Lyr/Tune Req: Drake's Drum

Subject: Drakes Drum
From: Michael Wray
Date: 23 Jun 98 - 02:10 PM

I'm looking for the words and tune of this old song, but havn't had any luck. Can any one help. I'm also interested in any genuinely old sea songs that you might have. Thanks, Michael

Subject: RE: Drakes Drum
From: Barry Finn
Date: 23 Jun 98 - 06:34 PM

Sorry, can't help on Drake's Drum. If you enter in the search box @sailor , you'll get over 600 sea songs, enter in Hugill & you'll get 43 hits, enter in Doerflinger 27 hits, enter in Palmer then sea & you'll get 25 hits, Colcord brings up 14 hit & Abrahams gets 5 hits. I'd say try any books by the before mentioned collectors except you might find most of the songs here in the database anyway.Barry

Subject: RE: Drakes Drum
From: alison
Date: 23 Jun 98 - 07:23 PM

Hi,

I only know this one as a tune.

Slainte

Alison

Subject: RE: Drakes Drum
From: Benjamin Bodra/nai/
Date: 24 Jun 98 - 03:22 AM

Dia dhuit

Do you mean the tune that goes:

Take my drum to England and hang it on the shore,
Strike it when your powder's running low.
And if the Dons sight Devon,
I'll quit the port of Heaven,
And drum them up the Channel as I drummed them long ago.

If it is I think I have more words to it somewhere, but it's a hardcopy search through my library, so it might take a while (That's not a complaint, just you may have to wait a while, my cataloging is very bad!!!)

Sla/n

benjamin Bodhra/nai/

Subject: RE: Drakes Drum
From: Benjamin B
Date: 24 Jun 98 - 03:29 AM

Actually if that is the one you want the words are online here:

http://www.geocities.com/~spanoudi/poems/poem-mn.html

Go to Sir Henry Newbolt

Sla/n

Benjamin

Subject: RE: Drakes Drum
From: Doctor John
Date: 26 Jun 98 - 09:15 AM

Originally a poem so not a traditional or anon piece. We used to sing it years ago up in Lancashire so it must have been set to music at some time. The Devon children here have never heard of it (shame!) but sing about those cotton fileds back home instead!! All I can remember is:

Drake is in his hammock and 1000 miles away.
Captain art thou sleeping there below?
Slung between the round shots in Nombradios (?) Bay.
And dreaming all the time of Plymouth Hoe.
"Take my drum to England, hang it by the shore,
Strike it when your powder's running low.
For if the Dons strike Devon I'll quit the port of Heaven,
And drum them up the Channel as we drummed them long ago!"

Drake is in his hammock till the Great Armada come.
Captain ...etc
Slung between the round shots and listening for the drum,
And dreaming ... etc

I can't remember any more so I'd be glad of more verses myself. I guess it's considered too nationalist for children now. There's a fine statue of the Admiral at the Hoe looking out to sea.

Subject: RE: Drakes Drum
From: Michael Wray
Date: 27 Jun 98 - 02:30 PM

Thanks to you all, I can't get throught to the poem on the geocities thing, but I'll try again. But if anyond finds the words, I'd be greatful if you'd pop it on this notice board, as I'm not very good at using the internet. Cheers!

Subject: RE: Drakes Drum
From: Animaterra
Date: 29 Jun 98 - 10:41 AM

You can hear the entire song in the CBC production, now on video, of "A Child's Christmas in Wales". It's a lovely little interpretation of Dylan Thomas' work, taking some liberties and oozing holiday sentiment, but "Drake's Drum", mentioned in the poem, is here. Sounds almost like a music hall song...?

Subject: RE: Drakes Drum
From: Bert C
Date: 29 Jun 98 - 12:42 PM

Michael,

Click Here for the lyrics.

Bert C

Subject: RE: Drakes Drum
From: Michael Wray
Date: 10 Jul 98 - 03:30 PM

Thanks Bert, I've got the words now, and have even made up a tune!

Best Wishes, Michael Wray, Whitby

Subject: RE: Drakes Drum
From: GUEST
Date: 26 Sep 03 - 04:40 AM

what is this poem about?please tell me it is 4 my essay pleasssssssssssssse help!

Subject: RE: Drakes Drum
From: John Routledge
Date: 26 Sep 03 - 05:03 AM

As children in NE England in the fifties we were treated to Owen Brannigan's baritone voice singing this. Must have a go at it in the bath :0)

Subject: RE: Drakes Drum
From: AllisonA(Animaterra)
Date: 26 Sep 03 - 05:50 AM

Click here for a link that should work to show the lyrics.

GUEST 26 Sept, to find the lyrics I just typed "drake's drum" in quotes on Google and got 812 hits- you'll find more than you ever wanted to know for your essay!

Subject: RE: Drakes Drum
From: nutty
Date: 26 Sep 03 - 06:02 AM

Another song of the same name can be found here .....

Drakes Drum

and sound clips of a recording here .......

LISTEN

and here

LISTEN

I have also written a new tune to the poem, which is sung by my group (Firm Friends), we are in the process of producing a CD which will include this song. It should be available in the New Year.

