27 Sep 04 - 09:52 PM (#1282733) Subject: Lyr Req: British Tars From: Alex in Tokyo G'day all, I'm looking for the lyrics to a song called "British Tars," which is mentioned in Patrick O'brian's "The Far Side of the World" It also appears in the movie "Master and Commander," based on the book. The first two lines, which are all that appear in movie or book, are: Come all you thoughtless young men, a warning take by me And never leave your happy homes to sail the raging sea. Or is this, in fact the whole song? Thanks in advance, Alex. |
27 Sep 04 - 09:55 PM (#1282736) Subject: RE: Lyr Req: British Tars From: Lighter Sounds to me like the start of "Polly on the Shore." |
27 Sep 04 - 11:04 PM (#1282772) Subject: RE: Lyr Req: British Tars From: GUEST,Anne Croucher 'my' Polly on the shore starts Come all you wild young men and a warning take by me Never to lead your single life astray nor fall into bad company. The words enquired of don't really sit on the Polly tune, not without some bending. Anne |
27 Sep 04 - 11:46 PM (#1282798) Subject: RE: Lyr Req: British Tars From: Joe Offer This Google Search for "come all you thoughtless young men" brings up The Murder of Maria Martin. "Murder" has a couplet that is almost the same as what you cite, but in a different context. Interesting puzzle. -Joe Offer- |
28 Sep 04 - 12:25 AM (#1282812) Subject: RE: Lyr Req: British Tars From: Joe Offer I really liked the music in Master and Commander, and I wondered what all the songs were. I guess it's a good time to look at the DVD and copy down the list:
So, do you think they call the song in question, "Raging Sea"? It's not the Raging Sea that's been posted here. -Joe Offer- |
28 Sep 04 - 12:30 AM (#1282817) Subject: RE: Lyr Req: British Tars From: Malcolm Douglas It's a broadside song of the earlier part of the 19th century, which doesn't seem to have been found in tradition; or on recordings by revival performers. See Bodleian Library Broadside Ballads: The British tars / The shipwrecked tar |
28 Sep 04 - 01:45 AM (#1282847) Subject: ADD: British Tars From: Joe Offer I found it on the DVD - it's right at the end of Chapter 11 of the DVD. The tune used in the movie is The Bonny Ship the Diamond. What I hear on the movie is:
And never leave your happy homes to sail the raging sea -Joe Offer- The British Tars Come all you thoughtless young men, A warning take by me And never [leave] your happy homes To sail the raging seas For I have ploughed the raging main This twenty years and more But now I am turned adrift to starve Upon my native shore. When war at first assailed us, I quickly left my trade, Our country was in danger, I flew to lend my aid, And in my country's service, Long, long fatigues I bore But now I'm turned adrift to starve Upon my native shore. By storms and raging tempests Shipwrecked three times I've been And many a bloody battle Upon the seas I have seen. I've seen the cannon's glaring flash Have heard its murd'rous roar Tho' now I'm turned adrift to starve Upon my native shore. The British Seaman's valour To all the world is known We conquer still where e'er we go The action is our own. The Metor (sic - perhaps Meteor) flag of Haughty Gaul Triumphantly we bore But now we are turned adrift to starve Upon my native shore. Should hostile fleets e'er venture Upon the raging main True Hearts of Oak we British Tars We'll push to sea again. And bravely bring their ships to port As we have done before. So help us now while we are in want Upon our native shore. Come pity ye gentle stranger A luckless British tar, In your defence you yet may hurl The thunder bolt of war Come lend me some kind assistance And heaven will bless your store For now I'm turned adrift to starve Upon my native shore. |
28 Sep 04 - 04:16 AM (#1282916) Subject: RE: Lyr Req: British Tars From: nutty Joe .... I read that line in verse 3 as The meteor flag of haughty Gaul meaning that we had beaten the French |
28 Sep 04 - 07:21 PM (#1283559) Subject: RE: Lyr Req: British Tars From: Alex in Tokyo That's great. Thanks very much, all. Alex. |
29 Sep 04 - 01:29 AM (#1283745) Subject: Lyr Add: THE BRITISH TARS (from Bodleian) From: Joe Offer Harding B 25(294) has two versions of the lyrics. I posted the second one above. The first one has an additional verse, and a few differences in words here and there. Here 'tis. -Joe Offer- The British Tars Come all ye thoughtless young men, A warning take, by me! And never leave your happy homes, To plough the stormy sea, For I have ploughed the stormy seas These twenty years or more, Now towed adrift and left to starve Upon my native shore. When waves first assailed us, I quickly left my trade, My country being in danger, I flew to lend my aid, And in my country's service, Long fighting I bore Now towed adrift and left to starve Upon my native shore. The British seamen's valour To all the world is known We conquer still where e'er we go The victory is our own. The matter flag of mighty gain Triumphantly we bore Now towed adrift and left to starve Upon my native shore. Should hostile fleets e'er venture Upon the raging main True hearts of oak, our British tars Will go to sea again; And bravely bring their ships to port As we have done before. So regard us now whilst e'er adrift Upon our native shore. By storms and raging tempests Three times shipwrecked I have been, And many bloody battles Upon the seas I have seen; Where thundering cannons rattled Resounding from the shore, Now all adrift and left to starve Upon our native shore. Regardless of all danger Upon the raging main, Where stormy winds and rattling guns Did often us assail I've seen the glaring cannons flash And heard the murdered roar, Now turned adrift and left to starve Upon our native shore. Come pity gentle strangers The halpless British tar, In your defence he yet may hurl The thundering boast of war; And lend some kind assistance And heaven will bless your store For now we're turned adrift to starve Upon our native shore. |
10 Dec 05 - 04:26 PM (#1624582) Subject: RE: Lyr Req: British Tars From: GUEST There's a nicer version to listen to of "The Bonny ship the Diamond": www. contemplator.com, Link "Songs of the sea" The song "The Bonny Ship the Diamond" can be found under "Tales of the sea, sailors, ships and watermen" It's played automatically in the backgroung when you open the site. |