North Pole or South Pole....songs about?

Subject: North Pole or South Pole....songs about?
From: GUEST,W
Date: 15 Oct 17 - 02:45 PM

Any songs about the North Pole and/or the South Pole?

Subject: RE: North Pole or South Pole....songs about?
From: Steve Gardham
Date: 15 Oct 17 - 02:57 PM

Franklin probably as near as you're going to get with trad songs.

'To seek a passage around the Pole'

Subject: RE: North Pole or South Pole....songs about?
From: FreddyHeadey
Date: 15 Oct 17 - 06:11 PM

Tom Cream

thread.cfm?threadid=130163
looks like some Shackleton links there too.

Subject: RE: North Pole or South Pole....songs about?
From: GUEST,Gerry
Date: 15 Oct 17 - 09:40 PM

Is "the shadow of the Pole" good enough? Robert W Service wrote a poem, Ballad of Blasphemous Bill, Debby McClatchy set it to music. "Have you ever stood in an Arctic hut, in the shadow of the Pole/With a little coffin, 6-by-3, and a grief that you can't control...."

Subject: RE: North Pole or South Pole....songs about?
From: FreddyHeadey
Date: 16 Oct 17 - 02:15 AM

^^^^^^^^ Tom Crean

Subject: RE: North Pole or South Pole....songs about?
From: DaveRo
Date: 16 Oct 17 - 02:24 AM

According to this about Fridtjof Nansen there were songs written about his journey to the North pole in the Fram. ('Earth's apogee'???). Maybe some survive. Perhaps in Norwegian. There's a pop song on YouTube.

Subject: RE: North Pole or South Pole....songs about?
From: Black belt caterpillar wrestler
Date: 16 Oct 17 - 07:33 AM

Has anyone set "Spot of the Antarctic", by Les Barker, to music?

Subject: RE: North Pole or South Pole....songs about?
From: GUEST
Date: 16 Oct 17 - 08:28 AM

There are at least two songs about John Rae, the discoverer of the North West Passage---blackballed and airbrushed from history until recently--- ----reason--- Englishmen dont do cannibalism.

He never tried for the North Pole. In 21yrs. of Artic Exploration he never lost a man unlike most "heroes" with strong links to the Establishment hence their inflated heroic status.

Subject: RE: North Pole or South Pole....songs about?
From: GUEST,henryp
Date: 16 Oct 17 - 04:58 PM

Two songs from Rude Awakening by Andy Irvine

Rude Awakening; In the Imperial Trans-Antarctic Expedition 1914-17, Shackleton famously led all his own party to safety, but Victor Hayward and Aenas McIntosh, two members of the Ross Sea party, lost their lives crossing the sea-ice from Hut Point to Cape Evans.

Douglas Mawson; Douglas Mawson had been a member of Shackleton's Nimrod expedition in 1907/08 and was drawn back to the Antarctic in 1911 at the head of his own expedition. His epic and tragic Antarctic journey has been referred to as probably the greatest story of lone survival in Polar exploration.

Joe Dolan from Galway wrote a song about Shackleton's arrival in Stromness, the whaling base in South Georgia; My Name is Shackleton. It was recorded by the Planxty of 1983 with Andy Irvine, Arty McGlynn, Dolores Keane, James Kelly, Bill Whelan and Liam O'Flynn.

Irish band The Difference Engine released their debut single 'Elephant Island' on February 15 2011, to mark Ernest Shackleton's birthday.

Seamus Eagan of Solas wrote the banjo tune "Vital Mental Medicine," inspired by the book The Endurance, Caroline Alexander's chronicle of explorer Ernest Shackleton.

From youtube; posted by AusRadioHistorian Jan 23, 2016

SCOTT ANTARCTIC EXPEDITION MEMORIAL RECORD, 1913; ??Tis A Story That Will Live Forever? ? the memorial song composed by Paul Pelham and Lawrence Wright, after the news of Scott?s death had reached the world, early in 1913. This version, featuring the robust baritone voice of the prolific recording artist Stanley Kirkby, from about April 1913, was released on the British Edison-Bell label.

Subject: RE: North Pole or South Pole....songs about?
From: GUEST,henryp
Date: 17 Oct 17 - 03:55 AM

1. The Ballad of Tom Crean

Hail, hail, Tom Crean, hail, hail, Tom Crean,
He?s the bravest man that the world?s ever seen.
Hail, hail, Tom Crean, hail, hail, Tom Crean,
He?s the Irish giant from County Kerry.

