Lyr Req: Our Captain Cried All Hands

Subject: Lyr Req: Lyrics and the unknown title
From: GUEST,Jakub G.
Date: 22 Jan 03 - 03:21 AM

Hello.

I am a member of the Polish Celtic music band, and looking for the lyrics for the one of the most beautiful song. I don't know the name of it, but know some inner parts of the text.
Can anybody help me ? I would be glad to get these lyrics. Title would be nice too. Thanks.

"... A Captain ....
Hands Away Tommorow

How can you go away
fighting for strangers

You 'd better stay at home
free from all dangers"


Jakub Galka
[e-mail]

Subject: ADD Version: Our Captain Cried All Hands
From: Brian Hoskin
Date: 22 Jan 03 - 03:40 AM

Our Captain Cried All Hands

Our captain cried, All hands and away tomorrow
Leaving these girls behind in grief and sorrow.
What makes you go abroad, fighting for strangers
When you could stop at home, free from all dangers?

You courted me a while just to deceive me
Now my heart you have gained, and you means to leave me
Saying, There's no belief in men, not my own brother
So girls if you can love, love one another

When I had gold in store oh you did invite me
And now I'm low and poor you seems to slight me
Dry off your brandy tears and leave off weeping
For happy we shall be at our next meeting

Oh I'll roll you in my arms me dearest jewel
So stay at home with me and don't be cruel
She fell down on the ground like one was dying
This house was full of grief, sighing and crying

Farewell me dearest friends, father and mother
I am your only child, and I have no brother
It's in vain to weep for me for I am going
To where the lasting joy's with fountains flowing

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Lyrics and the unknown title
From: Sorcha
Date: 22 Jan 03 - 10:04 AM

If you had done a Lyrics and Knowledge search you would have found that it is already in the DT.

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Lyrics and the unknown title
From: Cluin
Date: 22 Jan 03 - 10:23 AM

How many Mudcatters does it take to do a "Lyr Req" thread?

At least 3. One to do the intial request, one to post the lyrics and one more to say it's already in the DT.

(and apparently, one more to make a smart-ass comment)

After that, she's fair game, b'y.

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Lyrics and the unknown title
From: Sorcha
Date: 22 Jan 03 - 10:28 AM

It wasn't intended to be a smart ass comment--re posting stuff that is already here is a problem for the harvesters.

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Lyrics and the unknown title
From:
Date: 22 Jan 03 - 11:11 AM

There are better ways of saying it, Sorcha. I prefer to just state "The Lyrics and Knowledge Search came up with:" or "A Search of the Forum shows".

It still gets the point across without any negative feelings generated by "If you had done".

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Lyrics and the unknown title
From:
Date: 22 Jan 03 - 11:15 AM

I think Cluin was referring to himself as "one to make a smart-ass comment" not yourself.

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Lyrics and the unknown title
From: Sorcha
Date: 22 Jan 03 - 11:25 AM

You're probably right, George. Sorry.

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Lyrics and the unknown title
From: Malcolm Douglas
Date: 22 Jan 03 - 12:13 PM

The text indicated in the Digital Tradition database is from an unnamed source, though I have added source information for the tune given with it elsewhere. The text Brian has posted has an additional verse, and is the one recorded by Martin Carthy. I have detailed his sources, too, in an earlier thread in which those lyrics were posted. See also

OUR CAPTAIN CALLS Another set in the DT: collated text from Stephen Sedley's The Seeds of Love, with tune.

Help: Fighting for Strangers Discussion mainly of the "Monks Gate" tune, but touching on various other matters. Includes the lyric from Carthy's record, and a post from me detailing the sources of that and the two sets of the song in the DT. There is also a transcription of a broadside copy from the Bodleian Library collection.

Lyr Req: there is no trusting or trust in men A request for the particular text used by Shirley Collins, in which I said I'd look it up and promptly forgot. Whoops.

'Our Captain Cried All Hands' Recordings

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Lyrics and the unknown title
From: GUEST,smart ass
Date: 22 Jan 03 - 01:24 PM

What harvesters??

