilkins to lead my feet astray

and ends each stanza with the phase:
The people Lord thy people are good enough for me

Walrus: I dont know if Kiplings poems have been set to tunes other than those composed by Bellamy. It is a shame that these records are out of print and so difficult to access.

Nogs

---

16 Aug 99 - 06:10 PM (#105631)
Subject: RE: Lyr Req: anyone know lyrics ' Minesweepers So
From: Pete M

Walrus, probably the best known fitting of a Kipling poem to a tune is "The Screw guns", to the tune of the Eton Boating Song.

Pete M

---

17 Aug 99 - 02:28 AM (#105736)
Subject: RE: Lyr Req: anyone know lyrics ' Minesweepers So
From: PKD on Teesside

Hi,

There is a short biography and full recording list for Peter Bellamy at:

http://www.sarcon.demon.co.uk/engfolk/bellamy.htm

"Songs and Rummy Conjourin' Tricks" should still be available, and is highly representantive (and exceptionally good!). And no-one's experience can be complete without at least hearing "The Transports".

You probably guessed it - Peter is one of my all-time heros!

By the way, the song with a fragment above is "A Pilgrim's Way", which is on one of Peter's recordings, "Keep on Kipling". But you are right . . . it is not in the RIT page! I will try and dig the words out tonight.

By the by, one more song I do by Kipling/Bellamy is "The Land" (how could I forget that?!?!?)

Cheers

Paul

---

17 Aug 99 - 04:15 PM (#105941)
Subject: RE: Lyr Req: anyone know lyrics ' Minesweepers So
From: wildlone

Here is a song/poem collected by Cyril Tawney published in The Grey Funnel Line,SWEEPERS We're dodging mines,dodging mines Allways bleeding well dodging mines. There's one just over here, Another one over there, There's one just off the quarterdeck, My God there everywhere. We're dodging mines,dodging mines, Allways bleeding well dodging mines. Theres one over there as black as coal, I'dlove to stick it up Hitlers hole, We're always bleeding well dodging mines. I will check my vinyl collection but it may take some time as Ihave over 300 lps mostly folk.

---

18 Aug 99 - 02:36 AM (#106085)
Subject: Lyr Add: A PILGRIM'S WAY (Rudyard Kipling)
From: PKD on Teesside

Hi Nogs,

As promised, here is A Pilgrim's Way by Rudyard Kipling. You will have to excuse the formatting, if I have got it wrong again.

I don't know if I should have put this here or on a new thread. Anyway . . .

A Pilgrim's Way

I do not look for holy saints to guide me on my way
Or male and female devilkins to lead my feet astray.
If these are added I rejoice - if not, I shall not mind
So long as I have leave and choice to meet my fellow-kind.
For as we come and as we go (and deadly soon go we!)
The people, lord, Thy people, are good enough for me.

Thus I will honour pious men whose virtue shines so bright
(Though none are more amazed than I when I by chance do right)
And I will pity foolish men for woe their sins have bred
(Though ninety-nine percent of mine I brought on my own head)
And Amorite or Eremite or General Averagee
The people, Lord, Thy people are good enough for me

And when the bore me overmuch, I will not shake mine ears
Recalling many thousand such whom I have bored to tears
And when they labour to impress I will not doubt nor scoff
Since I myself have done no less and sometimes pulled it off
Yea as we are and we are not and we pretend to be
The people, lord, Thy people, are good enough for me.

And when they work me random wrong as oftentimes hath been
I will not cherish hate too long (my hands are none too clean)
And when they do me random good I will not feign surprise
No more than those whom I have cheered with wayside courtesies
But as we give and as we take - whate'er our takings be)
The people, lord, Thy people, are good enough for me.

But when I meet with frantic folk who sinfully declare
There is no pardon for their sin, the same I will not spare
Till I have proved that Heaven and Hell which in our hearts we have
Show nothing irredeemable on either side the grave
For as we live and as we die - if utter Death there be
The people, lord, Thy people, are good enough for me.

Deliver me from every pride - the Middle, High and Low
That bars me from a brother's side, whatever pride he show
And purge me from all heresies of thought and speech and pen
That bid me judge him otherwise than I am judged. Amen
That I might sing of Crowd or King or road-borne company
That I may labour in my day, vocation and degree
To provr the same by deed and name, and hold unshakenly
(Where'er I go, whate'er I know, whoe'er my neighbour be)
This single faith in Life and Death and to Eternity
" The people, lord, Thy people, are good enough for me."

Enjoy,

Paul

---

19 Aug 99 - 03:29 PM (#106607)
Subject: RE: Lyr Req: anyone know lyrics ' Minesweepers So
From: Nogs

Ah! Many thanks Paul . . . Several afternoons pouring over books in the library would have been saved if I had checked here first! I'm not sure if I wasted my time not having the right title, I think tha was a recent brain fart. My recommendation of the performance of this peice by 'Finest Kind ' contains, however, all the correct information

---