Walked thirty-five miles in the Arctic alone
To save Teddy Evans from making his bones.
He went down to the south with Shackleton and Scott,
Won three polar medals and a coward he?s not.
Faced death many times, but he never backed down.
Came home to Anascaul, his little home town.

Hail, hail, Tom Crean, hail, hail, Tom Crean,
He?s the bravest man that the world?s ever seen.
Hail, hail, Tom Crean, hail, hail, Tom Crean,
He?s the Irish giant from County Kerry.

The Ballad of Tom Crean was recorded circa 1918 by fellow crew members of the Endurance expedition which was led by Sir Ernest Shackleton.

2. Subject: RE: Ballad of Tom Crean Date: 16 Jun 10 - 06:56 AM

I wrote "The Ballad of Tom Crean" ten years ago, and first performed it at The Cork Singers Club. The ballad is one of twelve compositions which are included on my cd "Antarctic Ballads" Since then I have been invited to perform at the unveiling of Tom Creans fine statue opposite The South Pole Inn, Annascaul, Co Kerry... At the Shackleton Museum, Athy, Co. Kildare, and also below decks in the Ward Room of "R.R.S.Discovery" now berthed in Dundee, Scotland.

Apart from my own recording of The Ballad of Tom Crean, (Which you can listen to for free by going to www.myspace.com/cliffwedgbury)It has also been recorded by P.J.Murrihy, a fine ballad singer from Co. Clare, and also quite recently by Jimmy Crowley and Martin deCogan, who have a couple of postings on UTube.

I have been writing and performing songs since my teenage years when I used to sing around the London folk clubs during the sixties with Al Stewart and Peter Bellamy, at clubs like Bunjies, Litchfield Street and "LesCousins," in Greek Street. Happy Days of fun and good music. (Sandy Denny poured the cokes in LesCousins, then got up on stage and sank like a lark until dawn.)

Best Wishes from Cliff Wedgbury.

Subject: RE: North Pole or South Pole....songs about?
From: Tattie Bogle
Date: 17 Oct 17 - 06:57 PM

Towards the South Pole at any rate:
S Georgia Whaling Song
Little Pot Stove

Subject: RE: North Pole or South Pole....songs about?
From: Nigel Parsons
Date: 18 Oct 17 - 10:45 AM

Rolling down to old Maui ?
(returning from the Arctic hunting grounds)

Subject: RE: North Pole or South Pole....songs about?
From: GUEST,henryp
Date: 18 Oct 17 - 05:59 PM

Santa's Moving to the South Pole

from Aussie Christmas with Bucko & Champs, Vols. 1-2, Warner Bros, 2003

Subject: RE: North Pole or South Pole....songs about?
From: Jack Campin
Date: 18 Oct 17 - 07:04 PM

There is a song cycle by Dominick Argento, "The Andree Expedition", which he later turned into an opera.

http://www.sonoloco.com/rev/nosag/21/nosag21.html

I've only heard the beginning of it on YouTube, not enough to judge it. As that page says, there was other music composed relating to that expedition.

Subject: RE: North Pole or South Pole....songs about?
From: GUEST,henryp
Date: 19 Oct 17 - 04:45 AM

Sinfonia Antartica (Antarctic Symphony) is the Italian title given by the English composer Ralph Vaughan Williams to his seventh symphony.

Vaughan Williams provided the music for the film Scott of the Antarctic in 1947, and was so inspired by the subject that he incorporated much of the music into a symphony. The piece was begun in 1949, and composition completed in 1952, with a dedication to Ernest Irving.

The first performance took place on 14 January 1953 in Manchester with Sir John Barbirolli conducting the Hall? Orchestra; the soprano soloist was Margaret Ritchie.

The work is scored for a large orchestra.There is also a wordless three-part women's chorus and solo soprano, which sing only in the first and last movements.

From Wikipedia

Subject: RE: North Pole or South Pole....songs about?
From: Jack Campin
Date: 19 Oct 17 - 08:27 AM

Thomas Weelkes leaves it a bit vague where "Thule, the period of cosmography" actually is, but somewhere north of Hekla in Iceland, anyway. (By the time he wrote that, Weelkes was so terminally alcoholic he probably couldn't hold a map the right way up).

Subject: RE: North Pole or South Pole....songs about?
From: GUEST,W
Date: 19 Oct 17 - 11:10 AM

thanks for all the responses so far.

