Lyr ADD: Penlee Lifeboat Disaster- and others

Subject: Lyr Req: Penlee lifeboat disaster
From: JohnDun
Date: 21 Oct 08 - 02:09 PM

I have been asked to perform at a RNLI charity event and am looking for the lyrics to a song I heard about 25 years ago.

I was living in Grimsby at the time and a guy called Rob van Sante composed a tune to a local writers poem about the Penlee lifeboat disaster. I'm pretty sure I can remember the tune, but the lyrics...

The chorus started...

There's wreckage in Lamorna Cove that bears? the Solomon Brown(crown?)
All of them perished on that night as the Penlee boat went down

Maybe some of the older Grimsby folksters can help - Many Thanks

John Stevens

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Penlee lifeboat disaster
From: JohnDun
Date: 21 Oct 08 - 02:10 PM

By the way...   This isn't the one on Seth Lakemans CD

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Penlee lifeboat disaster
From: John MacKenzie
Date: 21 Oct 08 - 02:14 PM

Previous thread. You can often find the info if you search the database.

I don't know the version you quote though

JM

Subject: Lyr Add: SOLOMON BROWNE
From: John MacKenzie
Date: 21 Oct 08 - 02:25 PM

Here's another one, don't know who wrote it.


Solomon Browne

The squealing birds, the moaning surf,
Sing their own wordless lament,
The eight who left their homes that night,
Knew they set no precedent.
"Only one man from each family,
For this trip to eternity,"
Is all the Coxswain said.

Chorus:
In the dark and brooding water,
There is no burial mound,
But the grey cliffs of Lamorna mark,
The grave of the Solomon Browne.
By the unforgiving Cornish sea,
A legend is handed down,
About the lifeboat from Penlee,
And the men of the Solomon Browne.

Into the howling, thrashing sea,
They launched their puny boat,
Trusting that God and ability,
Will keep the craft afloat.
Determined to reach the Union Star,
But the airman knows their chances are,
Somewhat less than remote.

(Chorus)

And when the long black night is done,
The dawn bleakly appears,
Revealing shapes in its sullen light,
That crystallise the fears.
The sea retreats, it's anger spent,
Leaving signs of it's contempt,
And we are left to dry the tears.

(Chorus)

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Penlee lifeboat disaster
From: JohnDun
Date: 21 Oct 08 - 03:10 PM

That was quick John...   I'd hardly put the kettle on.

Many thanks for the info. I have searched Mudcat forum and database without any luck.

Unfortunately neither of these are the version I'm looking for, BTW your second post was written and performed by a cornish band called Eden.

The song I heard was performed with a very sombre, almost haunting feel. I'm sure the lyrics were written/wroten/wrote by a local Grimsby poet and the only person I heard perform it was Rob van Sante who I know wrote the tune

John Stevens

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Penlee lifeboat disaster
From: kerry and Mandy
Date: 21 Oct 08 - 04:52 PM

there is also a song written by Paul sirman called the soloman brown a beutiful song.
available on the "all for one" album from the chanty cabin. link below, or from paul him self, pm me if you want contact details.

http://www.chanteycabin.co.uk/

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Penlee lifeboat disaster
From: gnomad
Date: 21 Oct 08 - 06:50 PM

IIRC, Rob used to advertise his services in the Whitby festival programme (some sort of sound engineering I think) so if someone has an old copy about the place you might find his contact details there.

Unfortunately I don't have my old copies any more, and of course he might have moved, but I hope that this might help.

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Penlee lifeboat disaster
From: Cats
Date: 21 Oct 08 - 11:36 PM

If you can't find a Solomon Browne song, Jon Heslop has written half a dozen excellent lifebboat songs including An Ordinary Sort of Man, Before the sea Calls and the Lifeboat Prayer which was written for the crew of the Port Isaac lifeboat, Cornwall, when their boat went down. That's the one that has the words on the RNLI gold medal for gallantry in the chorus 'let not the deep swallow me up'. Always goes down well at Lifeboat nights

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Penlee lifeboat disaster
From: JohnDun
Date: 22 Oct 08 - 07:27 AM

Many thanks for all the suggestions so far.

Still hoping for a Grimsby contact...

Reading the related thread (underway), the last post mentioned that the christmas lights are turned off every 19th Dec. as a mark of rememberance.   This jogged my memory to the start of one of the verses first line.

'No christmas lights in Mouse'le show'    and later    'remember now the lifeboatman who works for charity'

Moving words when you know the story...

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Penlee lifeboat disaster
From: Cats
Date: 22 Oct 08 - 01:17 PM

Closest I can get to Grimsby is the Caister Lifeboat song.

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Penlee lifeboat disaster
From: Banjiman
Date: 22 Oct 08 - 01:23 PM

John,

My wife's written one about The Visitor(near)diaster. The rescue was carried out by the Whitby life boat....you can hear most of it here The Visitor - Wendy Arrowsmith .

If you like it I can get Wendy to send you lyrics and chords etc.

Paul

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Penlee lifeboat disaster
From: Keith A of Hertford
Date: 23 Oct 08 - 04:44 AM

Coincidence for me that this event has come up again this week.
Last Friday we buried my uncle who I mentioned in the other thread.
He was carried by uniformed coastguards, and a maroon was fired for him after the service.

