The Mudcat Café TM
Thread #68002 Message #1141103
Posted By: Charley Noble
19-Mar-04 - 02:13 PM
Thread Name: Lyr Add: Hell's Pavement (John Masefield sea poem)
Subject: Lyr/Chords Add: HELL'S PAVEMENT (John Masefield)
Well, I've been singing this one through for a couple of days and need to change the 2nd line, get rid of the see/sea. And I'm experimenting with changing the 2nd verse from the 3rd to the 1st person which I think is a net gain although I miss Billy:
Poem by John Masefield
In Salt-Water Poems & Ballads © 1921, p. 25
Arrangement and new words by Charles Ipcar © 2004
Tune: adapted from some Music Hall ditty
Hell's Pavement
C-----------F---C--------F-C-------------------------------G-C
"When I'm dis-charged at Liverpool 'n' draws my bit o' pay,
----G7---------------------------C
I'll never, never, go to sea no more;
----------F-C---F-C----------------------------G---C
I'll court a pret-ty little lass 'n' have a wed-din' day,
----G7----------------------------------C
'N' settle down some quiet place a-shore;
----G7------------------------C---------G7---C
I'll never go to sea again a-temptin' Davy Jones,
---D------------------------------------G-------------------G7
A-hearkening to the cruel sharks a-hungerin' for my bones;
----C--F-C----F—C--------------------------G---C
I'll run a blush-in' dairy-farm or go a-crack-in' stones,
---G----------------G7----------C
Or buy 'n' keep a little liquor-store."
Chorus:
C-------G------------G7-----------C--------G7-----C
Oh, I'll never go to sea again to plow the ocean deep,
----D---------------------------------------G-----------------G7
No more I'll hear "All hands aloft" to stir me from my sleep;
----C------------F—C---------------------------------G----C
I'll settle down far from the shore, avoid the pier head leap,
----F--------------G7-----------C
I'll never, never, go to sea no more!
They towed her in to Liverpool, we made the hooker fast,
And the copper-bound official paid the crew,
And so I drew my money, but the money didn't last,
For I went and painted Lime Street blue, –
It was rum for Poll, and rum for Nan, and gin for Jolly Jack;
I shipped a week later in the clothes upon my back;
And I had to pinch a little straw, I had to beg a sack
To sleep on, when my watch was through. (CHO)
Any comments?
Cheerily,
Charley Noble