Lyr Add: Men of the Sea (Conolly / Meek)

Subject: RE: ADD: Men of the Sea (Conolly/Meek)
From: GUEST,Henry Law
Date: 07 Nov 12 - 03:37 PM

Using the excellent information on this forum, and listening carefully to the track, I've made a "lead sheet" of the song (melody line, chords and lyrics) in both C major (the recorded key) and A major (for lower voices, and for use with a guitar capo to get Bb, say).

If anyone wants it (in PDF) mail me at news (att) lawshouse.org

Subject: RE: ADD: Men of the Sea (Conolly/Meek)
From: Brian May
Date: 16 Feb 12 - 03:41 PM

The nice thing about John Conolly or Bill Meek is you can ring them and ask.

Both guys are lovely and most approachable. I needed the words of Harry Tate's Navy which is on the Humber's Brown Waters album, there were a couple of things I didn't understand.

John Conolly gave me Bill Meek's number and we spent an hour chatting about the song and what it meant. He was delighted to tell me what I asked and he loved chatting about the subject. This was 'folk' music at its best.

Subject: RE: ADD: Men of the Sea (Conolly/Meek)
From: GUEST,Dave Hatton
Date: 16 Feb 12 - 02:53 PM

Thanks for this, Jim - much appreciated. I love to sing sea songs and I just can't get my head around any of these midi / ABC written things so someone just putting the chords down makes a real difference, thank you!

Subject: RE: Men of the Sea
From: EBarnacle
Date: 20 Aug 10 - 01:37 PM

John Connoly'a stuff can be gotten from Camsco/Dick and Susan.

Subject: RE: Men of the Sea
From: Charley Noble
Date: 20 Aug 10 - 08:03 AM

Nice work!

Charley Noble

Subject: Lyr/Chords Add: MEN OF THE SEA (Conolly / Meek)
From: GUEST,Jim Gray
Date: 20 Aug 10 - 03:25 AM

have been singing this for years and thought it was called "Master Of Men"

This is the version I sing with the chords for verse and chorus.

Men of The Sea                C       (Connoley/Meek)

C                F             G            C
At the age of fifteen I slipped out from the Humber,
             F            G          C
my very first trip for the silver pits bound.
                  F             G         C
I was galley boy, mess-man, the lowest of callings,
                  F          G             C
but at last I was off to the trawl fishing ground
.
CHORUS
G          G7
Faeroes to Labrador,
F
Bear Island Norway
    C             G….G7
The cold Greenland shore,
C          F             G7         C ….Bb…F….C
learning my trade with the men of the sea.


Long years as a deckie I hauled for my living
and I dodged on the deck from the wild Arctic gales,
knew the tight grip of fear as the cold sea swept o'er me,
and I soon learned the truth of the old trawling tales

CHORUS

And in between trips, well, the town couldn't hold me,
a two day tycoon with my head full of rum,
a girl on each arm and a pocket soon empty,
live now and pay later, there's hard days to come.

CHORUS

Now I know every Huller that tops the horizon
I've learned all the tricks of the old trawling trade.
Knew the sea as provider, betrayer, and taker,
but I've got my mates ticket, my future is made.

CHORUS

As a skipper at last I stand tall on the dockside,
from the boy to the man to the master of men.
Now the ocean is mine as we ship from the humber
and of to the sea to start learning again.

CHORUS

Hope this helps you.

I have quite a few sea songs which no-one seems to sing anymore.

Jim Gray (Stage Name Dolly Gray [Ex Royal Navy !!])

[e-mail]

Subject: RE: Men of the Sea
From: Little Robyn
Date: 29 Jun 06 - 07:23 AM

I don't know if Judy still comes here but I suspect the song she had in mind was Buffy St Marie's 'Men of the fields'

Men of the fields, men of the valleys,
Men of the seasons and the soil,
Strong hearts and hands, molding the lands,
All over earth they toil.

Robyn

Subject: RE: Men of the Sea
From: GUEST,Pelrad
Date: 29 Jun 06 - 12:13 AM

Judy, I've been wracking my brain for the title of that song. It's not Men of the Sea, although that's the most memorable phrase. I have a tape of Dick Holdstock and Alan McLeod singing it during the final concert at the Mystic Sea Music Festival in 1992; they sang it in honor of Stan Hugill's passing.

I'm fairly certain there was a conversation about it on one of these threads, probably back in 2002-4, but can't for the life of me remember which one. I can't find the song in the database either.

The chorus is roughly as follows:

Oh you seafaring men,
Oh you deep water rovers
Oh you East India sailors
And you brave Gloucester men
You old viking raiders
And you okee (?) pawn traders
Your grandsons salute you,
You men of the sea.

-----

If I get a minute I'll try to transcribe the words (or my best guess at them) for you, if you'd like.

