Lyr ADD: Tall Ships (Pete McNab)

Subject: Lyr Req: Tall Ships
From: GUEST,Singerdave
Date: 01 Mar 20 - 12:34 PM

Need some help with a song please. Heard some years ago relating to the tall sailing ships. All I can recall is the chorus which went something like:-

Tall ships sailing up the channel
Memory of an era that we'll never know
Tall ships with sails like bits of flannel
Remind us of a way of life
From long, long ago.

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Tall Ships
From: GUEST,Starship
Date: 01 Mar 20 - 04:06 PM

I'm coming up empty. Sorry.

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Tall Ships
From: cnd
Date: 01 Mar 20 - 05:24 PM

Going through songs that include "Tall Ships" in their name with the genre "Folk" online, most of the ones I listened to didn't sound like this, but I wasn't able to find recordings of "Tall Ships" by The Golden Bears (from Wall to Wall, 2008) or "Tall Ships" by Celtic City Sons (from Sweating in the Woodshed, 1992).

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Tall Ships
From: Black belt caterpillar wrestler
Date: 02 Mar 20 - 03:34 AM

This was written by Pete McNab and performed by Wigamaleeries, later Hen's Teeth, on our album Tall Ships.
It was done at the time of the Tall Ships visit to Bristol in1998.

I will dig out the lyric sheet shortly.

Robin

Subject: Lyr Add: TALL SHIPS (Pete MacNab)
From: Black belt caterpillar wrestler
Date: 02 Mar 20 - 09:12 AM

I got the year wrong - 1996.

Lyrics:

TALL SHIPS. Pete MacNab.

Hold a seashell to your ear and listen to the ocean
You can hold its roar in the palm of your hand
Close your eyes and what you’ll hear will bring to you the notion
Of sailing ships and days of yore and far-off foreign strands

CH
They’re tall ships, sailing up the channel
Memories of an era that we’ll never know
Tall ships, sails like bits of flannel
Remind us of a way of life that’s long, long ago.

Come with me and you will see a fine site from the headland
Just a little glimpse of the vision we had
Sailing free upon the sea, just like a long lost legend
Ships from France and Sweden and from far-off Trinidad

There’s packet ships and sloops to see, there’s barques and there are clippers
Schooners from around the world a splendid array
They come in, they’ll fill the quay with sailors crew and skippers
Shanty men still singing with their haul, haul away

So hold that seashell to your ear you know you’ll hear the ocean
See tall ships with their billowed sails before your very eyes
Find yourself down at the quay welled up with the emotion
Of seeing all those noble ships with masts that reach the sky


If you want a CD copy I can only suggest that you contact Pete.

CD tracks are as follows:
1. Heading doon the road (MacNab)
2. It takes my breath away (MacNab)
3. Fall down Billy O'Shea (Trad)
4. Run boys run (Madge)
5. Doon the brae (MacNab)
6. Handsome Molly (Trad)
7. The Purbeck Gem (MacNab)
8. Cheddar Black Rocks (MacNab)
9. Tall ships (MacNab)
10. Skipper of a clipper/Stan Hugill (MacNab)
11. Stirling Fair/Tattie Howkers (MacNab/Trad)
12. Foreshore Workers/Gillian's apples (Madge/Trad)
13. You've stolen my heart away (MacNab)
14. Jerry pub (MacNab)
15. Harry Brown (MacNab)
16. Time to ca' this nicht a day (MacNab)
17. My young man (Trad)

Recorded at the Bath Arms Cheddar
(C) Hen's Teeth Music 1996

PS: Does not have "The one eyed Cormorant" on it I am afraid!

Robin

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Tall Ships
From: GUEST,Starship
Date: 02 Mar 20 - 11:06 PM

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Tk9d38VmPD8

The song is still being done.

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Tall Ships
From: GUEST,Singerdave
Date: 03 Mar 20 - 04:33 AM

Thanks a lot for the lyrics Black Belt don't suppose I could push my luck and ask if you have the chords please. Thanks

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Tall Ships
From: Black belt caterpillar wrestler
Date: 03 Mar 20 - 06:07 AM

I don't have the chords, I think we did it in F as I remember using the Bb/F concetina.

Robin

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Tall Ships
From: GUEST,Starship
Date: 03 Mar 20 - 10:10 AM

What key would you like the chords in??

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Tall Ships
From: GUEST,Singerdave
Date: 03 Mar 20 - 12:12 PM

G - would be ideal please. Thanks

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Tall Ships
From: GUEST,Starship
Date: 03 Mar 20 - 01:29 PM

The chords are based on the linked song (which is the only one I've heard).

(G)Hold a seashell (D)to your ear and (G)listen to the (C)ocean
(G)You can hold its roar in the palm of your (D)hand
(G)Close your eyes and (D)what you’ll hear will (G)bring to you the (C)notion
Of (G)sailing ships and days of yore and far-off (D)foreign (G)strands

CH
They’ re (G)tall (D)ships, ((G)sailing up the (C)channel
(G)Memories of an era that we’ll never (D)know
(G)Tall (D)ships, (G)sails like bits of (C)flannel
(G)Remind us of a way of life that’s long, (D)long ago.

Depending how you play it, you may want to add a relative minor or 6th, but that'll get you started.

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Tall Ships
From: GUEST,Singerdave
Date: 04 Mar 20 - 05:09 AM

Many thanks for that Starship and to Black Belt once again for your help.

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Tall Ships
From: GUEST,Starship
Date: 04 Mar 20 - 08:58 AM

Most welcome.

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Tall Ships
From: GUEST
Date: 26 Mar 24 - 07:36 AM

Does anyone have contact details for Pete MacNab?