ADD: It's Nearly Morning (Geoff Noble)

Subject: It's nearly morning
From: GUEST
Date: 16 Oct 18 - 07:05 PM

Does anyone please have the lyrics to Geoff Noble's song It's Nearly Morning? It includes something like 'the ship that lies at anchor will be sailing in the morning'. Thanks for any help!

Subject: RE: lyr req: It's nearly morning (Geoff Noble)
From: FreddyHeadey
Date: 17 Oct 18 - 01:14 PM

If it's the UK singer I'm thinking of you might try his FB page?
https://www.facebook.com/geoff.noble.50

Subject: Lyr Add: IT'S NEARLY MORNING (from Hank Cramer)
From: Jim Dixon
Date: 18 Oct 18 - 11:37 AM

I heard this on Spotify. It may not be exactly what you wanted, but I hope it’s close:


IT’S NEARLY MORNING
As recorded by Hank Cramer on “The Road Rolls On” (2002)

Come fill your glasses high,
Sing a song and say goodbye,
For the ship that rides at anchor, she’ll be sailin’ with the dawn,
And in the mornin’ we’ll be goin’
On a sea where whales are blowin’
On cold oceans, all full knowin’
Maybe no return.

Away, away it’s hard to go; my heart lies here
In this gentle valley where the Calder* meets the Aire,*
But one more song from Dad(?) and Packer(?),
Dance your long sword* and your rapper,*
Sing of good and bad and old times till the morning.

Goodbye to mine* and dark mill
Terrace, houses, town and slack hill
For tomorrow we’ll be sailin’ where Borealis lights the sky.
If I come home, this is my last trip
I’d rather dig the coal in yon pit
Than risk my life again on a cod trip
Up ‘round Iceland.

Away, away it’s hard to go; my heart lies here
In this gentle valley where the Calder meets the Aire,
But soon the harbor we’ll be ploddin’,
And on (or “at dawn”?) its waters we’ll be headin’,
So pack your duffel and your beddin’;
It’s nearly mornin’.

* Things mentioned:
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/River_Calder,_West_Yorkshire
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/River_Aire
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Long_Sword_dance
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Rapper_sword
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Kellingley_Colliery (one of many mines the song might refer to)

Subject: Lyr Add: IN THE MORNING (Geoff Noble)
From: Jim Dixon
Date: 18 Oct 18 - 12:26 PM

I also heard this on Spotify, and you can hear it on YouTube. Comparing the two songs, I can’t tell which is older, although someone has done a major rewrite. I have boldfaced the words that are different. Unfortunately, Spotify doesn’t provide songwriting credits.


IN THE MORNING
As recorded by Geoff Noble on “Ocean Song” (2010)

Let’s raise our glasses high
As we sing and say goodbye,
For the ship that lies at anchor, it’ll be sailing with the dawn.
Tomorrow we are goin’,
Seas where whales are blowing
On cold ocean, all full knowing
There will be no, no return.

Away, away it’s hard to go; my heart lies here,
But I must leave; it’s westward we must steer.
So one more tune from Jim and Arthur,
Let tonight be filled with laughter.
Play your fiddles; shake the rafters
Until the morning.

Farewell to all I’ve known:
These lands, these fields, my home,
For tomorrow we’ll be drifting where borealis lights the sky.
Westward bound, a new life waiting
In a new land for the taking,
And though to leave my heart is aching,
Parting’s sweet sorrow.

Away, away it’s hard to go; my heart lies here.
I must leave; it’s westward we must steer.
So one more song from Jim and May,
We’ll dance the night away
And talk of good and bad and old times
Until the morning.

Away, away it’s hard to go; my heart lies here
But I must leave; it’s westward we must steer.
But soon the harbor will be swelling,
With its waters we’ll be heading,
Pack your duffel and your bedding;
It’s almost morning.

Subject: RE: lyr req: It's nearly morning (Geoff Noble)
From: GUEST,Guest
Date: 18 Oct 18 - 01:50 PM

Thanks for all the replies. I have the version with the words as recorded by Hank Cramer but I couldn't quite hear all the words. I presume Geoff Noble's version is the correct one as he wrote it but there are quite big differences as you say. It seems strange - if I was clever enough to write a song I think I would want my version used! Anyway thanks again for your help.