Kim

Subject: RE: Men of the Sea
From: Rasener
Date: 28 Jun 06 - 02:21 AM

John Hill
You can get that CD fro

Chantey Cabin

This is another link dirctly to The Chantey Cabin

The Chantey Cabin

Subject: RE: Lyr Add: Men of the Sea
From: MMario
Date: 30 Jul 01 - 04:44 PM

NWC file sent to Joe. Thanks Richard.

Subject: RE: Lyr Add: Men of the Sea
From: Joan from Wigan
Date: 30 Jul 01 - 04:28 PM

Thank you very much, Richard, for your hard work, that's wonderful!

Joan

Subject: Tune Add: MEN OF THE SEA (Conolly / Meek)
From: radriano
Date: 30 Jul 01 - 11:33 AM

Here's the MIDItext and ABC version for "Men of the Sea." I'll send a MIDI file to Joe Offer - anyone else who wants it (or a GIF) of the notes) can PM me.

MIDI file: men_sea.mid

Timebase: 192

TimeSig: 6/8 24 8
Key: D
Tempo: 075 (800000 microsec/crotchet)
Text: Produced by AbcMus 1.1
Name: Men of the Sea
Start
0480 1 74 064 0096 0 74 000 0000 1 74 064 0096 0 74 000 0000 1 73 064 0096 0 73 000 0000 1 69 064 0096 0 69 000 0000 1 71 064 0096 0 71 000 0000 1 74 064 0096 0 74 000 0000 1 71 064 0096 0 71 000 0000 1 69 064 0096 0 69 000 0000 1 67 064 0144 0 67 000 0000 1 64 064 0048 0 64 000 0000 1 64 064 0096 0 64 000 0000 1 62 064 0144 0 62 000 0000 1 66 064 0048 0 66 000 0000 1 67 064 0144 0 67 000 0000 1 69 064 0048 0 69 000 0000 1 71 064 0096 0 71 000 0000 1 69 064 0144 0 69 000 0000 1 69 064 0048 0 69 000 0000 1 69 064 0096 0 69 000 0000 1 69 064 0096 0 69 000 0000 1 67 064 0096 0 67 000 0000 1 66 064 0096 0 66 000 0000 1 64 064 0192 0 64 000 0000 1 74 064 0096 0 74 000 0000 1 74 064 0096 0 74 000 0000 1 73 064 0096 0 73 000 0000 1 69 064 0096 0 69 000 0000 1 71 064 0096 0 71 000 0000 1 74 064 0096 0 74 000 0000 1 71 064 0096 0 71 000 0000 1 69 064 0096 0 69 000 0000 1 67 064 0096 0 67 000 0000 1 64 064 0096 0 64 000 0000 1 64 064 0096 0 64 000 0000 1 62 064 0144 0 62 000 0000 1 66 064 0048 0 66 000 0000 1 67 064 0144 0 67 000 0000 1 69 064 0048 0 69 000 0000 1 71 064 0096 0 71 000 0000 1 69 064 0096 0 69 000 0000 1 66 064 0096 0 66 000 0000 1 69 064 0096 0 69 000 0000 1 69 064 0096 0 69 000 0000 1 67 064 0096 0 67 000 0000 1 64 064 0096 0 64 000 0000 1 62 064 0288 0 62 000 0000 1 73 064 0096 0 73 000 0000 1 73 064 0096 0 73 000 0000 1 74 064 0096 0 74 000 0000 1 76 064 0144 0 76 000 0000 1 74 064 0048 0 74 000 0000 1 73 064 0096 0 73 000 0000 1 74 064 0096 0 74 000 0000 1 73 064 0096 0 73 000 0000 1 74 064 0096 0 74 000 0000 1 71 064 0096 0 71 000 0000 1 69 064 0096 0 69 000 0000 1 67 064 0096 0 67 000 0000 1 66 064 0096 0 66 000 0000 1 64 064 0096 0 64 000 0000 1 62 064 0096 0 62 000 0000 1 69 064 0288 0 69 000 0000 1 67 064 0144 0 67 000 0000 1 69 064 0048 0 69 000 0000 1 71 064 0096 0 71 000 0000 1 69 064 0144 0 69 000 0000 1 69 064 0048 0 69 000 0000 1 69 064 0096 0 69 000 0000 1 69 064 0096 0 69 000 0000 1 67 064 0096 0 67 000 0000 1 64 064 0096 0 64 000 0000 1 62 064 0288 0 62 000
End

This program is worth the effort of learning it.

