In another thread I was mentioning how I had been swept away by another sea poem by C. Fox Smith, as sung by Joyce and Danny McLeod at a house concert in York, Maine. The tune reminds me somewhat of Bob Franke's "Hard Love" but buy their CD and draw your own conclusions. They use this song as a closing song, and it's certainly a fine one for that, although it generated an encore (Copy and repaste into WORD/TIMES/12 to line up the chords):

SO LONG
(Words by C. Fox Smith in Sea Songs & Ballads © 1924 As sung by The Keelers: On the North Sea Ground © 1998 Keel Music; Tune by Alan Fitzsimmons; Key: F (5/C))

Chorus:
All coiled down, an' it's time for us to go;
Every sail's furled in a smart harbour stow;
Another ship for us, an' for her another crew –
An' so long, sailorman, good luck to you!

Fun an' friends I wish you, till the pay's all gone –
Pleasure while you spend it, an' content when it's done –
An' a chest that's never empty, when you're back to sea,
An' a better ship than she's been, an' a truer pal than me. (CHO)

A good berth I wish you, in a ship that's well found,
With a decent crowd forrard, an' her gear all sound,
Spars a man can trust, when it comes on to blow,
An' no bosun bawlin' when it's your watch below. (CHO)

A good Trade I wish you, an' a fair landfall,
Neither fog nor iceberg, nor long calm, nor squall,
A pleasant port to come to, when the work's all through –
An' so long, sailorman, good luck to you. (CHO)


Chorus:

C----------Am------------Dm
All coiled down, an' it's time for us to go;
G------------G7---------F-----------------C
Every sail's furled in a smart harbour stow;
--------------------Am--------Dm
Another ship for us, an' for her another crew –
----G---------G7---------F----------G-C
An' so long, sailorman, good luck to you!


Danny and Joyce will be singing more C. Fox Smith sea songs at the upcoming Mystic Sea Music Festival.

Cheerily,
Charley Noble