Lyr Req: S.S. Caribou

Subject: Lyr Req: S.S. Carabiou
From: GUEST,Joe from Annapolis Valley, Nova Scotia
Date: 21 Aug 15 - 02:47 PM

Hi there. I'm in a band and we're looking for the lyrics for this song here. It's called S.S. Carabiou by Newfie Fever. Thank you very much.

S.S. Carabiou - Newfie Fever (Youtube)

Subject: ADD: Fate of the Caribou (Barry Davis)
From: cnd
Date: 21 Aug 15 - 03:40 PM

FATE OF THE CARIBOU
(Barry Davis)

It was October Thirteenth, Nineteen Forty-Two,
And it was the last night of the Caribou....

She was owned by Newfoundland Railway, Newfoundland's love and pride,
She was two hundred sixty-five feet long, she was forty-one feet wide;
She carried four hundred passengers, first and second class,
Little did she know that night, this trip would be her last.

She left North Sydney ferry docks that night at eight p.m.,
With big and tough Ben Tavenor standing at the helm;
The mine sweeper Grandmere was her escort for that night,
But even with an escort, Ben felt something wasn't right.

The night was dark and moonless as they moved into the strait,
With a very strong southwest wind coming up around the cape;
"There's too much smoke from the funnel," Ben is heard to say,
"And it makes no sense to have the escort behind us all the way."

The German sub, U-Sixty-Nine, lay southwest of Port au Basque,
With two lookouts and their batteries charged, the crew largely at rest;
The captain was ready for action, but he expected none that night,
When the Caribou, belching heavy smoke, suddenly came into sight.

Shortly after from the Grandmere bridge a terrible sight was seen,
It's reported there was one big flash, then clouds of smoke and steam;
A torpedo from the German sub had made a direct hit,
Now the job to find and sink the sub was left to the escort ship.

The sub would not be caught that night, it would make its getaway,
But before the war was over, the sub and crew would pay;
The Grandmere returned for survivors, but the sea had taken its toll,
For the Atlantic Ocean that time of year is very rough and cold.

It was October Thirteenth, Nineteen Forty-Two,
And it was the last night of the Caribou.
And it was the last night of the Caribou.

(SOURCE) [GEST]

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: S.S. Carabiou
From: gnu
Date: 21 Aug 15 - 03:48 PM

Indeed, it's hard to search when the title is spelled incorrectly. Great work, cnd.

Subject: ADD: S.S. Caribou
From: cnd
Date: 21 Aug 15 - 03:54 PM

Thanks. But the end keeps getting cut off!

And finally, the one you're requesting. Unfortunately, I can't find anything else out about the band you mentioned, or the author of the song. I'll just put back the last little bit that got cut off, from the start of the song.

S.S. CARIBOU
(?Unknown?)

On the fourteenth day of October, in Nineteen Forty-Two
From North Sydney to Port aux Basques, Steamed the S.S. Caribou
With Captain Taverner in command and a crew of forty-five
To her destination, none did know, she never would arrive

With the world at war, no chance they took, under black-out rules she sailed
On a north-east course of a thousand times, and the light winds they prevailed
Some forty miles from Port aux Basques; St. Paul's Island could be seen
While down below is their cowardly foe, that German submarine

The night was cold and quiet, too, upon the briny deep
Some walked the deck, some sat and talked, some men set laid to sleep
Then all hell broke loose when through her side there came that German shell
From the sub below, it came atop to watch their drowning kill

Life for some was short that night, while others did survive
To help the ones trapped down below, some people gave their lives
Some clung to ropes, life-boats, and rafts, great courage they did show
As the Caribou slid underneath, to her watery grave below

For five long hours in the early morn, those warm survivors clung
'Til naval crafts and fishing boats, to the rescue they did come
That awful night, that tragedy, they'll remember all their lives
How one-hundred-thirty-seven were lost, one-hundred-one survived

There'a a monument in Port aux Basques, on the isle of Newfoundland
Inscribed are names of loved ones lost who gallantly did stand
So let the fourteenth day of October, in nineteen-forty-two
Let it live in mem'ry and respect with the S.S. Caribou
Let it live in mem'ry and respect with the S.S. Caribou

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: S.S. Carabiou
From: GUEST,#
Date: 21 Aug 15 - 04:06 PM

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zsCG7TRiZgg

There's another take on it.

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: S.S. Carabiou
From: GUEST,#
Date: 21 Aug 15 - 04:11 PM

Also, Google search the group

"Newfie Fever Band"

just like that with quotation marks and all

There's a few sites with more info.