Subject: RE: Drakes Drum
From: McGrath of Harlow
Date: 26 Sep 03 - 04:51 PM

"what is this poem about?"

It's all pretty clearly laid out in the words. Drake was a pirate from Devon in Elizabethan Days, who had a sea burial way out in the West Indies when he died; and while he'd been alive he'd been involved in fighting the Spanish Armada.

Actually I don't think there ever was any legend about him coming back again if he was ever needed, until Henry Newbolt wrote this.

A few years ago there was a proposal to go out to the West Indies and fish out his remains and bring them home - but there was a big fuss, largely because that would have buggered up the song, and I think the idea was dropped.

He's still not too popular in Spanish America and Spain, understandibly enough. He's a sort of bogey-man, and his name makes him sound like a dragon.

Subject: RE: Drakes Drum
From: Malcolm Douglas
Date: 26 Sep 03 - 05:03 PM

In Devon, Drake developed a folkloric reputation as a wizard of some ability (I think this began while he was still alive, though my memory may at fault on that point); a number of folktales are recorded on the subject.

Subject: RE: Drakes Drum
From: LadyJean
Date: 26 Sep 03 - 09:59 PM

I seem to spend a lot of time on Mudcat reccomending Katherine Briggs. Here I go again. If you find a copy of her "British Folktales" you will find the story of "Drake as a Wizard" and "Drake's Cannonball". The Spanish thought Drake was a wizard too. They call him El Draco, which is some sort of devil I think.

Subject: RE: Drakes Drum
From: Anglo
Date: 26 Sep 03 - 11:16 PM

I've not heard the arrangement by Florian Pascal (that's the one referenced above in Mudcat Midi). I do have a recording by Peter Dawson, with musical setting by Charles Villiers Stanford, part of a song cycle called "Songs of the Sea." I wonder which one Owen Brannigan sang. Like John Routledge, I remember him from my childhood, but don't remember this song.

Heather Wood wrote a tune for it, and that's the one we used on the Revels' recording Homeward Bound (the first of the audio links above). The links aren't working for me, so I can't comment on Acoustic Alchemy, the second link.

Subject: RE: Drakes Drum
From: izzy
Date: 27 Sep 03 - 09:04 AM

Could the legend about Drake coming back have had something to do with the legend about Arthur coming back (also a very big figure in that part of England)?

I also read some very odd article once by someone who thinks that Churchill's going to come back...

Bring EVERY0NE back, is wot I say!!


Is Katherine Briggs at all connected to the wonderful Anne Briggs?

Cheers.

Isabel

Subject: RE: Drakes Drum
From: McGrath of Harlow
Date: 27 Sep 03 - 12:28 PM

El Draco = the Dragon. Scary sort of monster anyway - they have him in parades. I believe if you're a naughty Spanish child you might get warned that you are likely to be carried away by El Draco.

It's an English word too - "fire-drake" meaning fire-breathing dragon.

Subject: RE: Drakes Drum
From: Anglo
Date: 28 Sep 03 - 10:12 AM

Katharine Briggs (1898-1980) was an exceedingly distinguished folklorist, and Britain's leading expert in folktales. Her major work is the 4-volume ""A Dictionary of British Folk Tales," a copy of which, I'm delighted to say, resides on my shelves.

Subject: RE: Drakes Drum
From: GUEST,Holgram of MC Fat
Date: 28 Sep 03 - 02:58 PM

Writ by John Roberts of Morris & the Minors fame. Chorus went 'At the beating of the drum he will return.'

Subject: RE: Drakes Drum
From: McGrath of Harlow
Date: 28 Sep 03 - 05:21 PM

No relation to Nell Flaherty's Drake.

Subject: RE: Lyr/Tune Req: Drakes Drum
From: Steve Parkes
Date: 29 Sep 03 - 08:39 AM

Henry Newbolt went to the same scool as me (Queen Mary's Grammar School in Walsall), but I don't remember him myself. He didn't half write some rubbish! "There's a deathless hush in the Close tonight ..." Moss Close is a couple of streets of houses now. Mre useful Old Marians include the actor Frank Windsor and the Aldiss brothers, who invented the signalling lamp; none of them ever wrote poetry, as far as I'm aware.

Steve

Subject: RE: Lyr/Tune Req: Drakes Drum
From: GUEST,Kevin
Date: 09 Nov 03 - 07:04 PM

i'm trying to arrange a funeral at which drakes drum is needed i vaugely remember it from last night of the proms in the early 90's any help apprciated

Many thanks

Kev

Subject: Lyr Add: DRAKE'S DRUM (Henry Newbolt)
From: Jim Dixon
Date: 10 Nov 03 - 08:21 PM

Copied from http://www.bartleby.com/103/41.html

DRAKE'S DRUM
Henry Newbolt. 1862–

DRAKE he's in his hammock an' a thousand mile away,
    (Capten, art tha sleepin' there below?)
Slung atween the round shot in Nombre Dios Bay,
    An' dreamin' arl the time o' Plymouth Hoe.
Yarnder lumes the island, yarnder lie the ships,
    Wi' sailor lads a-dancin' heel-an'-toe,
An' the shore-lights flashin', an' the night-tide dashin'
    He sees et arl so plainly as he saw et long ago.

