Lyr/Tune Req: A Sailor's Greeting

Subject: Tune Add: 'A Sailor's Greeting'
From: salrog
Date: 04 Aug 09 - 11:06 AM

I am looking for English lyrics and melody for a Danish/Norwegian song called "A Sailor's Greeting". Any ideas? I need it for a memorial service on August 14th. Thanks!
Sally Rogers

Subject: RE: Tune Add: 'A Sailor's Greeting'
From: ClaireBear
Date: 04 Aug 09 - 12:47 PM

I've found a recording of it, recorded by a Minnesota-based choir called World Voices. Sadly, no samples or downloads are available, so I can't say anything about quality -- and I don't know if it's in English. Sorry!

CD available here:

http://www.singers.com/8367c/World-Voices/Mosaic/

(or just click here)

Best of luck, Sally. I hope I've helped.

Claire

Subject: RE: Tune Add: 'A Sailor's Greeting'
From: ClaireBear
Date: 04 Aug 09 - 01:01 PM

I found another Minnesota recording. Again no samples, but this one has some background information and the original (Danish?) title, plus one line translated into English. From the liner notes:

17. Hälsa dem Därhemma (Greet those at home) - music: Edith Worsing, text: C. Bengtsson. Originally written as a nostalgic song sung by a homesick Danish sailor, this tune has been adopted by Scandinavian/Americans as their anthem. "If I had wings like you, swallow, I would fly back home to greet my loved ones."

Here is the Web site: http://www.brainerd.net/~pwilson/timmerhus/nikolina.html

(or click here)

Cheers,
Claire

Subject: RE: Tune Add: 'A Sailor's Greeting'
From: ClaireBear
Date: 04 Aug 09 - 01:33 PM

The original title is Swedish, sorry, it's the sailor who's Danish. So confusing!

Subject: RE: Tune Add: 'A Sailor's Greeting'
From: ClaireBear
Date: 04 Aug 09 - 01:38 PM

YouTube -- in Swedish, I presume

OK, must do some work now!

Subject: Lyr Add: 'A Sailor's Greeting'
From: ClaireBear
Date: 04 Aug 09 - 05:47 PM

Success at last! (Can you tell I'm taking another break from technical editing?)

I found both sheet music and lyrics on page 46 of the Minnesota Heritage Songbook, a PDF of which is kindly provided at http://mnheritagesongbook.net/MinnesotaHeritageSongbook.pdf (or just click here). Note that the song is not actually called "Sailor's Greeting," but despite all the permutations the search took, I'm pretty sure this is what you're looking for.

English lyrics in that book are as follows:

GREET THE FOLKS AT HOME

Stars above are shining bright,
Gleaming on the waves tonight,
While on the ship I sail from home;
I remember, though I roam!
High above I see them fly,
Swallows flitting through the sky,
Heading for the land I love —
The land from which I rove.

Chorus:
Greet my family at home;
Greet my father there,
And my dear old mother,
My love with golden hair.
If I had wings of a swallow,
I'd fly across the sea;
Go home, little swallow,
Greet them all for me.

Hard times forced me from my land;
All I own is in my hand;
The thoughts of those I've left behind
Come ever to my mind.
Little swallow, fly for me,
Fly back home across the sea,
Take my message back to them
I had to leave at home.

Subject: RE: Tune Add: 'A Sailor's Greeting'
From: agingcynic
Date: 04 Aug 09 - 06:05 PM

hey there

i saw your request for 'a sailor's greeting' and wanted to bring to your attention a sailor song that might work for you down the road. it's called 'the old sailor' and is about the life and death of, well, an old sailor

i wrote it and would be glad to send you lyrics and a chart. you can listen here:

www.myspace.com/karmafarmers

Subject: RE: Tune Add: 'A Sailor's Greeting'
From: ClaireBear
Date: 05 Aug 09 - 03:49 AM

Redreshing!

Subject: RE: Tune Add: 'A Sailor's Greeting'
From: GUEST,leeneia
Date: 05 Aug 09 - 11:03 AM

ClaireBear, it was very nice of you to locate that song for Sally. Well done!