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Penlee lifeboat disaster
From: Keith A of Hertford
Date: 23 Oct 08 - 04:49 AM

John Gray of Ware sings a song that names most of the crew.
I forget whose song it is, but it is a good one.
John is not computerised unfortunately, but local folkies will know him well.

Subject: Lyr Add: PENLEE LIFEBOAT DISASTER (John Lambert)
From: Leraud
Date: 23 Oct 08 - 05:39 AM

The song that John Grey sings is called The Penlee Lifeboat Disaster. I also sing it. It was written by John Lambert at the time of the disaster when John Lambert, Me and Frank Lee were sang together as 'Tom, Dick and Harry'. The words are as follows and if you would like the tune, PM me.

Lynne Heraud

PENLEE LIFEBOAT DISASTER
(John Lambert)

One wintry day in December
The Union Star set sail
On her maiden voyage for Ireland bound,
Her engines they did fail
The wind it blew a gale, me boys,
They feared all for to drown
So at twenty hundred hours and
They launched the Solomon Brown

CHORUS
They launched the Solomon Brown, me boys
They launched the Solomon Brown
At twenty hundred hours and ten
They launched the Solomon Brown

Richards was the Coxwain
Madran number two
Brockman, Blewitt and Greenough
Were in her valiant crew
Torry, Wallace and Smith were there
Three fishermen by trade
Eight families lost a man that night
By cruel fate betrayed

CHORUS
By cruel fate betrayed, me boys
By cruel fate betrayed
Eight families lost a man that night
By cruel fate betrayed

No moon shone down upon the scene
Clouds lined the sky above
The Solomon Brown she was washed up
All in Lamorna Cove
Although those eight brave men are lost
They and their boa are gone
While Englishmen still sail the seas
Their story will live on.

CHORUS
Their story will live on, me boys
Their story will live on
While Englishmen still sail the seas
Their story will live on

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Penlee lifeboat disaster
From: Hawker
Date: 23 Oct 08 - 07:41 AM

Leraud,
Having grown up as a neighbour of one of those lost's wives, may I respectfully correct the names of those lost, I'm guessing that you learned this aurally and thus am not having a go, just giving them the credit they so very much deserve.
The lost crew:

Trevelyan Richards (56) (Coxswain)
James Stephen Madron (35) (2nd Coxswain/Mechanic)
Nigel Brockman (43) (Asst Mechanic, fisherman)
John Blewett (43) (Emergency Mechanic, telephone engineer)
Kevin Smith (23)
Barrie Torrie (33) (fisherman)
Charles Greenhaugh (46) (landlord of Ship Inn, Mousehole)
Gary Wallis (23)

Cheers, Lucy

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Penlee lifeboat disaster
From: Leraud
Date: 23 Oct 08 - 07:50 AM

Sorry - same names, different spellings! I'm at work, so didn't have the original words with me.

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Penlee lifeboat disaster
From: GUEST,Big A
Date: 23 Oct 08 - 09:15 AM

Rob is living in leeds and performing with Alan Reid if you google him you will find a link so that you can contact him.I am fairly certain that this song was written by a chap called Derek Butler who at the time was sharing a house with Rob, Martin Bartlett and Liam Duffy.

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Penlee lifeboat disaster
From: JohnDun
Date: 23 Oct 08 - 03:31 PM

Many thanks for all the contributions, I've managed to contact Rob who does remember me from all that time ago   >25 yrs...    I sometimes have trouble with yesterday.

He has the words and my e-mail to forward them on.   I particularly wanted to sing this as the concert is so close to the anniversary of the disaster.

I'll ask if Rob doesn't mind me posting the lyrics here when they arrive

Subject: Lyr Add: THE PENLEE LIFEBOAT DISASTER
From: JohnDun
Date: 28 Nov 08 - 08:59 AM

I saw Keith A from Hertford the other night and we were talking about this, it reminded me to post the lyrics.

Here are the lyrics Rob sent and a link to the event

Penlee Lifeboat Disaster


THE PENLEE LIFEBOAT DISASTER
mcps/prs '82
Lyrics; Derek Butler & Rob van Sante

The Cornish seas are boiling black, a cauldron full of spite.
Through winter wickedness they rage, throughout a storm cast night.
Saturday at ten past ten a message was sent though.
A coaster is drifting on the wind, alert the Penlee crew.

The Union Star her engines dead, is drifting to the gale.
A tug stands by, her aids refused, no salvage if you fail.
A copter hovers, cannot drop, into the churning throat.
In seas so high as none has known, they launch the Penlee boat.

There's a wreckage in Lamorna Cove, and where's the Solomon Browne.
All eight perished on that night as the Penlee Boat went down.

From Mousehole point she batters out, engaging furious waves.
And tossed against the victim's side, the first fair lives she saves.
But in the fury of the night, she rams the Union Star.
Metal buckles, grab lines snap, two vessels crash ajar.

