Lyr Req: Sea Song - salt water grave

Subject: Lyr Req: Sea Song
From: GUEST,Dave Hunt
Date: 11 Sep 19 - 11:15 AM

Looking for friend who does nor use Mudcat. She only has one line of text - "and the saltwater was his grave"
Nothing in VWML - could be a Dibden composition or similar ...any ideas?

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Sea Song
From: Mick Pearce (MCP)
Date: 11 Sep 19 - 11:31 AM

Only found a reference to it on this page as being sung by a Southwold fisherman The Dip.

A quick search at archive didn't find the phrase and it doesn't seem to be in Bronson.

Unfortunately I have to go out for the night now, so I won't get back to this today.

Mick

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Sea Song
From: GUEST,Dave Hunt
Date: 13 Sep 19 - 11:13 AM

Thanks for that Mick - any more you can find would be gratefully received by the enquirer - Katie Howson

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Sea Song
From: Mick Pearce (MCP)
Date: 13 Sep 19 - 12:14 PM

My searches so far have proved fruitless; the only other reference was in a source for the quote listed on my link above. Otherwise google books provided nothing.

I did a search of the Dibdin naval songs and didn't find a hit there (nearest was: And ne'er make his grave of a salt water wave in Blow, Boreas, Blow). I have other volumes of Dibdin on the computer, but they're not searchable, so I'll have to skim through them; I'll try and do that over the weekend.

Steve Gardham might have some idea. I'll send him a message to ask if he's seen this thread.

Mick

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Sea Song
From: Steve Gardham
Date: 13 Sep 19 - 12:52 PM

Seen the thread and looks familiar. More likely a broadside ballad than a MH song or a Dibdin piece IMO. Looks like it might be a last line, needle in a haystack job!

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Sea Song
From: Steve Gardham
Date: 13 Sep 19 - 03:22 PM

Not any of the 'Sailor's Grave' songs on the Bodl and not in Masefield and similar anthologies.

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Sea Song
From: Charley Noble
Date: 13 Sep 19 - 08:52 PM

Dave-

See if you can secure a few more clues.

And why is this song important to your friend?

Cheerily,
Charlie Ipcar

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Sea Song
From: Mick Pearce (MCP)
Date: 14 Sep 19 - 02:58 AM

Charlie - I suspect it's to do with the Southwold fisherman reference quoted in my link above.

Mick

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Sea Song - salt water grave
From: Steve Gardham
Date: 14 Sep 19 - 04:09 PM

If you go to the 'Dip' link it says this was the refrain of an interminable slow ballad. So we're looking at some form of elegy or lament, perhaps about an old local seaman or even somebody nationally well-known, but if the latter was the case Shaw would probably have flagged up that fact.

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Sea Song - salt water grave
From: GUEST
Date: 18 Sep 19 - 09:31 PM

refresh

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Sea Song - salt water grave
From: Jim Carroll
Date: 19 Sep 19 - 02:55 AM

I remember the phrase from an old BUrl Ives album of sea songs (mainly out of the Dibden stable) before I discovered the real thing
I can remember taher twee versions of Eddystone Light (which, to my horror, I osmosised and occasionally drive Pat barmy dy singing around the house)
'Jack Was Every Inch A Sailor' was another ersatz sea song on the album
Jim Carroll

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Sea Song - salt water grave
From: Mick Pearce (MCP)
Date: 19 Sep 19 - 03:23 AM

Burl Ives Sings Down To The Sea In Ships, could be the album Jim - I'll have a listen to it later today.

Mick

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Sea Song - salt water grave
From: Steve Gardham
Date: 19 Sep 19 - 08:20 AM

Damn! I had 4 or 5 of Ives's books until recently when I had to downsize drastically and got rid. Goes to show. never throw anything out unless you have to. One of them was an anthology of sea songs. I didn't think as I would need them as they are almost well-known and available in other collections.

BTW the adverts for Laser Eye Surgery...are they trying to tell us something?

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Sea Song - salt water grave
From: GUEST,Starship
Date: 19 Sep 19 - 03:23 PM

Dave, your friend wouldn't be thinking of 'Henry Martin' by any chance?

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Sea Song - salt water grave
From: GUEST,Dave Hunt
Date: 21 Sep 19 - 10:15 AM

Starship - I shouldn't think so...Katie Howson would know that one