Subject: RE: Tune Add: 'A Sailor's Greeting'
From: ClaireBear
Date: 05 Aug 09 - 11:42 AM

Blush... aw shucks, 'tweren't nothing. I've been a huge Sally Rogers fan for many years, so it seemed the least I could do...

T'anks! Cool little book, isn't it?

C

Subject: RE: Tune Add: 'A Sailor's Greeting'
From: ClaireBear
Date: 05 Aug 09 - 05:33 PM

But I am beginning to wonder if Sally will ever come back and see what a treasure I unearthed for her.

"Oh the song-finder's life is a wearisome one
Though some say it's free from care..."

Subject: RE: Tune Add: 'A Sailor's Greeting'
From: Dan Schatz
Date: 05 Aug 09 - 09:42 PM

I just alerted Sally to your post. Hopefully she'll check back in soon.

Dan

Subject: RE: Tune Add: 'A Sailor's Greeting'
From: ClaireBear
Date: 05 Aug 09 - 10:16 PM

Thank you, Dan!

Subject: RE: Tune Add: 'A Sailor's Greeting'
From: Dan Schatz
Date: 06 Aug 09 - 05:47 PM

refresh

Subject: RE: Tune Add: 'A Sailor's Greeting'
From: ClaireBear
Date: 07 Aug 09 - 10:00 AM

Coming up for air one more time.

Subject: RE: Tune Add: 'A Sailor's Greeting'
From: salrog
Date: 07 Aug 09 - 12:14 PM

AH!!! Claire Thank you soooooo much. I'm in Norhtport, MI where my mom grew up. I happened to bring my printer with me, so I can even print out p. 46 of the Minnesota heritage songbook! I can't believe that you found it!! You were definitely dogged in your search. I owe you! My sister and I will learn it this week to sing at the memorial on the 14th. Wow! I'm blown away! Ain't the Internet grand? And what a small world it is!

Thanks again,
Sally

Subject: RE: Tune Add: 'A Sailor's Greeting'
From: ClaireBear
Date: 07 Aug 09 - 12:21 PM

(glowing)

A pleasure!

C

Subject: RE: Tune Add: 'A Sailor's Greeting'
From: salrog
Date: 07 Aug 09 - 12:25 PM

And Dan, Thanks so much for alerting me to Claire's post! I'd almost given up on the song. Thanks
Sal

Subject: RE: Tune Add: 'A Sailor's Greeting'
From: salrog
Date: 07 Aug 09 - 12:27 PM

And Claire, I also found the world Voices CD you mentioned. But the people who carry it were out of stock so I didn't have time to get it. I wish they had put it on iTunes! But the You Tube link you gave was also fun.

Sal

Subject: RE: Tune Add: 'A Sailor's Greeting'
From: ClaireBear
Date: 07 Aug 09 - 01:10 PM

For weeks now, I've had a song you wrote running through my head:

Dear Alice, won't you go with me? We'll be married in style
And we'll cross Lake Michigan, so blue and so wide...

Now I know why.

Good luck with the song. I'm sure it will be lovely, coming from you.

C

Subject: RE: Lyr/Tune req: 'A Sailor's Greeting'
From: Q (Frank Staplin)
Date: 07 Aug 09 - 08:39 PM

Thanks for the link to the Minnesota Songbook. Nice to have it on line.

Subject: RE: Lyr/Tune req: 'A Sailor's Greeting'
From: Jim Dixon
Date: 09 Aug 09 - 04:24 PM

See this thread, which contains the original Swedish words, a literal English translation, and a singable English version, different from the one posted above:

Lyr Add: Hälsa dem därhemma (trad. Swedish waltz)

Subject: RE: Lyr/Tune req: 'A Sailor's Greeting'
From: GUEST,Paul F. Anderson
Date: 19 Apr 10 - 08:05 PM

The thread below has the song's original Danish lyrics, a partial Norwegian translation and an interesting English translation called "Greetings to the Home Folks". It also has historical notes about the song.

Lyr Add: Hälsa dem därhemma (trad. Swedish waltz)