Subject: ADD: S.S. Caribou
From: cnd
Date: 23 Aug 15 - 02:36 PM

Well, quite a few songs have been written about this boat, but none of them seem to match the lyrics you're requesting! I'll post all of the versions I've found, and transcribe yours, too.

The SS CARIBOU
(Unknown)

The moon was bright one starry night
forgotten never shall be,
And the lighthouse beam over the ocean gleamed
as we set out to sea;
The little lights on the waterfront
soon disappeared from view,
As we sailed away from that quiet bay
on the steamship Caribou.

The Caribou was a passenger ship,
two thousand tons and more,
The crew were men from Newfoundland,
mostly from the Western Shore;
On the 14th of October,
in nineteen forty-two,
An enemy sub in the Cabot Straits
sank the steamship Caribou.

For many years that gallant ship,
Ben Taverner in command,
Sailed from a Cape Breton port
to the shores of Newfoundland;
Stanley Taverner, the captain's son,
was first mate on the ship,
When she sailed away from Sydney
on that last disastrous trip.

We walked on deck, my friend and I,
around to the starboard side,
We chatted as we strolled along
to where the boats were tied;
An uneasy warning filled my mind,
I said to my comrade,
"I'm afraid tonight a submarine
will attack the Caribou."

I have worked where danger lurks
down in those coal mines deep,
And yet that night my troubled mind
disturbed me in my sleep;
"If we're attacked tonight," I said,
"Dear Lord, what shall we do
To save the women and children
on the steamship Caribou?"

We were near the shores of Newfoundland
when the Caribou was hit,
And everything on the starboard side
was smashed and torn to bits;
Oh God, it was a fearful, terrible thing,
I'll never forget the sight,
Of people struggling for their lives
that dreadful autumn night.

There were people clinging to the rafts,
their belts kept them afloat,
While the sinking of the Caribou
upset the crowded boats;
They were tossed into the chilly seas
all bruised and numb with cold,
And struggling, the drifting boat
they managed to catch hold.

It's always dark before the dawn,
the hours seemed long to me,
Before the sun dispelled the mist
and shone out o'er the sea;
One hundred and thirty-seven souls
were lost that dreadful night,
And were at rest beneath the waves
before the morning light.

All through those long and weary hours
a woman clung to me,
While I held to the drifting boat
at the mercy of the sea;
Before the airships circled 'round
and a steamer reached our side,
The woman I had tried to save
from exhaustion and cold she died.

Jim Prosper was the second mate
on the steamship Caribou,
The third mate Harold Taverner,
son of the captain, too;
When the submarine attacked the ship,
and she saw beneath the tide,
The sons of Captain Taverner
with their gallant father died.

Tonight, thank God, I'm safe at home
from the perils of the sea,
But the dreadful drama I lived through
will all times a memory be;
My deepest heartfelt sympathy
goes out this night to you,
Whose hearts are saddened by the loss
of the steamship Caribou.

Proudly today do I tribute pay
to my own dear native land,
For the heroes of that dreadful night
were men from Newfoundland;
Brave in the hour of danger,
to the code of the ocean true,
They died with Captain Taverner
on the steamship Caribou.

(SOURCE) [GEST]

Subject: ADD: S.S. Caribou (Herridge/Wall)
From: cnd
Date: 23 Aug 15 - 02:38 PM

THE S.S. CARIBOU
(Fay Herridge/Michael T. Wall)

There's a night we will remember through the swiftly passing years,
For it's written in our mem'ry with a flood of countless tears;
'Twas the fourteenth of October, back in nineteen forty-two,
When a German sub lay waiting for the S.S. Caribou.

When she sailed from Sydney Harbour on the way to Port aux Basques,
Now the night was dark and quiet and the sea was smooth as glass;
And accompanied by the Grandmere on her ninety-six mile trip,
For they knew she was a target as a reserve transport ship.

And the Caribou was steaming 'cross the gulf in waters blue,
Forty miles from shore, a torpedo's roar --
And it was the end, they knew, for the S.S. Caribou.

It was early morning hours when the German U-boat struck,
And the Caribou was crippled, she had run clean out of luck;
As the water flowed in through her like a swiftly rushing tide,
Crew and passengers were scrambling in an effort to survive.

They discovered that some lifeboats had been smashed to useless wrecks,
As the swirling icy waters came a-sweeping o'er the decks;
There was terror and great panic in the hearts of everyone,
And in just a few short minutes was the German vict'ry won.

And the Caribou was steaming 'cross the gulf in waters blue,
Forty miles from shore, a torpedo's roar --
And it was the end, they knew, for the S.S. Caribou.

On the rafts and in the lifeboats they were shaking with the cold,
Some remained out in the water with a trailing rope to hold;
Singing hymns to boost their spirits through the long and chilly night,
Hours later they were rescued in the early morning light.

