To Thread - Forum Home

The Mudcat Café TM
https://mudcat.org/thread.cfm?threadid=48500
16 messages

Lyr Add: All Aboard the Spray (Dillon Bustin)

12 Jun 02 - 12:27 PM (#728394)
Subject: ADD: All Aboard the Spray
From: Charley Noble

Folks are trying to piece this song together on a separate thread. I've got most of the words together, except for the first verse, from a tape I made last weekend at Mystic. Be nice if someone could identify who composed this fine song, and fill in the missing verse:

ALL ABOARD THE SPRAY
(Anon. As sung by The Ancient Mariners at the 2002 Mystic Sea Music Festival)


Chorus:

All aboard the Spray–(All alone I sailed),
All alone I sailed, all those lovely days;
I did set sail, (I did prevail),
I, did regale myself, a-round this world,
All a-round this world.

Then I was a youth, a-workin' in the food shops,
Listinin' to the fishermen lying up a shame,
Or tellin' me the truth, regaling me with tall tales;
I couldn't tell the difference; it was all the same. (CHO)

Then I was a captain, wrecked in Anontina*,
Shipping jungle lumber in the trading game;
I built an open boat, and sailed it back to Boston,
And then my wife and boys they would never be the same. (CHO)

Back in Massachusetts, given an old orchard boat,
We rebuilt her plank for plank, the oceans for to tame;
We thought she was a sloop or any other wide-eyed swan,
Once I stepped aboard the Spray I would never be the same. (CHO)

Now I am an old man, settled on a manger,
Livin' on a farm and fading with my fame;
I dream of Venezuela, Orinoco River,
Of sailing to the source or I'll never be the same. (CHO)

* Doesn't sound like that on the tape but that's the small harbor where Slocum wrecked his ship the Aquidneck in 1887 on a sandbar, near Rio, Brazil.

Cheerily,
Charley Noble


Also see Fred Moore's SLOCUM AND THE SPRAY


12 Jun 02 - 12:36 PM (#728397)
Subject: RE: Lyr Add: All Aboard the Spray-help needed
From: MMario

""All Aboard the Spray," a fantasia by Dillon Bustin, a storyteller who depicts Joshua Slocum, among other historical characters."

quote from this site


12 Jun 02 - 12:39 PM (#728402)
Subject: RE: Lyr Add: All Aboard the Spray-help needed
From: Charley Noble

Dillon Bustin - that would make sense! Thanks, MMario.


13 Jun 02 - 01:19 PM (#729284)
Subject: RE: Lyr Add: All Aboard the Spray-help needed
From: Charley Noble

Did some additional web research and determined that Cindy Kallet has recorded this one on a new CD. Maybe I'll order it; she's a fine singer and it looks like there's some other interesting songs. I'm surprised no one has come up with the first verse.
CN


14 Jun 02 - 12:54 PM (#730000)
Subject: RE: Lyr Add: All Aboard the Spray-help needed
From: Charley Noble

Refresh!


16 Jun 02 - 08:53 AM (#730885)
Subject: RE: Lyr Add: All Aboard the Spray-help needed
From: Charley Noble

HEY! I WANT THAT FIRST VERSE!!!

I think there's some lines of how he used to draw pictures of various sailing craft as a young boy.

:-(

Charley Noble


19 Jun 02 - 04:58 PM (#733166)
Subject: RE: Lyr Add: All Aboard the Spray-help needed
From: Charley Noble

Cindy Kallet's CD is entitled ONLY HUMAN, produced by Folk Legacy as CD-5061. She shares the CD with Ellen Epstein and Michael Cicone. The song title is actually "Aboard the Spray."

Cheerily,
Charley Noble


19 Jun 02 - 11:34 PM (#733380)
Subject: ADD: All Aboard the Spray
From: GUEST,Billy

ABOARD THE SPRAY
Cindy Kallet's version from the CD booklet:
by Dillon Bustin 1991

When I was a boy, up in Nova Scotia,
Drawing all the clipper ships just to learn their names,
Iwanted for a toy nothing but a sailboat
Nothing else would do, nor could ever be the same.

