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08 Jan 04 - 02:22 PM (#1088834) Subject: Lyr Req: Kaikoura Railway Memorial-John Warner From: Charley Noble I do have the Margaret Walters/John Warner CD WHO WAS THERE with this fine song on it but I haven't been very successful transcribing it; there are too many unique place names and John sings with an accent I've found hard to decode. The song is composed by John Warner, one of Australia's finest songwriters. Probably the lyrics are on the CD notes which I've misplaced somewhere. The song commemorates the railway construction workers who lost their lives building the Kaikoura line along the rocky coast of New Zealand. I'm also curious about the tune which is quite lovely, and is probably based on a traditional British Isles tune. Cheerily, Charley Noble |
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08 Jan 04 - 09:00 PM (#1089124) Subject: Lyr Add: KAIKOURA RAILWAY MEMORIAL (John Warner) From: Little Robyn Yes, the words are in a booklet with the CD. We don't recognize the tune - it sounds more Aussie contemporary rather than NZ but it is very pleasant. The men killed missed out on the great OE experience that many New Zealanders and Australians had during WWII! Hence the reference to El Alamein. KAIKOURA RAILWAY MEMORIAL John Warner (1987) On a cold Kaikoura (Ky koora) morning When drizzle draped the land in grey, And darker grey the headland loomed Where surf thumped, snarling up the bay, A gull flashed silver over rocks Fringed with white lace Where the kelp beds heaved, And beauty lived in the drab and dark Without a flash of colour relieved. The station faced a shingle beach And hung and dripped with gentle rain. I heard the pulsing diesel song That spoke the coming of the train. The screaming of a single gull Drifted across where the breakers roll, The loco hooter's soft reply, The echo of a common soul. And who was Charlie Johnston then? Did Vernon Willis leave a wife? How did Robert Kitto die, And Roy Frank Chapman yield his life? They were not seen at Alamein, Bill O'Connell faced no gun, John Turich's hands worked iron and rock, Alongside Oscar Cottington. With pick and crowbar, maul and axe, Through beetling crags swept by the tide, They drove the railway down the coast, As working men they lived and died. The Wharanui (Far a noo ee) track runs through Great tunnels within the ocean's sound, Hewn through the cliffs in nature's spite, For their memorial, look around. And I look upon my people's work And wonder at my pride and pain, The thump of seas a counterpoint, Beside the rumbling of the train. The majesty of stone and rain, The whisper of the ocean's breath, All say more than the mind can hold, This balancing of life and death. Robyn |
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08 Jan 04 - 09:11 PM (#1089132) Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Kaikoura Railway Memorial-John Warner From: Bob Bolton G'day Charlie and Little Robyn, I think that John mostly writes (well ... composes ...) his own tunes - but the background would be his British heritage - and they all have a strong 'traditional' sound. John doesn't actually practice 'dots', so I can't expect that he will have any written form (and I haven't transcribed it). I'll draw JennyO's attention to this thread and see if we can get some direct comments from John W. Regards, Bob Bolton |
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09 Jan 04 - 08:01 AM (#1089333) Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Kaikoura Railway Memorial-John Warner From: JennyO G'day, folks, Kaikoura is my own tune. The names are on the Kaikoura railway station platform. Roy Frank Chapman's name is actually Royal Frank Chapman on the memorial. The Picton Kaikoura section is one of the more dramatic sections of railway I've travelled on. The Seaward Kaikoura range goes straight into the sea and tunnels are repeatedly hewn through the ridges. The blue clay region took years to work as it kept on filling up in days what it took days to dig out. You might recognise Sir Christopher Wren's epitaph in St Paul's Cathedral, London, adapted to fit "For their memorial, look around." There's something profound in the sound of the sea sucking back through heavy gravel. I tried to hint at it in the guitar opening on "Who was here?" I hope this answers some of the questions. Best wishes all, I'm going back to bed. John Warner via JennyO's computer. |
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09 Jan 04 - 08:19 AM (#1089346) Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Kaikoura Railway Memorial-John Warner From: Charley Noble Thanks, Robyn- Just what I needed, and I'm sure now that the lyrics will turn up on my desktop. I note that line 6 should be combined with line 7 in verse 1. All the verses have 8 lines. Bob- It's a fine tune, and hard to shake once it starts running in my head. Cheerily, Charley Noble |
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09 Jan 04 - 12:02 PM (#1089457) Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Kaikoura Railway Memorial-John Warner From: Charley Noble And thanks, John, for the additional background. Hope your voice has recovered from the Woodford's Festival. I am having the hardest time figuring out what chords work for the break. Any hints? But then maybe there aren't any damn chords! Some time you should ride the Massawa/Asmara rail line which snakes its way back and forth through occasional tunnels as it works its way up an 5000 foot escarpment in Eritria. Cheerily, Charley Noble |
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10 Jan 04 - 07:33 AM (#1089903) Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Kaikoura Railway Memorial-John Warner From: Charley Noble I think I've solved the mystery of what John's tune reminds me of, at least to my satisfaction. It seems a harmony for "Jock O'Hazeldean." Cheerily, Charley Noble |
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11 Jan 04 - 02:19 PM (#1090430) Subject: Chords Add: KAIKOURA RAILWAY MEMORIAL (John Warner From: Charley Noble Here's some rough chords for the verse and bridge that I think follow what John is doing (copy and repaste into WORD/TIMES/12 to line up chords): C------------------------------------F-----C On a cold Kaikoura (Ky koora) morn-ing --------F---------------C--------G When drizzle draped the land in grey, ------C----------------F-----C And darker grey the head-land loomed --------F----------------------C---G-C Where surf thumped, snarl-ing up the bay; ---F---C-------F------------C A gull flashed silver over rocks, F--------------C-----------------------F----C----G Fringed with white lace where the kelp beds heaved, -----C---------------------F----C And beauty lived in the drab and dark ------F------------C-G----------C With-out a flash of co-lour re-lieved... Bridge: C----A#-----------------C And who was Charlie Johnston then? -----A#-------------C Did Vernon Willis leave a wife? Am--------------------G-Am How did Robert Kit-to die, ------F-----------------------G And Roy Frank Chapman yield his life? ------A#-----------------C They were not seen at Alamein, -----A#---------C Bill O'Connell faced no gun, Am------------------------------G--------Am John Turich's hands worked iron and rock, ---F----------------G A-longside Oscar Cottington. Cheerily, Charley Noble |