Lyr Req: Welsh Back Quay (Ian Dye)

Subject: Lyr Req: Welsh Back Quay (Ian Dye)
From: Joe Offer
Date: 08 May 22 - 01:44 PM

Here's the recording, but I'm having trouble understanding enough to come up with a transcription. Can anybody help?
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AFHTZCBhq7I

WELSH BACK QUAY
(Ian Dye)

From Welsh Back Quay I said goodbye to sweethearts, wives, and friends,
And down the march (?) we sailed away to wind to avon's den (??)

CHORUS
Don't time me to the bullard, mate, don't lash me to the mast,
I'm bound away for Krumlach(?) shore, this voyage will be my last.

Like I say, I'm having trouble...

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Welsh Back Quay (Ian Dye)
From: Nigel Parsons
Date: 09 May 22 - 02:44 PM

For starters 'Welsh Back Quay' is valid. It's part of Bristol harbour, map on Wiki: Here

we sailed away to wind to avon's den "To wind through Avon's bends" (the river Avon does not flow straight between Bristol and the River Severn.

bullard more likely 'bollard' it sounds clearer in one of the later choruses.

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Welsh Back Quay (Ian Dye)
From: Nigel Parsons
Date: 09 May 22 - 02:54 PM

Just to mention that the River Avon mentioned is the (Bristol) Avon, not the (Warwickshire) Avon which runs through Shakespeare's birthplace.

Also 'River Avon' is tautologous meaning River River. Welsh retains 'afon' (with the single 'f' sounded as 'v') to mean 'river'.

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Welsh Back Quay (Ian Dye)
From: DaveRo
Date: 09 May 22 - 03:20 PM

I think it's 'down the marsh'; you lock out of the floating harbour into the tidal River Avon which is quite shallow and muddy and, as Nigel said, somewhat sinuous. (There's a picture of it with the video.) But why 'marsh' I don't know. Maybe a local name for a stretch of the river above the gorge.

The juxtaposition of 'bollard', which is on shore, and 'mast' which is aboard ship, is odd. Does he want to go or not?

Just south of the harbour is the church of St. Mary's Redcliffe, with its spire and bells, also mentioned in the song. One of the nicest-sounding rings of 12 bells I know.

And it's Klondike shore. So he's joining the gold rush. But elsewhere he says he's going to sail round the world.

"Goodbye to you in ??? wells" No idea. Wells is a nearby town in Somerset; maybe there's somewhere called 'somthing Wells' - or maybe it's a pub.

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Welsh Back Quay (Ian Dye)
From: Nigel Parsons
Date: 09 May 22 - 03:45 PM

Definitely 'down the Marsh'.
Referring back to the map in my post of 2:44 between Welsh Back Quay (18 on the map) and the main river you have 'Canons Marsh' (at 16 on the map)

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Welsh Back Quay (Ian Dye)
From: Reinhard
Date: 09 May 22 - 05:10 PM

The chorus starts with "Don't tie me to the bollard", not "time".

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Welsh Back Quay (Ian Dye)
From: leeneia
Date: 14 May 22 - 02:02 PM

Nice song - thanks for posting.

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Welsh Back Quay (Ian Dye)
From: Newport Boy
Date: 15 May 22 - 05:51 AM

I'll listen more when I have time, but the "something wells" is difficult. There were a number of wells along the river and Jacobs Wells Road runs down to the harbour, but that's not it.

I confirm that Canons Marsh is the area in central Bristol just downstream of the old harbour. It was a major railway marshalling yard when the railways were important freight carriers from the docks.

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Welsh Back Quay (Ian Dye)
From: Reinhard
Date: 15 May 22 - 09:23 AM

Hotwells is a district of Bristol: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hotwells

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Welsh Back Quay (Ian Dye)
From: Newport Boy
Date: 16 May 22 - 06:39 AM

OK - I have it all, but for uncertainty over one word. "quay"? at the end of line 2 in verse 4. I think he pronounces it "kay" for the rhyme.

Welsh Back Quay - Ian Dye

From Welsh Back Quay I said goodbye
To sweethearts, wives and friends
And down the Marsh we sailed away
To wind through Avon's bends.

Chorus:
Don't tie me to the bollard, mate
Don't lash me to the mast.
I'm bound away for Klondike shore
This voyage will be my last.

I've sailed the oceans far and wide
I've sailed from Bristol town.
I'm bound away on a Severn tide
On a voyage the world around.

I've seen St Elmo's raging fire
And the fog on the Severn shore.
I leave behind old Redcliffe spire
And the girls I do adore.

Goodbye to you in old Hotwells
And the girls at Bristol quay.
I hear the sound of Redcliffe's bells
As we get her under way.

I've been to sea for twenty years
I've sailed to eastern shores
But now I want to stay right here
In Bristol evermore.

Phil