BS: The Mary Rose will rise again

Subject: RE: BS: The Mary Rose will rise again
From: The Fooles Troupe
Date: 13 Oct 05 - 08:28 PM

... Mary Rose!

Subject: RE: BS: The Mary Rose will rise again
From: Dead Horse
Date: 13 Oct 05 - 08:21 PM

I just looked it up, and it was on mudcat, submitted by Midchuck in an earlier thread. I copied and pasted below.

The truth is, that Mary Ellen Carter was a lady who plied her trade in the bars in some seaport town, probably Canadian. She was past the best earning years for her business, and very fond of beer, which had caused her to put on quite a bit of weight, but she continued to try to make her living as best she could.

Anyway, one dark rainy night in October, she took on quite a bit of beer in the company of six or eight members of the crew of a small vessel that was in port there, and ended up agreeing to provide for the immediate needs of all of them, for a "bulk rate," as it were. Unfortunately, as they were proceeding back to her rooms, all of them sort of hanging on to one another to keep upright, she slipped on the wet cobblestones and fell heavily. She was uninjured, being well padded, but she was so well padded, and so out of balance from the beer, that it amounted to a distinct challenge for all the crew members with her, even all working together, to get her back on her feet so she could take them home and complete their business.

At this point, the action of the song begins.

Now: Go out and sing the song to an audience, and keep a straight face!

Subject: RE: BS: The Mary Rose will rise again
From: Dead Horse
Date: 13 Oct 05 - 08:05 PM

And I have read a very similar intro to Mary Ellen Carter, but if you start with said intro, it becomes impossible to sing without falling down laughing your socks off!

Subject: RE: BS: The Mary Rose will rise again
From: The Fooles Troupe
Date: 13 Oct 05 - 07:52 PM

Well, we JUST HAVE to have that...

Subject: RE: BS: The Mary Rose will rise again
From: Arnie
Date: 13 Oct 05 - 10:37 AM

I recall a particularly amusing song by Richard Digance called The Wreck of the Mary Rose, all about his girlfriend Mary Rose getting very drunk, falling over and needing assistance getting up again.

Subject: RE: BS: The Mary Rose will rise again
From: The Fooles Troupe
Date: 13 Oct 05 - 09:37 AM

Mary sat on a tack....

Subject: RE: BS: The Mary Rose will rise again
From: manitas_at_work
Date: 13 Oct 05 - 08:37 AM

As I understand it the navy didn't need shanties because there was always more than enough labour to do the job. A fiddler might help keep rhythm but that was about it. I suppose many shanties had sentiments that wouldn't be conducive to shipboard discipline anyway!

Subject: RE: BS: The Mary Rose will rise again
From: Keith A of Hertford
Date: 13 Oct 05 - 03:13 AM

Intresting idea McG. The sentiments would fit well.
Joe, could this be a music thread so a wider readership could give opinions?

Subject: RE: BS: The Mary Rose will rise again
From: McGrath of Harlow
Date: 12 Oct 05 - 07:49 PM

I don't think there's any reason to think that the Royal Navy ban on shanties was in force back in the days of Henry VIII. There wasn't really a Royal Navy as such anyway, just some ships belonging to the Crown.

I've sometimes wondered whether the raising of the Mary Rose back in 1982 might have been the inspiration for Stan Rogers' song about the Mary Ellen Carter, which Keith quoted in this thread's title - but I think the dates rule that out. (Though of course the project to raise her began some time before it was actually done.)

Subject: RE: BS: The Mary Rose will rise again
From: Rapparee
Date: 12 Oct 05 - 07:04 PM

It probably doesn't matter to the crew of Mary Rose anymore.

And of course there wouldn't be any MP3s! Probably no CDs or even 8-tracks, either. Folks, we're talking about the era of the vinyl disk! Maybe even 78s!

Subject: RE: BS: The Mary Rose will rise again
From: Don(Wyziwyg)T
Date: 12 Oct 05 - 06:58 PM

Correct me if I've got it wrong, but I believe that shanties were a merchant marine thing, and not sung on naval vessels.

Don T.

Subject: RE: BS: The Mary Rose will rise again
From: Dead Horse
Date: 12 Oct 05 - 06:35 PM

I believe the shanty sung on board was:-
In 1545 boys, we set sail
And we sank to the bottom of the sea!

And you are right, no midi's survived, nor any of the ships officers:-)

Subject: RE: BS: The Mary Rose will rise again
From: katlaughing
Date: 12 Oct 05 - 06:11 PM

Wow, Keith, thanks for the link!

Subject: RE: BS: The Mary Rose will rise again
From: bfdk
Date: 12 Oct 05 - 06:11 PM

Thanks for an interesting link, Keith ;-)

Bente

Subject: RE: BS: The Mary Rose will rise again
From: Keith A of Hertford
Date: 12 Oct 05 - 05:32 PM

useful Mary Rose site

Subject: RE: BS: The Mary Rose will rise again
From: Liz the Squeak
Date: 12 Oct 05 - 05:22 PM

But it's highly probably that this will be the last bit. There is no more money in the pot for further excavation.

LTS

Subject: RE: BS: The Mary Rose will rise again
From: Keith A of Hertford
Date: 12 Oct 05 - 05:18 PM

Her final voyage was from Portsmouth, and she sunk quickly just outside.
I doubt if the much is known of the crew, but many artefacts of their daily life have been recovered.
Also many well preserved long bows.

Subject: RE: BS: The Mary Rose will rise again
From: TheBigPinkLad
Date: 12 Oct 05 - 05:10 PM

Any idea where the bulk of her crew came from, Keith? Did she sail from London or Portsmouth, or ...?

Subject: BS: The Mary Rose will rise again
From: Keith A of Hertford
Date: 12 Oct 05 - 04:54 PM

Did anyone outside UK see the anchor coming up?
It was in one piece and instantly recogniseable, as if submerged for just a couple of years rather than 460years.
A large bow section is also to be raised from King Henry's proud warship.
I have seen the parts already raised which are on display in Portsmouth.
The remains of many sailors were found and buried in the custom of their time.
Sadly, no lyrics or midis of their shanties and songs have yet emerged.
Keith.