Lyr Req: The Pearly Adriatic (Grace Williams)

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: The Pearly Adriatic (Grace Williams)
From: GUEST
Date: 23 Jul 14 - 12:51 AM

I had to sing this damn tune at my High-School Eistedford in Grade 8 back in 1971. I thought the catholic brother made it up himself until I just googled it.

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: The Pearly Adriatic (Grace Williams)
From: GUEST
Date: 24 Mar 13 - 11:33 AM

We sang this at school and we added another verse:

Soon I'll return to my pearly Adriatic,
Soon I'll return to my lovely island home,
Soon I'll return to my lovely Isabella,
Far from her side, I never more will roan.

No more a sailor sailing right across the ocean,
Tossed by the billows, tossed by the foam.

Chirry birry birry no more a sailor,
Chirry birry birry no more a sailor,
Chirry birry birry no more a sailor,
Sailing away from home.

It was recorded in about 1956 by the choir at Hilary Street Junior School, Walsall, the teacher Norman Swain arranged it.

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: The Pearly Adriatic (Grace Williams)
From: GUEST,Guest AH
Date: 23 Sep 12 - 03:53 PM

Fascinating to re-discover this beautiful song learned at junior school! Just returned from Croatia and the island of Corcula. The guide sang a song that reminded me of this tune and it dawned on me that the Adriatic island could very well be Corcula. There is a strong tradition of folk song on this lovely island.

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: The Pearly Adriatic (Grace Williams)
From: GUEST,Ono
Date: 27 Mar 12 - 02:32 PM

And here's the original W00t!

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hiZ_11hcKU8

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: The Pearly Adriatic (Grace Williams)
From: GUEST,Ono
Date: 27 Mar 12 - 02:30 PM

At http://lyricstranslate.com/en/daleko-mi-je-biser-jadrana-its-far-away-pearl-adriatic.html I found what I think must be the original that Grace Williams collected. Here's the translation:

it's far away the pearl of adriatic

it's far away the pearl of adriatic
it's so far my home town
and it's more far my darling,
who i faithfully love

i sail the see,i count the stars
i think about home all the time
i live in hope,i'm full of joy
to see you again

sail,sail a little boat
let a silver wave carries you
i'm crying ,i can't stop
and i think about home all the time

"Pearl OF the Adriatic" makes more sense, as that's Dubrovnik. Williams maybe changed it because Dubrovnik isn't on an island.

Still hunting for a recording of either version.

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Far far away is my pearly Adriatic
From: Jim Dixon
Date: 15 Sep 09 - 12:04 PM

Grace Williams collected and arranged the tune of a "Yugoslav" folksong and wrote the English words, calling it THE PEARLY ADRIATIC. It was published by Oxford University Press, 1953 (according to the British Library Integrated Catalog).

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Far far away is my pearly Adriatic
From: GUEST
Date: 14 Sep 09 - 06:57 AM

Wow, thank you so much for your replies, with the information you supplied I was able to download the full choral version via a google search which brought up
http://tardymusic.blogspot.com/2009/05/farnham-festival-1963.html#comment-form

My memory wasn't too bad as it turns out as the words I supplied are complete...I thought perhaps there were other verses but apparantly not.

Was great to re-visit my past and I shall be teaching this song to my two small grandsons

Many thanks

Mandy

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Far far away is y pearly Adriatic
From: Wyrd Sister
Date: 13 Sep 09 - 03:25 PM

I definitely learned this at school, date's about right. Scary that I could remember it all from the thread title!

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Far far away is y pearly Adriatic
From: Mick Pearce (MCP)
Date: 13 Sep 09 - 03:02 PM

See also this post at Folkinfo, where they omitted it from the set of Singing together in the db there, but have access to it.

Mick

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Far far away is y pearly Adriatic
From: Mick Pearce (MCP)
Date: 13 Sep 09 - 02:50 PM

According to the thread 'Singing Together' 1958 UK a song called Pearly Adriatic was published in the Singing Together series. It seems to be Yugoslavian in origin and there are several arrangements available.

I can't tell if it's the same song, but someone may have access to a copy (they were online for a while, but have gone now)

Mick

Subject: Lyr Req: Far far away is y pearly Adriatic
From: GUEST
Date: 13 Sep 09 - 08:44 AM

When I was a child my older sister used to sing a song to me that I only know fragmented words to, though I do remember the tune...I'd love to know the songs proper title and all the words if anyone can help

Far far away is my pearly adriatic
far far away is my pretty island home
far far away is my lovely Isabella
far far away from her I now must roam

For I'm a sailor, sailing right across the ocean
tossed by the billows, tossed by the foam

Chirry birry birry I'm a sailor
Chirry birry birry I'm a sailor
chirry birry birry I'm a sailor
sailing away from home
away from home