W

Subject: RE: North Pole or South Pole....songs about?
From: GUEST,thdanks
Date: 19 Oct 17 - 12:49 PM

There are lots of Arctic and Antarctic whaling songs, like "Soon May the Wellerman Come."
Also, if we can include polar *bears*, "Have you got any news of the iceberg?"

Subject: RE: North Pole or South Pole....songs about?
From: GUEST,henryp
Date: 19 Oct 17 - 06:59 PM

Songs of the Humpback Whale

Produced by zoologist Dr Roger Payne and originally released on LP in 1970.

Subject: RE: North Pole or South Pole....songs about?
From: Tattie Bogle
Date: 20 Oct 17 - 05:08 PM

Sinfonia Antarctica is wonderful: I first heard it in my early 20s and bought an LP of it, Copyright Decca Records 1966. Sir Adrian Boult conducting the London Philharmonic Choir and Orchestra, with soprano soloist Margaret Ritchie, and spoken parts by Sir John Gielgud. (Jack, your orchestra would be the Halle (acute accent on the e) - which was always based in Manchester, and for many years conducted by Sir John - interesting that it should be the saem soprano!)
Vangelis also wrote an Antarctica Suite - quite different from Sinfonia Antarctica but very atmospheric. I used some tracks from it as backing track for my very amateur non-commercial video of my own trip to Antarctica in 2007. Much better than the ambient wind noise on all my video recordings! (And I did buy the tracks from iTunes!)

Subject: RE: North Pole or South Pole....songs about?
From: Jack Campin
Date: 20 Oct 17 - 07:14 PM

A rather crap song about Scott's south polar expedition, but with some good pictures by Herbert Ponting in the video:

Birdie, The Doctor and Me

Much better (un-folky) music accompanied by neat period visuals about Nobile and Amundsen's airship expedition of 1928 in the Norge to the North Pole, put together as a trailer for a steampunk novel:

Song for New Venice

And this article mentions an Italian song, "The Bell of San Giusto", that was actually played on a gramophone by Nobile's expedition while hovering over the North Pole in 1931 in their airship, the Italia:

https://www.smithsonianmag.com/history/flying-north-pole-airship-was-easy-returning-wouldnt-be-so-easy-180964560/

Here's what they played. It's a proto-Fascist song about the annexation of Trieste, here recorded by Caruso in 1919:

La Campana di San Giusto

Subject: RE: North Pole or South Pole....songs about?
From: GUEST,henryp
Date: 21 Oct 17 - 04:28 AM

I never realised that dancing was so popular at the poles. But it has been granted observer status by the Global Association of International Sports Federation.

The International Pole Sports Federation (IPSF), founded by Katie Coates, 41, from Hertfordshire, is now able to apply for membership of the International Olympic Committee.

Subject: RE: North Pole or South Pole....songs about?
From: Tattie Bogle
Date: 24 Oct 17 - 08:23 PM

Afor anyone wothin striking distance of Edinburgh, this event on 11th Nov mohht be of interest, and all free too! https://www.eventbrite.co.uk/e/song-workshop-sea-shanties-and-songs-of-the-sea-tickets-37724874114?aff=ebdsorderfblightbox

Subject: RE: North Pole or South Pole....songs about?
From: Tattie Bogle
Date: 24 Oct 17 - 08:24 PM

Oop! Sorry for late- night typos on all too small screen!

Subject: RE: North Pole or South Pole....songs about?
From: Jack Campin
Date: 24 Oct 17 - 08:46 PM

And for something a bit surprising, google "Shackleton's banjo".

Subject: RE: North Pole or South Pole....songs about?
From: GUEST,henryp
Date: 25 Oct 17 - 12:57 PM

Seamus Eagan of Solas wrote the banjo tune "Vital Mental Medicine," inspired by the book The Endurance, Caroline Alexander's chronicle of explorer Ernest Shackleton.

Subject: RE: North Pole or South Pole....songs about?
From: GUEST,W
Date: 31 Oct 17 - 11:09 AM

thanks all for replys

Subject: RE: North Pole or South Pole....songs about?
From: Raggytash
Date: 03 Nov 17 - 06:48 AM

Aiden Dooley has written a play about Tom Crean, I've seen it and it is stunning. It's not on tour at the moment but I highly recommend it if it comes on again.

Tom Crean

The pub Tom Crean opened in the home village when he retired from the Navy is also well worth a visit.