To download the March 10 MIDItext 98 software and get instructions on how to use it click here

ABC format:

X:1
T:Men of the Sea
M:6/8
Q:1/4=75
K:D
d6|dcABdB|AG3/2E/2ED3/2F/2|G3/2A/2BA3/2A/2A|
AGFE2d|dcABdB|AGEED3/2F/2|G3/2A/2BAFA|AGED3|
ccde3/2d/2c|dcdBAG|FEDA3|G3/2A/2BA3/2A/2A|
AGED3||

Here's the original ABC I made before the MIDItext program converted it:

d | dcA BdB | AG>E ED>F | G>AB A>AA | AGF E2d |
dcA BdB | AGE ED>F | G>AB AFA | AGE D3 ||
ccd e>dc | dcd BAG | FED A3 | G>AB A>AA | AGE D3 |


Richard

Subject: RE: Lyr Add: Men of the Sea
From: Joan from Wigan
Date: 28 Jul 01 - 03:09 AM

Many thanks in advance, Richard.

Joan

Subject: RE: Lyr Add: Men of the Sea
From: radriano
Date: 27 Jul 01 - 01:38 PM

Okay, I'll try and get the ABC done this weekend.

Just to be sure I don't forget I'll leave myself a message on my own answering machine. That way I'll hear it when I get home tonight.

It's a little silly, I know, but then I do have the attention span of a Rhesus monkey sometimes.

Richard

Subject: RE: Lyr Add: Men of the Sea
From: Joan from Wigan
Date: 27 Jul 01 - 04:00 AM

Thanks for all the replies, and Richard, no I haven't got the tune yet - I'm very tempted to ask you for the cassette you so kindly offered, but as MMario said, an ABC would be of benefit to everyone. If you can fit in the time to do that, I and others would be immensely grateful.

Joan

Subject: RE: Lyr Add: Men of the Sea
From: MMario
Date: 26 Jul 01 - 11:03 PM

Richard? an abc would be really nice to share with the forum. subtle hint

Subject: RE: Lyr Add: Men of the Sea
From: radriano
Date: 26 Jul 01 - 07:15 PM

Joan, did you ever get the tune to this song? I haven't ABC'd this yet as I got side tracked with a new recording project. Let me know if you still need it. I can always run off a cassette and send it to you. PM me if you want that (I suspect you'll be able to get it locally though, if you don't already have it).

Richard

Subject: RE: Lyr Add: Men of the Sea
From: Les from Hull
Date: 26 Jul 01 - 04:28 PM

Joan - Maggie does this one, I'll ask her

Rad - Humber's Brown Water or as we say in Hull too thick to drink, too thin to plough.

Les

Subject: RE: Lyr Add: Men of the Sea
From: Joan from Wigan
Date: 26 Jul 01 - 12:43 PM

refresh

Subject: RE: Lyr Add: Men of the Sea
From: Joan from Wigan
Date: 25 Jul 01 - 12:48 PM

A friend has recently asked me to find this one - has anyone got the chords please? Or a link to the tune? Thanks.

Joan

Subject: Lyr Add: MEN OF THE SEA (Conolly / Meek)^^
From: radriano
Date: 23 May 00 - 12:05 PM

There is a previous thread about this song but the lyrics don't seem to be in the database. I recently got the double CD, By Humber's Brown Water, the songs of John Conolly and Bill Meek. This is just one of the great songs contained in the collection. I was transcribing the song and had a few questions about certain phrases which were definitively answered in the Forum thread.

MEN OF THE SEA
(John Conolly/Bill Meek)

At the age of fifteen I shipped out from the Humber
Me very first trip for the Silver Pits bound
I was galley-boy, mess-man, the lowest of callings
But at last I was off to the trawl-fishing grounds

Chorus:
Fair Isle to Labrador
Bear Isle and Norway
And cold Greenland shore
Learning me trade with the men of the sea

Long years as a deckie I hauled for me living
And dodged on the deck through the wild Arctic gales
Knew the tight grip of fear as the cold sea swept o'er me
And I soon learned the truth of the old trawling tales

And in between trips, well, the town couldn't hold me
A two-day tycoon with me head full of rum
A girl on each arm and a pocket soon empty
Live now and pay later, there's hard days to come

Now I know every hull as it tops the horizon
I've learned all the tricks of the trawlerman's trade
Know the sea as provider, betrayer, and taker
I've got me mate's ticket, me future is made

As a skipper at last, I stand tall on the dockside
From the boy to the man to the master of men
Now the ocean is mine as we slip from the harbour
And back to the sea to start learning again
radriano
^^

Subject: RE: Men of the Sea
From: Ted from Australia
Date: 01 Jun 98 - 06:09 PM

Try subing "I hauled for me living" for " I hold for me living" It would make more sense in the context.

Regards Ted

Subject: RE: Men of the Sea
From: jehill
Date: 01 Jun 98 - 02:31 PM

Er... after reading through my "definitive" lyrics to Men of the sea I realise there are still a couple of errors.

The first line of the second verse should read

"Long years as a deckie I hauled for me living".

