The Mudcat Café TM
Thread #63385   Message #1029100
Posted By: nutty
03-Oct-03 - 03:41 PM
Thread Name: Lyr Req: The Old Superb (Newbolt/Stanford)
Subject: Lyr Add: THE OLD SUPERB (Sir Henry Newbolt)
Not sure about the copyright situation
The Henry Newbolt book of poems that I have was printed in 1915, Newbolt himself died in 1938 so I would have thought that the work was clear of copyright unless the recordings themselves are subject to it.

However, here is the poem in full

The Old Superb
^^
The wind was rising easterly, the morning sky was blue
The straits before us opened wide and free
We looked towards the Admiral, where high the Peter flew
And all our hearts were dancing like the sea
"The French are gone to Martinique with four-and-twenty sail !
The Old Superb is old and foul and slow
But the French are gone to Martinique, and Nelson's on the trail;
And where he goes the Old Superb must go."

So Westward ho ! for Trinidad and Eastward ho ! for Spain
And "Ship Ahoy" a hundred times a day
Round the world if need be, and round the world again,
With a lame duck lagging all the way !


The Old Superb was barnacled and green as grass below,
Her sticks were only fit for stirring grog;
The pride of all her midshipmen was silent long ago,
And long ago they ceased to heave the log.
Four year out from home she was, and ne'er a week in port,
And nothing save the guns aboard her bright;
But Captain Keats he knew the game, and swore to share the sport,
For he never yet came in too late too fight.

So Westward ho ! for Trinidad and Eastward ho ! for Spain
And "Ship Ahoy" a hundred times a day
Round the world if need be, and round the world again,
With a lame duck lagging all the way !



"Now up, my lads !" the Captain cried, "for sure the case were hard
If longest out were frst to fall behind.
Aloft, aloft with studding sails, and lash them to the yard,
For night and day the Trades are driving blind !"
So all day long and all day long behind the fleet we crept,
And how we fretted non but Nelson guessed;
But every night the Old Superb she sailed when others slept,
Till we ran the French to earth with all the rest !

So Westward ho ! for Trinidad and Eastward ho ! for Spain
And "Ship Ahoy" a hundred times a day
Round the world if need be, and round the world again,
With a lame duck lagging all the way !