Lyr Req: Josh Slocum and the Spray (Fred Moore)

Subject: Fred Moore's SLOCUM AND THE SPRAY
From: Vixen
Date: 17 Apr 00 - 03:00 PM

D'Cats,

I'm looking for the lyrics to this song, which Art Thieme listed as in the thread of songs that make you drop everything.

Much Grass.

V

---

Also see All Aboard the Spray

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Fred Moore's 'Slocum and the Spray'
From: Amos
Date: 17 Apr 00 - 05:12 PM

Lemme know if you find them -- I have admired Joshua slocum for years and would love to be able to sing a song about him.

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Fred Moore's 'Slocum and the Spray'
From: Vixen
Date: 18 Apr 00 - 09:23 AM

I'm looking for the lyrics because a chantey-type song popped into my head on Thursday, pretty much fully developed. I wrote it down, and have tinkered with it, but I've got my usual queasy fear that it's something I've heard before, not an original. I went searching for songs about the Spray and Slocum, and the only reference I found was the one I mention above. I'd like to know at the very least, if it's a chantey...

Thanks again--

V

Subject: Lyr Add: JOSH SLOCUM AND THE SPRAY (Fred Moore)
From: Art Thieme
Date: 18 Apr 00 - 06:22 PM

JOSH SLOCUM AND THE SPRAY
by Fred Moore

Gather 'round me neighbors and friends,
I've a tale of oceans and wind,
She was only 5 and 30 feet--he sailed her all alone,
Out from the Acushenet River, around the world, and brought her home,
Josh Slocum sailed alone aboard the Spray.

It was April of 1895
Joshua Slocum took the Spray out with the tide,
Came back in June of '98---around the world she'd left her wake,
Josh Slocum has returned aboard the Spray---Hallelujah,
Josh Slocum has come home aboard the Spray.

From Fairhaven, Massachusetts they did sail,
Into the cold Atlantic Ocean wind and hail,
Three months out he took the fever and the Spray, she had no crew.
But the pilot of the Pinta manned the helm and brought her through,
Josh Slocum sailed alone aboard the Spray.

At Gibralter he changed the course to around the Horn,
Pirate thieves could not be challenged like a storm,
Down Brazil and Argentina down the straits they made their way,
Preparing for the winter winds that blow all night and day,
Josh Slocum sailed alone aboard the Spray.

When ice ceased whirling around them in the gale,
Heathan savages abounded and assailed,
He met Black Pedro face to face in that cold and barren waste,
Josh Slocum and the Spray down off the tip of Argentina,
In the grip of storm and peril--60 days.

Now the vast great Pacific opened wide,
They sailed and sailed where no man knows the tide,
From the Isle of Juan Fernandez they sailed 3 and 40 days,
Then another 9 and 20 'til his eyes on land did gaze,
Josh Slocum sailed alone aboard the Spray.

Through the islands to Australia westward bound,
Stopping off and giving lectures in the towns,
Each stop was met with open hearts and each was hard to leave,
The South Pacific paradise made Joshua Slocum grieve,
He sailed off sad and lonely on the Spray.

From Australia to the "Keeling Kokus(?)" isles,
They put behind the vast Pacific miles,
Joshua Slocum never faltered in the trust he gave the Spray,
She sailed the Indian Ocean just as if she knew the way,
Neither storm nor coral reef could stop the Spray.

At South Africa they took a well earned rest,
Then they turned the Cape Of Storms and headed west,
Joshua Slocum and the Spray in the Atlantic once again,
Sailing day and night and night and day toward their journey's end,
Josh Slocum and the Spray coming home again.

Up Brazil into familiar Virgin Isles,
Off Cape Hatteras in fog for miles and miles,
They saw the lights of New York City and then Boston---nearly home,
Josh Slocum has come home aboard the Spray all alone,
Josh Slocum has returned aboard the Spray.

On that Massachusetts river rests the SprayWhere from she sailed in '95 one April day,
Down the cold Atlantic Ocean through Magellan Straits she sailed,
Out across the vast Pacific sailing true and never failed,
Josh Slocum sailed alone aboard the Spray---hallelujah,
Josh Slocum has come home aboard the Spray

Art Thieme (Cindy Kallett also has a song about this event.)

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Fred Moore's 'Slocum and the Spray'
From: DonMeixner
Date: 18 Apr 00 - 11:50 PM

Just for fun, read Skiffs and Schooners and see what R.D. Culler had to say about "Spray" and Joshua Slocum.

By some accounts the "Spray" was a leaky little cruiser that seemed to have the endearing ability to stear itself. By other she was plain awful. Slocum, himself may have had his faults too. (But then not everyone can be a Ned Ackerman, :-), ) But whatever their plus and minuses, they did sail the world alone.

Don

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Fred Moore's 'Slocum and the Spray'
From: Vixen
Date: 20 Apr 00 - 08:39 AM

Dear Art and Don--

Thank you SO MUCH--This is clearly not ANYthing like the song I've got! I like the lyric--I'm going to add it my list of CDs to order from Dick G.

Personally, I read SAATW 13 years ago for a "Literature of the Sea" course, and was very impressed with Slocum's writing style. I wrote my final essay on the book, analyzing Slocum's weaknesses as a "Seaman, A.B." It's amazing to me that he survived his voyage. The book, however, is a wonderful example of what is called "creative non-fiction:" it relates an actual occurence, but uses all sorts of literary devices to build suspense and interest in the reader.

