The Mudcat Café TM
Thread #82430 Message #1512364
Posted By: greg stephens
29-Jun-05 - 08:11 AM
Thread Name: Lyr Req: Songs for Trafalgar Night
Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Songs for Trafalgar Night
"Blow Nelson Blow" is a rousing old Trinidadian folksong, commemorating an incident just before Trafalgar when Nelson's fleet just failed to catch Villeneuve in the Caribbean. An extraordinary voyage: Villeneuve got out, ran for the West Indies, and Nelson went after him. He had no hard information, but with his knowledge and deduction he sailed to the Caribbean himself, nosed around and very nearly caught up with the French, who were criss-crossing the area. Villeneuve eventually shot back to Spain, and came out again to meet Nelson at Trafalgar. Villeneuve, lost the battle, but survived himself, to die ignominiously in strange circumstances shortly after.
The song "Blow Nelson Blow" goes to a version of the dancetune Waltz Vienna(or Varsoviana). I havent looked but I'm sure it must be locatable in the DT or elsewhere on the net. It makes a nice contrast to the Yo ho ho brave lads blue jumper school of nautical music.