And the numbers said one hundred thirty-seven people gone,
But the mem'ry of each victim will for evermore live on;
And a tribute should be given to the brave heroic crew,
Only one survived the sinking of the S.S. Caribou.

And the Caribou was steaming 'cross the gulf in waters blue,
Forty miles from shore, a torpedo's roar --
And it was the end, they knew, for the S.S. Caribou.

(SOURCE) GEST

Subject: ADD: The Caribou
From: cnd
Date: 23 Aug 15 - 02:39 PM

THE CARIBOU
(Unknown)

Come old and young, come rich and poor,
And listen to my song,
I hope I won't offend you,
I will not keep you long;
On the fourteenth day of October,
As you may understand,
The Caribou was torpedoed,
About twenty miles from land.

It happened in the morning,
'Twas just before daylight,
When those poor souls on board that ship,
They got an awful fright;
Without a word of warning,
To any of her crew,
When they saw it was the fatal end,
Of the S.S. Caribou.

Poor helpless children on that ship,
Of which there were fourteen,
And men and women besides them,
All in a terrible scream;
To see those cold dark waters,
To which they all must face,
They tried to keep their courage up,
In such an awful case.

Some swum for boats and life rafts,
Whatever they could find,
While others in the water,
To face that cold, cold brine;
They tried to help each other,
Like all of us would do,
And watched the last departure,
Of the S. S. Caribou.

That morning here at Channel,
Was one we'll ne'er forget,
To see those sickened mothers,
And orphans cry and fret;
To see those widows and sweethearts,
They cried, what shall we do,
But she'll never, never sail again,
That good ship Caribou.

Among the bodies were brought in,
I can't tell everyone,
But sadly I will mention,
The captain and his two sons;
They were brought in in the evening,
As soon as they were found,
We sent their mother our sympathy,
From everyone around.

The funeral was the largest,
That ever was known here,
To see them lay the bodies down,
Each eye was filled with tears;
May God, all in his greatness,
Have mercy on them all,
And may they all be ready,
To answer to his call.

To tell you all that perished,
I'm sure I can't tell right,
But mostly to a harbour,
It was a sad, sad plight;
And most of her brave hearty crew,
Belonged to Port aux Basques,
Who crossed those stormy waters,
They so many times have passed.

To the people of this Island,
I know you'll understand,
What the S.S. Caribou really meant,
To dear old Newfoundland;
She crossed the ocean rough and smooth,
When in the hours of gloom,
But whoever thought the day would come,
When she would meet her tomb?

Now to conclude and finish,
I done my very best,
We'll leave the remains of the Caribou,
On the bottom for to rest;
And right to the Newfoundland Railway,
We all must bid adieu,
And think upon that awful day,
And the S.S. Caribou.

collected by MacEdward Leach
(SOURCE) [GEST]

Subject: ADD: S.S. Caribou
From: cnd
Date: 23 Aug 15 - 02:44 PM

And finally, the one you're requesting. Unfortunately, I can't find anything else out about the band you mentioned, or the author of the song. I'll just put back the last little bit that got cut off, from the start of the song. I transcribed the lyrics from the video posted above.

S.S. CARIBOU
(?Unknown?)

On the fourteenth day of October, in Nineteen Forty-Two
From North Sydney to Port aux Basques, Steamed the S.S. Cariobou
With Captain Taverner in command and a crew of forty-five
To her destination, none did know, she never would arrive

With the world at war, no chance they took, under black-out rules she sailed
On a north-east course of a thousand times, and the light winds they prevailed
Some forty miles from Port aux Basques; St. Paul's Island could be seen
While down below is their cowardly foe, that German submarine

The night was cold and quiet, too, upon the briny deep
Some walked the deck, some sat and talked, some men set laid to sleep
Then all hell broke loose when through her side there came that German shell
From the sub below, it came atop to watch their drowning kill

Life for some was short that night, while others did survive
To help the ones trapped down below, some people gave their lives
Some clung to ropes, life-boats, and rafts, great courage they did show
As the Caribou slid underneath, to her watery grave below

For five long hours in the early morn, those warm survivors clung
'Til naval crafts and fishing boats, to the rescue they did come
That awful night, that tragedy, they'll remember all their lives
How one-hundred-thirty-seven were lost, one-hundred-one survived

There'a a monument in Port aux Basques, on the isle of Newfoundland
Inscribed are names of loved ones lost who gallantly did stand
So let the fourteenth day of October, in nineteen-forty-two
Let it live in mem'ry and respect with the S.S. Caribou
Let it live in mem'ry and respect with the S.S. Caribou


S.S. Caribou - Newfie Fever (Youtube)