Lyr Req: Ellan Vannin

Subject: Ellen Vannin
From: Judy
Date: 28 Aug 97 - 03:01 AM

Has any one got the lyrics or history behind the Ellen Vannin. I remember the thread of the song being "Oh Ellen Vannin, Pride of the company, Oh Ellen Vannin, lost in the Irish Sea"

Any further words out there ?

Subject: RE: Ellen Vannin
From: Judy
Date: 28 Aug 97 - 03:13 AM

OK - next time I'll search the database first before posting a request for lyrics :-).

If any wants them - look under Ellen *, it is the 10th entry.

Subject: RE: Ellen Vannin
From: bigj
Date: 28 Aug 97 - 07:06 PM

Judy, Just one or several corrections to the version in the database.

TITLE ; THE ELLAN VANNIN TRAGEDY written by Hughie Jones a member of the Spinners.

Verse 1/ Line 1 - Tynwald and Ben My Chree (Trans - Girl of My Heart). Verse 2/ Line 2 - Teare..

The Ellan Vannin was a paddle steamer built by Tod & McGregor, Glasgow in 1860. She was converted to a twin-screw in 1883. The Bar Lightship is at the mouth of the River Mersey and it was there that she foundered with the loss of all hands. She was known to locals as 'The Li'l Daisy'. Hughie did a version of it on his cd Hughie's Ditty Bag for Fellside FECD81 in 1991.

Subject: RE: Ellen Vannin
From: CaryGrant
Date: 28 Aug 97 - 07:07 PM

Tsk! Tsk! Tsk! Judy, Judy, Judy!

Subject: RE: Ellen Vannin
From: Martin Ryan
Date: 01 Sep 97 - 12:02 PM

BigJ

Thanks for the corrections - I've never seen it in print and guessed at the spellings. Didn't know it was written by one of the Spinners.

Regards

Subject: RE: Ellen Vannin
From:
Date: 09 Sep 97 - 03:52 PM

You mean this? I remember this one, sung by an Irish band called "Oisin"..... a few words:

Snaefall, Tynwald, Ben MacCree, 40 ships are on the sea. Each one baring a manx name, but there is one, will never sail again. OH ELLEN VA-AN-AN-NIN, OF THE ISLE OF MAN COMPANY, OH ELLEN VA-AN-AN-NIN, LOST IN THE IRISH SEA.

If interested, I can write down the whole text, but must look for it (anywhere in my textbooks)

SCHMIDT

Subject: RE: Ellen Vannin
From: bigj
Date: 09 Sep 97 - 06:21 PM

Yes, Oisin did record it, it's on their 'Jeannie C' LP on the Tara label (TARA 2013) of 1982. The spelling is Ellan with an A - it's just another name for the Isle of Man.

Subject: RE: Ellen Vannin
From: Tam the man
Date: 04 Aug 05 - 01:59 PM

did you know it was written by Hugh Jones of the english folk group The spinners

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I closed this thread in an attempt to avoid splitting the discussion. Please post here (click) or in one of the related threads listed in the crosslinks toward the top of this page.
Thanks.
-Joe Offer-

Subject: RE: Ellen Vannin
From: GUEST,Ian Brierley
Date: 04 Mar 08 - 10:45 PM

I was wondering if anyone knows a site where I can buy the LP by the spinners.

Subject: RE: Ellen Vannin
From: Ross Campbell
Date: 04 Mar 08 - 11:28 PM

Don't know about LPs, but if you click on the "Hughie Jones Page" link at top left-hand side of the Spinners home page , you'll find a list of Hughie's available output. Also available from the Chantey Cabin, which has track-lists for five albums.

Ellen Vannin is listed on "Hughie's Ditty Bag".

Ross

Subject: RE: Ellen Vannin
From: katlaughing
Date: 04 Mar 08 - 11:44 PM

Contact Dick Greenhaus at Camsco also, of the Digital Tradition. He might be able to help you.

Subject: RE: Ellen Vannin
From: Gurney
Date: 05 Mar 08 - 02:08 AM

Guest Ian, I bought mine in a Salvation Army charity shop.   Never pass one without looking.

Ellan Vannin is not, I understand, a womans name, but an old name for the Isle of Man.

Subject: RE: Ellen Vannin
From: GUEST,Granny In Wales
Date: 05 Mar 08 - 03:49 AM

The Spinners' rendition of Ellan Vannin (Not Ellen) written by their own Hughie Jones, is available on Youtube, along with another song of the same name, recorded by the Bee Gees. Both very moving songs...

Subject: RE: Ellen Vannin
From: Jack Blandiver
Date: 05 Mar 08 - 04:07 AM

I noticed a small heap of vintage Spinners vinyl in Oxfam in Preston the other week, perchance it's sill there...

Subject: RE: Ellen Vannin
From: Les in Chorlton
Date: 05 Mar 08 - 04:54 AM

I think it was originally on an Album called "The Sinners - Folk at the Phil, Volume 2". I chose the album as a prize in some competition in a TV Rental Shop around 1964.

I suspect it is available on other Spinners's collections.

Subject: RE: Ellan Vannin
From: GUEST,Granny In Wales
Date: 05 Mar 08 - 05:09 AM

Mine is on an old LP purchased in the 70s entitled "An Evening With The Spinners" which I think pre-dates the folk at the Phil collection...

Subject: RE: Ellen Vannin
From: GUEST,Jan
Date: 05 Mar 08 - 05:45 PM

Contact us via the Chantey Cabin website - we have quite a lot of Spinners material available

Subject: RE: Ellen Vannin
From: Snuffy
Date: 05 Mar 08 - 07:53 PM

My copy of An Evening With The Spinners (Contour 6870 588) is a compilation with tracks dating from 1963 to 1969. The Ellen Vannin Tragedy is listed as 1965

Subject: RE: Ellen Vannin
From: Tattie Bogle
Date: 05 Mar 08 - 08:07 PM

I also got my copy in an antique shop: they weren't too bothered about pricing them according to possible antiquarian/collectors' value: any LP for £1, including double sets, as was the 2-LP set I got in mint conditon - all for said £1.

Subject: RE: Ellen Vannin
From: Mr Happy
Date: 06 Mar 08 - 05:47 AM

Ellan Vannin is not an old name for the Isle of Man, rather its the Manx Gaelic name for the island nation, see here:

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Isle_of_Man

Subject: RE: Ellen Vannin
From: GUEST,The black belt catterpillar wrestler
Date: 06 Mar 08 - 07:19 AM

When in the Isle of Man the other year I spotted a nice model of the ship displayed in somebody's window in Churchtown. Wish I'd taken a photo.

Subject: RE: Ellen Vannin
From: GUEST,bigj
Date: 06 Mar 08 - 07:29 AM

See here for more details:-

http://www.isle-of-man.com/manxnotebook/mquart/mq08699.htm

http://www.isle-of-man.com/manxnotebook/mquart/mq08699.htm