My "chantey" has verses that relate details of Slocum's voyage alternated with a chorus that might have been used on a steam/sail trade packet during the transition period when sailing ships were being replaced by steamers:

--Weigh hey ho me boys
Weigh hey ho
Hoist the sail aloft me boys
Or shovel coal below
--

If this sounds familiar to anyone, please let me know!

V

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Fred Moore's 'Slocum and the Spray'
From: Jacob B
Date: 21 Apr 00 - 01:54 PM

Vixen,

Your chorus doesn't sound at all familiar. The song I've heard about the Spray has a chorus that goes:

"All aboard the Spray ... I will set sail, I will prevail, I will regale myself around this world, all around this world."

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Fred Moore's 'Slocum and the Spray'
From: MMario
Date: 11 Jun 02 - 09:03 AM

refresh

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Fred Moore's 'Slocum and the Spray'
From:
Date: 11 Jun 02 - 11:13 AM

I have the words to a song Debbie Reeves wrote about him. I'll post it tonight or tomorrow.

I'll have to see if I can get her to give me a tune or something.

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Fred Moore's 'Slocum and the Spray'
From: EBarnacle1
Date: 11 Jun 02 - 03:45 PM

I like it. The only niggle I have is that the islands are the Keeling-Cocos Islands.

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Fred Moore's 'Slocum and the Spray'
From: Charley Noble
Date: 11 Jun 02 - 09:14 PM

Jacob's chorus is the one The Ancient Mariners use in their Spray song.

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Fred Moore's 'Slocum and the Spray'
From: Dave Bryant
Date: 12 Jun 02 - 06:03 AM

HERE'S a link to another Slocum thread.

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Fred Moore's 'Slocum and the Spray'
From: Charley Noble
Date: 12 Jun 02 - 09:49 AM

Looks like I'll have to transcribe my minicassette of The Ancient Mariners singing at Mystic to get the verses. Unfortunately, it took me a couple of verses to wake up sufficiently to find the recorder and press the right button.

Grumpily,
Charley Noble

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Fred Moore's 'Slocum and the Spray'
From: Charley Noble
Date: 12 Jun 02 - 12:36 PM

I've posted most of the Spray song that Jacob refered above to in a new add thread. It still needs a composer identified and a first verse. Is this the same song George is refering to?

CN

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Fred Moore's 'Slocum and the Spray'
From: GEST
Date: 18 Sep 07 - 08:22 AM

Just for fun, here is a photo of Capt. Joshua Slocum originally taken aboard Spray at Gibralter by Ernest Lacy from Nova Scotia and the Sea by W.R. MacAskill, archived and copyright © by the Province of Nova Scotia, Canada.

http://gov.ns.ca/nsarm/virtual/macaskill/images/112031.jpg

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Fred Moore's 'Slocum and the Spray'
From: Anglo
Date: 18 Sep 07 - 12:58 PM

Just for the record, the song Jacob B mentioned above (several years ago) was written by Dillon Bustin.

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Fred Moore's 'Slocum and the Spray'
From: Anglo
Date: 18 Sep 07 - 01:00 PM

Ah, I see now that this is mentioned on other threads. It is the song referred to above as being sung by Cindy Kallett, and by the Ancient Mariners.

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Fred Moore's 'Slocum and the Spray'
From: Rowan
Date: 18 Sep 07 - 06:34 PM

Art Thieme's posting of the song by Fred Moore had the words
"From Australia to the "Keeling Kokus(?)" isles"
and
EBarnacle1 wrote "The only niggle I have is that the islands are the Keeling-Cocos Islands."

I reckon Slocum ought to be much better known and welcome almost any song celebrating his achievement but, in Oz, those islands are universally known as the Cocos Keeling Islands.

Those who know the story will recall his passage of the Straits of Magellan and his encounter with the natives of Tierra del Fuego; he was convinced they meant to board the Spray and do him harm. He managed to convince them that his 'drop action' Martini Henry (very much a single shot rifle but quite accurate) was a repeating rifle and they were dissuaded. It appears that whole population of people, the most southern of any in the world, became extinct at some time in the subsequent half century.


Cheers, Rowan

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Fred Moore's 'Slocum and the Spray'
From: Uncle_DaveO
Date: 18 Sep 07 - 09:18 PM

Don Meixner told us:

By some accounts the "Spray" was a leaky little cruiser that seemed to have the endearing ability to stear itself. By other she was plain awful.

I know not what R.D. Culler said, but my recollection (admittedly from reading some years past) of Sailing Alone Around The World is that Slocum was nothing but complimentary of the Spray.

Dave Oesterreich

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Fred Moore's 'Slocum and the Spray'
From: GUEST,DonMeixner
Date: 18 Sep 07 - 09:46 PM

Even Slocum was at times underwhelmed with Spray. She needed considerable repair and fitting out as I recall reading(Years ago too).

Having built boats and lived aboard for some years of my life I can tell you that one man's leaky old tub is another's floating palace. One boats failure to point well is a quirk to some and a danger to others.

I recall reading that JS and Pete Culler both chose to over look the small stuff for the otherwise good tendancies of Spray. Self steering and almost impossibility to capsize being the biggies.


Don

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Fred Moore's 'Slocum and the Spray'
From: Amos
Date: 18 Sep 07 - 10:37 PM

She was a late nineteenth century wooden boat, sealed with tar and oakum. Of course she was creaky at tmes. But she always held course and handled well in seaways, and I seem to recall after some fitting up he wanted to take her back out into the world again, following his return and writing the book.

Don't forget that one of the parts of his confrontation with the islanders of the Magellan region involved sprinkling the deck with carpet tacks so the barefoot natives couldn't sneak up on him. My favorite part. :>)


A