The Mudcat Café TM
Thread #2058   Message #7586
Posted By: Wolfgang Hell
27-Jun-97 - 05:03 AM
Thread Name: Lyr Req/Add: The Balaena / Balena / Ballina
Subject: RE: Lryics to Balaena?
I see that Barry has taken care of your demand, Paul, and I assume that his version's far closer to the original one than my version with all the background information he has provided but I'll type the version from The Scottish Folksinger nevertheless, since it has one more verse and might be closer to a recorded version of today (I have never encountered this song either sung or recorded by the way).

Here it goes (I stick to the "Balena" from my source but I doubt it's correct)

THE BALENA

(from: The Scottish Folksinger)

1. Oh the noble fleet of whalers out sailing from Dundee,
well manned by British sailors to work them on the sea;
on the Western Ocean passage none with them can compare
for there's not a ship could make the trip as the Balena I declare.

Ch: And the wind is on her quarter and her engine working free,
and there's no other sailer a-sailing from Dundee
can beat the aul' Balena and you needna try her on,
for we challenge all both large and small from Dundee to St. Johns.

2. And it happened on a thursday four days after we left Dundee,
was carried off the quarter boats all in a raging sea,
that took away our bulwark, our stanchions and our rails,
and left the whole concern, boys, a-floating in the gales.

3. There's the new built Terra Nova, she's a model with no doubt,
there's the Arctic and the Aurora, you've heard so much about,
there's Jacklin's model mail-boat, the terror of the sea
couldn't beat the aul' Balena, boys, on a passage from Dundee.

4. Bold Jacklin carries canvas and fairly raises steam
and Captain Guy's a daring boy, goes ploughing through the stream,
but Mallan says the Eskimo could beat the blooming lot,
but to beat the aul' Balena, boys, they find it rather hot.

5. And now that we have landed, boys, where the rum is mighty cheap,
we'll drink success to Captain Burnett, lads, for getting us ower [sic] the deep,
and a health to all our sweethearts, an' to our wives so fair,
not another ship could make that trip but the Balena I declare.