Not "hold for me living"

Also in the 4th verse "tickets" should be singular - ticket

Sorry...

Subject: RE: Men of the Sea
From: Wolfgang
Date: 12 May 98 - 08:52 AM

I thought my request for correction was forgotten. John, you've made my day. It makes such a difference to have a song correct. Thanks a lot.

Wolfgang

Subject: RE: Men of the Sea
From: judy
Date: 11 May 98 - 03:30 AM

When I saw this thread I hummed a tune in my head. But the song here is not the one I was thinking of. Unhappily I don't have very much to go on:

Men of the sea, men of the ?? (harbor?)
Men of the ?? and the ??

If anyone can come up with something on so little, I'm sure it will be you guys.

enjoy!
judy

Subject: Lyr Add: MEN OF THE SEA (Conolly / Meek)
From: JohnHill
Date: 10 May 98 - 12:11 PM

Here are the correct words the "The men of the sea"

THE MEN OF THE SEA
(John Conolly and Bill Meek)

At the age of 15 I shipped out from the Humber,
me very first trip for the Silver Pits bound.
I was galley-boy/mess-man, the lowest of callings,
but at last I was off to the trawl-fishing grounds.

Chorus

Fair Isle to Labrador,
Bear Isle and Norway
and cold Greenland shore.
Learning me trade with the men of the sea.

Long years as a deckie I hold for me living
and I dodged on the deck through the wild Arctic gales
Knew the tight grip of fear as the cold sea swept o'er me,
and I soon learned the truth of the old trawling tales.
Chorus

And in between trips, well the town couldn't hold me,
A two-day tycoon with me head full of rum.
A girl on each arm and a pocket soon empty,
Live now and pay later, there's hard days to come.
Chorus

Now I know every hull as it tops the horizon.
I've learned all the tricks of the trawler-man's trade.
Know the sea as provider, betrayer, and taker,
I've got me mate's tickets, me future is made.
Chorus

As a skipper at last I stand tall on the dockside,
from the boy to the man to the master of men.
Now the ocean is mine as we slip from the harbour,
and back to the sea to start learning again.
Chorus

...................................................

For those interested there is a double CD available entitled "By Humber's Brown Water", the songs of John Conolly and Bill Meek.with 44 of their own compositions sung by themselves.
This really is an excellent CD. I bought mine about 5 weeks ago directly from John Conolly at Burton Folk Club. As this has been produced by themselves it probably isn't available through normal outlets so contact "Little Pot Stove Records" who I'm sure will get it for you.
Contact E-Mail [e-mail]
Regards
John Hill

Subject: Lyr Add: MEN OF THE SEA (Conolly / Meek)
From: Wolfgang
Date: 30 Jan 98 - 07:40 AM

I love seasongs at lot and seeing a thread about them has reminded me to bring this up again.

Half a year ago I asked for this song with no response. Now I provide the first response but I'm not contented with it. There are at least two bits I have marked in my transcription where I don't know what they try to sing, but I wouldn't be surprised if some other lines are also wrong. "They", by the way, are the McCalmans.

The writers of this song, however, are John Conolly and Bill Meek. "Grimsby lads" and "Fiddler's Green" are two of their songs that are already in the database. I think this one deserves to join them, but in a correct (or at least understandable) version. So please correct my transcription if you know this song. Here it is:

Men of the sea
(John Conolly / Bill Meek)

1. At the age of 15 I slipped out from the harbour,
my very first trip for the silver pits bound.
I was galley boy, mess-man, the lowest of callings,
but at last I was off to the trawl fishing ground.

Fair Isle to Labrador,
Bear Isle and Norway
and cold Greenland shore,
learning my trade with the men of the sea.

2. Long years as a deckie I hold for my living
and I danced on the deck through the wild Arctic gales,
knew the tight grip of fear as the cold sea swept o’er me,
and I soon learned the truth of the old trawling tales. Chorus

3. And in between trips, well, the town couldn’t hold me,
I (too tae tie toon) with my head full of rum,
a girl on each arm and the pocket soon empty,
live now and pay later, there’s hard days to come. Chorus

4. Now I know every (haul as the topstar horizon)
and learned all the tricks of the trawl fishing trade.
Know the sea as provider, betrayer, and taker,
but I got my mate ticket, my future is made.
As a skipper at last I stand tall on the dockside,
from the boy to the man to the master of men.
Now the ocean is mine as we slip from the harbour
and back to the sea to start learning again. Chorus

Wolfgang

Subject: Men of the Sea
From: Wolfgang Hell
Date: 17 Jul 97 - 08:12 AM

I have very incomplety lyrics to the song "Men of the Sea". The Chorus goes: "Fair Isle to Labrador, Bear Isle, and Norway, and cold Greenland shore, learning my trade with the men of the sea." Has someone the complete lyrics?

thanks in advance Wolfgang