Subject: RE: North Pole or South Pole....songs about?
From: Gutcher
Date: 03 Nov 17 - 10:04 AM

My late friend Dr Jerry Crean, fiddle player and secretary of the Scottish Fiddle Orchestra was 17 when his uncle Tom died.Jerry informed me that Tom was due to go on a 4th. Antartic expedition but his new wife refused to let him go.

Jerry flew over to see the first performance of the play and my late wife and I attended a performance in Manorhamilton, County Lietrim a few years later. I would endorse Raggytashs recommendation.

Subject: RE: North Pole or South Pole....songs about?
From: Herga Kitty
Date: 05 Nov 17 - 08:26 AM

Black belt caterpillar wrestler - you've already asked the question that popped into my mind just before I opened this thread. But your question hasn't been answered - maybe you should have a go!

Kitty

Subject: RE: North Pole or South Pole....songs about?
From: Hrothgar
Date: 06 Nov 17 - 04:37 AM

Some of Harry Robertson's whaling songs deal with the Antarctic, but not specifically the South Pole.

e.g.
The Antarctic Fleet
Wee Pot Stove
Blubber laddies
Time for a Laugh and a Song

Subject: RE: North Pole or South Pole....songs about?
From: GUEST,larepole, guest
Date: 06 Nov 17 - 09:37 PM

The Wee Pot Stove was recorded brilliantly by Nic Jones on "Penguin Eggs" as Little Pot Stove, and is one of the best mid-winter songs there is.

THE LITTLE POT STOVE

Where the winter blizzards blow and the whaling fleet's at rest
Tacked in Leith harbour's sheltered bay safely anchored ten abreast
For there's the whalemen at their stations as to ship to ship they rove
Carry bags of coal with them and a little iron stove

In the little dark engine room where the chill seep in your soul
How we huddled round that little pot stove that burned oily rags and coal

A fireman, Paddy, he works with me on the engine frozen cold
A stranger to the truth is he, there's not a lie he hasn't told
Well, he boasted of his gold mines and of the hearts that he had won
And his bawdy sense of humour shone just like a ray of sun

In the little dark engine room where the chill seep in your soul
How we huddled round that little pot stove that burned oily rags and coal

We live it seven days a week, cold hands and frozen feet
Bitter days and lonely nights, making grog and having fights
There's swordfish and whale-meat sausage and fresh penguin egg's a treat
Then we struggle on to work each day through the icy winds and sleet

In the little dark engine room where the chill seep in your soul
How we huddled round that little pot stove that burned oily rags and coal

Then one day we saw the sun, we saw the factory ship return
Meet your old friends and you sing a song; we hope the journey wasn't long
And then it's homeward bound and it's over and we'll leave this icy hole
But I always will remember that little iron stove

In the little dark engine room where the chill seep in your soul
How we huddled round that little pot stove that burned oily rags and coal
In the little dark engine room where the chill seep in your soul
How we huddled round that little pot stove that burned oily rags and coal

Subject: RE: North Pole or South Pole....songs about?
From: FreddyHeadey
Date: 15 Nov 17 - 08:10 PM

Jake Wilson's "All's Well"

1.Home
2.Maybe Some Time
3.All's Well
4.Sleep in the Cold
5.Black was the Flag
download or play : https://www.jakewilsonmusic.com/music/

" Wilson has composed All's Well, a cycle of five songs, from the point of view of the men who died on their return journey from the South Pole 100 years ago: Edgar Evans, Lawrence Oates, Edward Wilson, Henry Bowers, and Captain Robert Scott himself. The songs aim to capture the different responses of these five men as they realise their deaths are inevitable, and are dedicated to the memory of Jake's mother, and his friend, the writer Russell Hoban, both of whom died while he was working on All's Well."
more :
https://search.cam.ac.uk/web?query=a-musical-expedition-to-scott%27s-south-pole
> a-musical-expedition-to-scott's-south-pole
(I can't make a clicky for the actual page ...?)

Subject: RE: North Pole or South Pole....songs about?
From: DaveRo
Date: 16 Nov 17 - 02:11 AM

http://www.cam.ac.uk/research/news/a-musical-expedition-to-scott%E2%80%99s-south-pole

Subject: RE: North Pole or South Pole....songs about?
From: Tattie Bogle
Date: 16 Nov 17 - 08:05 PM

Unfortunately I missed the song workshop related to the Shackleton expedition exhibition in Edinburgh, to which I referred above, owing to unforeseen circumstances. However, I did meet tutor, Christine Kydd, later that day, and she said that the songs covered in the workshop were all ones known to have been sung by the crew on the expedition.