Now all is lost, the sea consumes, and claims the hapless crew.
The Union Star is smashed aside, upturned on Tater Du.
And Nigel, Stephen, Barry, John, Trevelyan, Charles as well,
With Kevin and Gary go to sleep, beneath the untamed swell.

There's a wreckage in Lamorna Cove, and where's the Solomon Browne.
All eight Perished on that night as the Penlee Boat went down.

No Christmas lights in Mousehole show, no season's bliss enjoyed.
The only fee they gain is death, who're saving are destroyed.
So gentlefolk who're safe inland, taking pleasure from the sea,
Remember now the lifeboat men, who work for charity.

There's a wreckage in Lamorna Cove, and where's the Solomon Browne.
All eight perished on that night as the Penlee Boat went down.

There's a wreckage in Lamorna Cove, and where's the Solomon Browne.
All sixteen perished on that night as the Penlee Boat went down.

Subject: Lyr Add: The Ballad of Lifeboat 954
From: Felipa
Date: 05 Mar 23 - 05:48 PM

A tribute to the Penlee Lifeboat "Solomon Browne", lost with all hands while assisting the coaster "Union Star" on the 19th of December, 1981.

THE BALLAD OF LIFEBOAT 954
Pete Truin

Nine five four, built on Watson’s lines,
She lay inside these walls, it’s here she served her time.
Standing ready to assist those in peril on the seas,
Although her house stands empty now, I see her in my dreams,
I see her in my dreams.

Timber-built in the sixties, named the Solomon Browne,
A hundred and twenty horse power, she made nine knots per hour.
She launched in weather calm and rough, in sun and fog and rain,
She made the slipway for to roar, she caused the winch to strain.

See the christmas lights twinkle in the dawn,
There’s a red sky overhead, a fierce impending storm.
The Union Star, her maiden voyage, it’s down the channel she must go,
With passengers and crew on board and it’s coming on to blow,
It’s coming on to blow.

At six o’clock that night, the Union’s engines failed,
She’s lying ahull, and she’s riding out the gale.
Salt water in her fuel tanks, waves breaking on her beam,
Storm force winds just west of South, the worse they’d ever seen.

Nine five four, built on Watson’s lines,
She lay inside these walls, it’s here she served her time.
Standing ready to assist those in peril on the seas,
Although her house stands empty now, I see her in my dreams,
I see her in my dreams.

This is Penlee lifeboat calling Union Star:
We understand you had trouble with the chopper,
The Union Star she’s anchored now, the seas break mountains high,
The lifeboat comes around again for another try.

The pilot hovers low, he sees the Solomon Browne,
Nearly breaks her back as on the Union’s deck she’s thrown
Bears witness to her bravery as she takes off four,
Then sees her standing out to see, so close to Kernow shore,
So close to Kernow shore.

Nine five four, built on Watson’s lines,
She lay inside these walls, it’s here she served her time.
Standing ready to assist those in peril on the seas,
Although her house stands empty now, I see her in my dreams,
I see her in my dreams.

Outside a shrieking gale, the weather’s closing in,
There’s matchwood on the shore, there’s diesel on the wind,
There’s friends and family listening not knowing if she’s there,
R eight zero to Penlee lifeboat, if you read me fire a flare,
If you read me fire a flare.

Hold them in your hearts, those men who made you proud.
Let your tears fall and say their names aloud,
Though years pass by like falling leaves and many things have changed,
It still feels like yesterday, you’ll miss them just the same.
You’ll miss them just the same.


Words and Music (c) Pete Truin 2016
https://tradacademyseashantychoir.bandcamp.com/track/the-ballad-of-lifeboat-954
All proceeds (you can download mp3 from bandcamp) to RNLI (lifeboats association in UK)

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Penlee Lifeboat Disaster
From: GeoffLawes
Date: 05 Mar 23 - 06:24 PM

Link to MUDCAT Thread: Any December Songs which has songs and information /mudcat.org/thread.cfm?threadid=170618#penleelifeboat:~:text=Subject%3A%20RE%3A%20Any%20December%20Songs%3F%0AFrom%3A%20G

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Penlee Lifeboat Disaster
From: GUEST,Jerry
Date: 06 Mar 23 - 04:37 AM

It’s interesting to read all these lyrics, which honour the loss of lives and bravery of the crew very well, but omit to highlight any of the scandalous issues involved. The Union Star should never have proceeded against advice that night solely for commercial reasons, should not have also had the captain’s family on board, and should not have refused rescue from another vessel for fear of salvage rights, which could have avoided the need for any lifeboats launching. Then there was the extra burden on the bereaved community of the intense and almost voyeuristic media intrusion, and the later furore over the tax implications for all the later charity donations. I think the most revealing aspect of how seafaring communities deal with such grief, is the fact that within just 24 hours of the loss of those 8 crew members, 8 more people proudly volunteered to replace them, which might be something the rest of us (landlubbers, journalists, bankers, freight handlers, etc) can possibly never understand.

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Penlee Lifeboat Disaster
From: GUEST,henryp
Date: 06 Mar 23 - 04:56 AM

Sir William Hillary’s vision for a service dedicated to saving lives at sea became a reality in Bishopsgate’s London Tavern on 4 March 1824, 101 years ago.