---

The harvesters who added hundreds of songs to the last edition of the Digital Tradition, Frank.
-Joe Offer-

Subject: RE: Req: Lyrics & unknown title: Capt Cried All Hands
From: Cluin
Date: 22 Jan 03 - 10:54 PM

Oops. Forgot the smiley.

;)

Subject: RE: Req: Lyrics & unknown title: Capt Cried All Hands
From: Jerry Rasmussen
Date: 23 Jan 03 - 12:19 AM

"S.O.S, S.O.S, Captain we are lost!
Our ship is floundering in the sea,by wind and wave we're tossed
Life boats here, life boats there,, hear those shrieks and moans
The captain cried all hands on deck, and said in trembling tones..

   Oh how I wish I was in Peoria, Peoria, tonight
   Oh how I miss those girls in Peoria, Peoria, tonight
   Why you can pick a Morning Gloria, right off the sidewalks of Peoria
   That's why I wish I was in Peoria, Peoria, tonight."

Oh, not that one...?

Sorry!

Jerry

Subject: RE: Req: Lyrics & unknown title: Capt Cried All Hands
From: GUEST,pavane
Date: 23 Jan 03 - 07:27 AM

Subject: RE: Req: Lyrics & unknown title: Capt Cried All Hands
From: GUEST,pavane
Date: 23 Jan 03 - 07:33 AM

Oop, hit the enter key by mistake!

There are 4 versions in the Bodley collection under the name 'The Distressed Maid', all of which have all 5 verses and are similar to the version above.

That seems to be a common problem, that the name by which as song is know nowadays bears no resemblence to its former name, so searching for broadside is a matter of luck.

Subject: RE: Req: Lyrics & unknown title: Capt Cried All Hands
From: GUEST,pavane
Date: 23 Jan 03 - 07:40 AM

Just as an example of what I said above, one of the copies of The Distressed Maid also contains a song called 'Cold winter is past'

You may recognise it if I quote some of the words:

Straightway I will repair to the Borough (!) of Kildare

And there I'll get a sight of my dear

Subject: RE: Req: Lyrics & unknown title: Capt Cried All Hands
From: Trevor
Date: 23 Jan 03 - 11:00 AM

I was wondering about 'dry up your brandy tears'. It's what I used to sing but hadn't got a clue what it meant. When I listened to the Martin Carthy version again it occurred to me that it may be '...briny tears'. Any thoughts?

Subject: RE: Req: Lyrics & unknown title: Capt Cried All Hands
From: GUEST,Jane Bird
Date: 23 Jan 03 - 11:27 AM

It is "briny tears" in a version published a book of songs collected (for the most part) by George Butterworth.

I'll try and look it up tonight and give exact details tomorrow.

Jane

Subject: RE: Req: Lyrics & unknown title: Capt Cried All Hands
From: Malcolm Douglas
Date: 23 Jan 03 - 11:34 AM

Both have been found in tradition. It would be unsurprising if "briny" were the older form, but I don't know if it is or not. I've heard people construct quite elaborate theories to explain "brandy tears", and it's often the case that if you need to go out of your way to explain something, it's not what was originally intended.

Subject: RE: Req: Lyrics & unknown title: Capt Cried All Hands
From: GUEST,Jane Bird
Date: 24 Jan 03 - 05:01 AM

Our Captain calls all hand aboard tomorrow
Leaving your dearest dears in grief and sorrow
Wipe up those briny tears and leave off weeping
How happy shall we be at our next meeting

1st verse of "Our Captain Calls", sung by Mrs Cranstone, Billingshurst, Sussex, July 1907; from, ed Michael Dawney, The Ploughboy's Glory: a selection of hitherto unpublished folk songs collected by George Butterworth, (EFFDS: London, 1977).

Cheers,
Jane

Subject: RE: Req: Lyrics & unknown title: Capt Cried All Hands
From: Charley Noble
Date: 24 Jan 03 - 08:58 AM

"All hands on deck!" comes the cry,
As gale force winds shred the sky,
But we stay dry 'cause we're so high,
Tanqueray-martini-o!

Cheerily,
Charley Noble