Lyr Req: Harbour Voice (Sean Cooney/The Young'uns)

Subject: Lyr Req: (& source): 'I hear a voice singing ...'
From: bobm
Date: 17 Feb 18 - 12:21 PM

Can anyone help, please, to identify this song I heard a lady sing in one of Colin Andrews' themed singarounds at Sidmouth last summer.

I don't know if that is the title, or who wrote it. I think I have most of the lyrics, but I'd appreciate confirmation - and any idea as to the baffling missing word:

"I hear a voice singing in the harbour
Calling me to dream
But it's only the ghost of a song
Singing of a time that?s been.

I see a ship sailing past the pierhead
Calling me to sing
But it's only the ghost of a ????? (break? brake? uh?)
With nothing left to bring.

I see two forms wrapped up in the moonlight
Calling me to cry
But it's only the ghost of a love
That promised not to die."

I've searched the internet in umpteen ways with a variety of search engines and found just one allusion to it in the form of a quotation of the the first two lines. But I have been unable to trace the author of that post.

Bob Malcolm

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: (& source): 'I hear a voice singing ...'
From: GUEST,====
Date: 18 Feb 18 - 09:57 AM

https://sidmouthfolkweek.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/2017/07/full-prog-2017-med-med.pdf

Takes a good minute and a half to load that. Have you tried looking through it to locate the particular session you heard the song at? It would be a place to start if you don't get lucky here. Best to you.

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: (& source): 'I hear a voice singing ...'
From: bobm
Date: 18 Feb 18 - 10:39 AM

Thanks - and sorry: I should have given more detail. It was in Colin and Sonja's 'natural/supernatural' session on the Tuesday afternoon (the 8th) at the Royal Glen. These are singarounds, so it's a bit hit or miss if you get the singers' names. I've asked Colin but our records don't quite tally.

I think she sang next but one after Sue White sang Normandy Orchards. Then a chap sang a Mick Ryan song. Then this.

There's not a huge amount of substance in the words, but it was a very pretty tune.

Bob

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: (& source): 'I hear a voice singing ...'
From: GUEST,====
Date: 18 Feb 18 - 11:40 AM

Thank you, Bob. I tried the same futile search you did on various search engines with no luck. The one possibility left is Youtube.

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: (& source): 'I hear a voice singing ...'
From: bobm
Date: 28 Mar 18 - 01:02 PM

Found it: 'Harbour Voice' by Sean Cooney (The Young'Uns'). Last Sunday I asked the folk at Brickfolk if anyone knew it and a couple of chaps there thought they did. They were right.

I still can't make out that word in the 2nd verse. Maybe it'll be more clear on the CD.

Subject: Lyr Add: HARBOUR VOICE (Sean Cooney)
From: GUEST,Mick Pearce (MCP)
Date: 28 Mar 18 - 01:43 PM

Here's the song as it is on the album. Your missing word I first thought might bes brig, but on listening closely it definitely seems to end with /k/ and does indeed seem to be break. (Break cargo was cargo that had to be loaded individually not in bulk; I don't know if that's significant!),There are two other differences, the one in v1 significant.

Mick

---

HARBOUR VOICE
(Sean Cooney)

I hear a voice singing in the harbour
Calling me to dream;
But it's only the ghost of a song
Singing in a time that's been.

I see a ship sailing past the pierhead
Calling me to sing;
But it's only the ghost of a break
With nothing left to bring.

I see two forms wrapped up in the moonlight
Calling me to cry;
But they're only the ghost of a love
That promised not to die."

I hear a voice singing in the harbour
Calling me to dream;
But it's only the ghost of a song
Singing in a time that's been.

I hear a voice singing in the harbour


Source: The Young'Uns, album When Our Grandfathers Said No>/b>

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: (& source): 'I hear a voice singing ...'
From: bobm
Date: 10 Aug 19 - 01:31 PM

Aaaarrgghhh! I'm really sorry, Mick. I hadn't noticed that you had written this. But a year and a half late I thank you - and apologise again

Bob

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: (& source): 'I hear a voice singing ...'
From: Mick Pearce (MCP)
Date: 10 Aug 19 - 02:06 PM

Not a problem Bob. The thread had been inactive for over a month before the last 2 posts, so it would have dropped from sight. Then it's easy to miss when it comes back.

Mick

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Harbour Voice (Sean Cooney/The Young'uns)
From: GUEST,Henrik
Date: 15 Jan 23 - 04:16 AM

Just stumbled across this. Believe it should be:

But it's only the ghost of a brig

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Harbour Voice (Sean Cooney/The Young'uns)
From: GeoffLawes
Date: 19 Jan 23 - 04:35 AM

Recording of” Harbour Voice “ sung by The Young'uns on YouTube     https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7c8DNFarlus