Drake he was a Devon man, an' ruled the Devon seas,
    (Capten, art tha sleepin' there below?),
Rovin' tho' his death fell, he went wi' heart at ease,
    An' dreamin' arl the time o' Plymouth Hoe,
"Take my drum to England, hang et by the shore,
    Strike et when your powder's runnin' low;
If the Dons sight Devon, I'll quit the port o' Heaven,
    An' drum them up the Channel as we drummed them long ago."

Drake he's in his hammock till the great Armadas come,
    (Capten, art tha sleepin' there below?),
Slung atween the round shot, listenin' for the drum,
    An' dreamin' arl the time o' Plymouth Hoe.
Call him on the deep sea, call him up the Sound,
    Call him when ye sail to meet the foe;
Where the old trade's plyin' an' the old flag flyin',
    They shall find him, ware an' wakin', as they found him long ago.

Subject: Lyr Add: DRAKE'S DRUM (John Richards)
From: Jim Dixon
Date: 10 Nov 03 - 08:31 PM

Copied from http://www.johnrichardssongwriter.co.uk/behind_the_lines/drakes_drum.htm

DRAKE'S DRUM
(John Richards)

He was born to the life of a captain
And for England to dominate the sea.
He had sailed around the world for his homeland
And had routed port and ship of the Spanish navy.
He had saved British shores from the Armada,
Then in 1596 he died at sea.
They committed his body to the ocean
That he'd given all his life to keeping free.

CHORUS: At the beating of the drum he will return, will return.
At the beating of the drum he will return.
When our England faces war, beat the drum on Plymouth shore.
At the beating of the drum he will return.

As Captain Blake he led the fleet of the Commonwealth
And Jamaica fell to the guns of his British fleet.
He was to die aboard his ship in Plymouth water,
Having sunk the Spanish fleet at Tenerife.
He as Nelson led the fleet against the Frenchmen
And destroyed Napoleon's ships at Abukir Bay.
At the Battle of Trafalgar, Nelson wounded
Died in victory on England's finest day.

At Scapa Flow 1918, the German High Fleet
Was surrounded by the British Navy's guns.
Until surrender on the high seas was completed,
All the British heard the beating of the drum.

Subject: RE: Lyr/Tune Req: Drakes Drum
From: GUEST,john todd a brixham boy
Date: 22 Nov 04 - 06:05 PM

my wife was taught the poem of drakes drum I will get her to her to post the full poem on here shourtly. she was a pupil at Dartmouth grammer School in the late 1950,s

Subject: Lyr Add: DRAKE'S DRUM (Anne Lister)
From: Joe Offer
Date: 26 Jan 08 - 04:21 PM

Mrrzy posted Anne Lister's "Drake's Drum," a different song, in another thread. For the same of comparison, I thought it might be useful to have it posted here, also.
-Joe Offer-

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Thread #108086   Message #2245470
Posted By: Mrrzy
26-Jan-08 - 12:49 PM
Thread Name: Lyr Add: Drake's Drum (Anne Lister)
Subject: Lyr Add: Drake's Drum (Anne Lister)

^^
DRAKE'S DRUM
Anne Lister (Tabster) on Waiting for the Hero

Down in the abbey you can see Drake's drum, far across the Devon moor
They say we'll hear it beating when the hero comes as it did when he went to war.
They say you'll hear it beating when we need him most, deep in the Devon hills
Beating the drum like a marching ghost, but it seems that we're waiting still.

It seems I've been listening all my life, listening for the drum
Waiting to be rescued, waiting to live, waiting till the hero comes.

I've seen Nelson's jacket in a fine glass case, clear in a spotlight glare
They say it's his blood on the delicate lace, a piece of him lying there.
And we've dug great holes in the hills and dales looking where Arthur sleeps
Looking for redemption in the myths and tales, salvation in the castle keep.

Far in the forest, deep and dark, there's a castle where a princess waits
They say she was punctured by a magical dart and left to her sleeping fate
Until one day a prince will come, the right man brave and true
The years will pass while the princess dreams and no other prince will do.

Suppose there are no heroes and there's no prince, suppose we're on our own
Stories are just stories, myths are myths, and we have to cope alone
In real life some moments end in pain, there's nothing you can do
We're all each other's heroes, so hold my hand and we'll try to battle through.

Subject: RE: Lyr/Tune Req: Drake's Drum
From: GUEST,David Henson
Date: 07 May 15 - 01:39 PM

"Drake is his hammock..." Was one of the songs I remember singing in a school festival in 1946 or 1947. It was held in Northwood Middlesex and I believe was a revival of of a pre war festival. I was about 9 yrs old and was chosen to be in the choir from Lady Bankes Junior School in Ruislip. I can just about remember the tune and some of the words. I haven't been able to find the music but the words are on several sites.

We also learnt Vaughan Williams' Linden Lea and Schubert's Trout.