CHO
All aboard the Spray, all alone I say,
All those lovely days, my flags unfurled.
I did set sail, I did prevail,
I did regale myself around this world,
All around this world.

When I was a youth, workin' in the boot shop,
Listining to fishermen lying up a shame,
Or telling me the truth, regaling me with tall tales
I couldn't tell the difference, it was all the same. (CHO)

Then I was a captain, wrecked in Paranagua*,
Shipping jungle lumber all in the trading game;
I built myself a boat, sailed us back to Boston,
Though my wife and boys they would never be the same. (CHO)

Back in Massachusetts, given an old oyster boat,
Rebuilt her plank for plank, the oceans for to tame
Reborned with that sloop, pretty as a white swan,
Once I stepped aboard the Spray I would never be the same. (CHO)

Now I am an old man, settled on the Vineyard,
Living on a farm and fading with my fame
I dream of Venezuela's Orinoco River,
I'll sail unto its source or I'll never be the same. (CHO)

LAST CHO
All aboard the Spray, all alone I say,
All those lovely days, my flags unfurled.
I will set sail, I will prevail,
I will regale myself around this world,
All around this world.


20 Jun 02 - 11:14 PM (#734070)
Subject: RE: Lyr Add: All Aboard the Spray-help needed
From: GUEST,Billy

BTW, I heartilly reccommend the Cindy Kallet CD, "Almost Human" (and in fact, all of her music) to all folk fans. She writes great songs, sings like an angel (well backed by Ellen Epstein and Michael Cicone) and is an excellent guitarist. I just wish she would do a tour of the Midwest!


26 Jun 02 - 09:57 AM (#737311)
Subject: RE: Lyr Add: All Aboard the Spray-help needed
From: Charley Noble

Billy- thanks so much for filling in the first verse, and transcribing the rest of them from Cindy's CD. I'm looking forward to getting a copy of it myself, as well as one from the Ancient Mariners when they get it together to record their version. What a fine song!

Cheerily,
Charley Noble


27 Jun 02 - 12:53 AM (#737939)
Subject: RE: Lyr Add: All Aboard the Spray-help needed
From: GUEST,karen k

Charley,"Only Human" is not Folk-Legacy. Think it's her own label but I'm not sure.


27 Jun 02 - 10:03 AM (#738126)
Subject: RE: Lyr Add: All Aboard the Spray-help needed
From: Charley Noble

Karen-

I believe you're right. Anyone else who wants to order this fine CD just needs to click on the convenient GREEN CLICKY and be transported to the Shop.

I am curious how much folk-processing has happened to this song since Dillon Bustin composed it for his "fantasia." I believe the words sung by The Ancient Mariners at Mystic are different from Cindy's.

Cheerily,
Charley Noble


17 Sep 07 - 02:28 PM (#2151252)
Subject: RE: Lyr Add: All Aboard the Spray-help needed
From: Charley Noble

refresh


19 Sep 07 - 12:35 AM (#2152390)
Subject: RE: Lyr Add: All Aboard the Spray-help needed
From: Jim Dixon

ALL ABOARD THE SPRAY is on Gail Rundlett's album "Full Circle," 1995. Dillon Bustin is credited as the author.


28 Mar 09 - 11:16 PM (#2599586)
Subject: RE: Lyr Add: All Aboard the Spray (Dillon Bustin)
From: GUEST,Jake

The Ancient Mariners Chanteymen sang All Aboard the Spray tonight at the Bay Chamber Concert's show in Rockport, Maine. They'll be doing a pub sing tomorrow, so perhaps a good time to discuss lyrics...or not...They did a beautiful job with the song.


29 Mar 09 - 07:27 PM (#2600097)
Subject: RE: Lyr Add: All Aboard the Spray (Dillon Bustin)
From: Charley Noble

Thanks, Jake, for the update.

Cheerily,
Charley Noble