COLLECTIVE SONG. 'The Terrible'.

Subject: COLLECTIVE SONG. 'The Terrible'.
From: The Shambles
Date: 09 Mar 00 - 06:51 AM

I thought this might be a good subject for a collective song. I have written the first verse and the chorus, let's see where it takes us.

It is about how history would be changed if certain things had or had not happened. Thomas Paine, then aged sixteen ran away to sea but his father (who made corsets) reached him in time to prevent him sailing. His intention had been to enlist as a seaman on board the 'privateer' The Terrible. The captain of this good vessel, being one, Captain Death……... Must be worth a song, surely?

(Three years later he did join up and served for a year, on the less memorably named The King of Prussia under a Captain Mendez but that's not quite so much fun).

My father's trade, a 'staymaker', was not the life for me.
At sixteen years I packed my chest and ran away to sea.
At Harwich quay, I arrived, full of romantic notions
And stepped aboard the 'privateer' I'd joined to sail the oceans.

"I have sailed the 'several seas' since first that I drew breath".
"Welcome aboard The Terrible", roared the skipper, Captain Death.

Subject: RE: COLLECTIVE SONG. 'The Terrible'.
From: AndyG
Date: 09 Mar 00 - 07:37 AM

In my new profession, as a landsman I was rated.
And so, to hard and dirty work it seemed that I was fated.
Salt water and the holy-stone, while hardening my hands,
Did not forwarn of battles' shock or Deaths' infernal plans.

Do we know what actually happened to The Terrible & Capt. Death ?

AndyG

Subject: RE: COLLECTIVE SONG. 'The Terrible'.
From: Amos
Date: 09 Mar 00 - 09:57 AM

Man -- the American Revolution hinged to a corsetmaker; m'word the things you learn on Mudcat! Thanks, Shambles. Well begun song.

Subject: RE: COLLECTIVE SONG. 'The Terrible'.
From: The Shambles
Date: 09 Mar 00 - 12:42 PM

Not too sure about the fate of Captain Death, I will watch the song's progress to find out.

Our Tom did not appear to like the sea too much and returned to making corsets (sorry Amos). Not in Dorset, unfortunately, for the song is crying out for such a rhyme but in London.

Subject: RE: COLLECTIVE SONG. 'The Terrible'.
From: MMario
Date: 09 Mar 00 - 01:15 PM

use artistic license....corset and dorset.....who cares about the facts....OUCH! Who pinched me?

Subject: RE: COLLECTIVE SONG. 'The Terrible'.
From: The Shambles
Date: 09 Mar 00 - 04:16 PM

Thomas Paine wrote this in 1775 in Common Sense

The Terrible privateer, Captain Death, stood the hottest engagement of any ship last war, yet had not twenty sailors on board, though her compliment of men was upwards of two hundred. A few able and social sailors will soon instruct a sufficient number of active land-men in the common work of a ship.

Subject: RE: COLLECTIVE SONG. 'The Terrible'.
From: McGrath of Harlow
Date: 09 Mar 00 - 08:02 PM

"I have sailed the 'several seas' since first that I drew breath". "Welcome aboard The Terrible", roared the skipper, Captain Death. "Two hundred souls to sail the ship, scarce twenty know their trade
"Tomorrow's tide we sail once more in seas of blood to wade"

The dawn is red up, the tide is high, the anchor soon we'll raise
And Paine and Death together stand, a sign of bloody days
But hear the cry across the wave, my father shakes his hands
"O would you run, O Tom my son - your father now commands".

And it might end up something like:

And now I stand, not on the deck, but here upon the land -

Instead of shot, it's words I'll fire, to win the Rights of Man.

The real trick would be finding a rhyme for Thetford. (I suppose you coulds also slip in a line somewhere about him being Norfolk and good...)

Subject: RE: COLLECTIVE SONG. 'The Terrible'.
From: The Shambles
Date: 10 Mar 00 - 08:09 PM

At the battle's start, in my heart, I wished I was home in Thetford.
All was fury, rush and roar, I had no time to get bored.
From what I saw this time of war, was indeed a savage season
An age of Blood, Paine and Death and not an Age of Reason

"I have sailed the 'several seas' since first that I drew breath".
"Welcome aboard The Terrible", roared the skipper, Captain Death.
"Two hundred souls to sail the ship, scarce twenty know their trade
"Tomorrow's tide we sail once more in seas of blood to wade"

Well I tried. Now see if you can fit in the phrase 'stay' of execution?

Subject: RE: COLLECTIVE SONG. 'The Terrible'.
From: Thomas the Rhymer
Date: 11 Mar 00 - 01:09 AM

the time has come, with rusty guns, to speak of revolution.... We'll lay to rest, the crown fleet's best, and stay the execution... with toil and sweat, and no regrets, Its Neptune's ain solution.... We'll storm the gates, with furied fates, and GOD's circumlocution

Subject: RE: COLLECTIVE SONG. 'The Terrible'.
From: Liz the Squeak
Date: 11 Mar 00 - 04:35 AM

Hey, they could always get shipwrecked in Dorset, there is a very nasty stretch of coast called Chesil Bank, where, if you get off the boat alive, chances are you won't make it up the beach far enough to save yourself, because the undertow will suck your legs from under you and the pebbles with stone you to death, half the people washed ashore there aren't drowned, but beaten to death.... Nice county, Dorset, wish I was back there!

LTS

Subject: RE: COLLECTIVE SONG. 'The Terrible'.
From: The Shambles
Date: 11 Mar 00 - 07:33 AM

Here is some info on Chesil Beach and Dorset. Not a lot about corsets though. Weymouth and Portland etc

Subject: RE: COLLECTIVE SONG. 'The Terrible'.
From: McGrath of Harlow
Date: 11 Mar 00 - 02:57 PM

The other appropriate rhyme for Corset might be "Force it":

Cried Death "My belly I'll defeat - I know the way to force it - Now haul upon these ropes, brave souls, draw tighter still my corset."

Well Lord Cardigan wore a corset when he led the Charge ofbvthen Light Brigade.

Subject: RE: COLLECTIVE SONG. 'The Terrible'.
From: Áine
Date: 12 Mar 00 - 10:04 AM

Hey Shambles,

Great song y'all have going here -- I'm keeping an eye on it for the Mudcat Songbook. Just remember (he he), that you're responsible for putting all these wonderful verses together and sending it into the Book.

Well done, everyone -- keep it up!

-- Áine

Subject: RE: COLLECTIVE SONG. 'The Terrible'.
From: Amos
Date: 12 Mar 00 - 01:48 PM

He galloped home, that rainy night, 'cross many a brook and wet ford Until he came back home again to the weirdly town of Thetford He swore no more to sea he'd go, tho' he feared he would soon get bored So he ran off to Amerikay and forget the town of Thetford and about time too!