Lyr Req: Sad February (Graeme Miles)

Subject: Lyr Req: Sad February
From: GUEST,Jan
Date: 29 Mar 10 - 05:09 PM

Can anyone help me with the lyrics for Sad February by Graeme Miles? I tried to transcribe them from listening to the Unthanks but I've still got a couple of gaps...

Cold February and all is not well
There's few will sleep easy this night
Down at the dockside, grim silent men standing
Under the pale yellow light
There's scarcely a murmer and laughter there's none
Of whispering there's barely a sound
For their thoughts are away, out there in the bay
Where it's said that the Lairdsfield is down

Bleak February a cruel bitter wind
Stirs up the black grimy fall (?)
Out there on the sea is no place to be
Far better by the fire ... ?
But not for the sailor the soft easy chair
He's out there ... ?
But tonight there are ten who'll work never again
Counted among the drowned dead

Dark February a few flakes of snow
Drift over our heads ... ?
By the break on the side on the ... ?
They wait for the first streaks of day
And over the sand-dunes and over the bar
See a few feet of ... ?
Hold fast in the sand with ... ?
Barely two miles from the shore

Sad February and all is not well
There's few will sleep easy this night
Down at the dockside, grim silent men standing
Under the pale yellow light
For down there at Teesmouth
The Lairdsfield is drowned
And ... ?
Ten men who'll not see the springtime again
Nor yet see the cold winter through

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Sad February
From: Leadfingers
Date: 30 Mar 10 - 07:27 AM

You could always buy his Song Book !

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Sad February
From: GUEST
Date: 30 Mar 10 - 12:29 PM

The correct song title is "The Lairdsfield Disaster" Graeme wrote it about a ship that sank a couple of miles off-shore at Redcar.   The Wilsons sang it on an album "Horumarye and other songs of Teesside and Cleveland" (all Graeme Miles material).   The Wilsons have subsequently revisited this song on their latest album.

Chris

Subject: Lyr Req: SAD FEBRUARY (Graeme Miles)
From: Commander Crabbe
Date: 30 Mar 10 - 07:13 PM

Here are the missing bits for you:

Cold February and all is not well
There's few will sleep easy this night
Down on the dockside, grim silent men standing
Under the pale yellow light
There's scarcely a murmur and laughter there's none
Of whispering there's barely a sound
For their thoughts are away, down there in the bay
Where it's said that the Lairdsfield is down

Bleak February a cruel bitter wind
Stirs up the black grimy foam
Out there on the sea is no place to be
Far better by the fireside and warm
But not for the sailor the soft easy chair
He's out there earning his bread
But tonight there are ten who'll work never again
Counted among the drowned dead

Dark February a few flakes of snow
Drift over bowed heads on the stray
By the breakwater side and along by the Gare
They wait for the first streaks of day
And over the sand-dunes and over the bar
See a few feet of keel nothing more
Held fast in the sand with all of her hands
Barely two miles from the shore

Sad February and all is not well
There's few will sleep easy this night
Down at the dockside, grim silent men standing
Under the pale yellow light
For down there at Teesmouth
The Lairdsfield is drowned
And with her every man of her crew
Ten men who'll not see the springtime again
Nor yet see the cold winter through

Enjoy

CC

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Sad February (Graeme Miles)
From: GUEST,Jan
Date: 02 Apr 10 - 02:50 PM

Great, thanks for the lyrics and info! I didn't know there was a songbook, but I had a quick search and found it on Amazon.

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Sad February (Graeme Miles)
From: Tootler
Date: 02 Apr 10 - 05:53 PM

Two books actually;

"Songscapes" and "Forgotten Songs Remembered"

Songscapes has his songs with photographs taken round Teesside, the area that inspired his songs, both industrial and the countryside
roundabout.