Lyr/Chords ADD: Flowers of Bermuda (Stan Rogers)

Subject: Flowers of Bermuda
From: chullainn
Date: 03 Jan 01 - 09:00 AM

Of all Stan Rogers' truly top-of-the-line tunes, "Flowers of Bermuda" is the one that I have never found chords for. Can anyone help?

Subject: RE: Lyr/Chords Req: Flowers of Bermuda
From: Midchuck
Date: 03 Jan 01 - 09:06 AM

I have them, from his songbook, but not digitalized. If someone else doesn't help, pm me your snailmail address or fax #.

Peter.

Subject: RE: Lyr/Chords Req: Flowers of Bermuda
From: Melani
Date: 03 Jan 01 - 01:10 PM

<"Oh, Captain, are we all for drowning?" came the cry from all the crew> <"The boats be smashed! How are we all then to be saved?> <"Oh, are ye brave and hardy collier men or are ye blind and cannot see?>

Subject: Lyr Add: FLOWERS OF BERMUDA (Stan Rogers)
From: Melani
Date: 03 Jan 01 - 01:31 PM

Okay, I just posted the entire song. So what happened? Let me try again. And I thought those little pointy things were supposed to create line breaks.

FLOWERS OF BERMUDA
(Stan Rogers)

CHORUS: He was the Captain of the Nightingale;
Twenty-one days from Clyde in coal,
He could smell the flowers of Bermuda in the gale
When he died on the North Rock Shoal.

Just five short hours from Bermuda in a fine October gale,
There came a cry, "Oh, there be breakers dead ahead!"
From the collier Nightingale.
No sooner had the Captain brought her round, came a rending crash below.
Hard on her beam ends, groaning, went the Nightingale,
And overside her mainmast goes.

"Oh, Captain, are we all for drowning?" came the cry from all the crew.
"The boats be smashed! How are we all then to be saved?
They are stove in through and through!"
"Oh, are ye brave and hardy collier-men, or are ye blind and cannot see?
The Captain's gig still lies before ye whole and sound;
It shall carry all o' we."

But when the crew was all assembled and the gig prepared for sea,
'Twas seen there were but eighteen places to be manned;
Nineteen mortal souls were we.
But cries the Captain, "Now, do not delay, nor do ye spare a thought for me.
My duty is to save ye all now if I can.
See ye return quick as can be."

Oh, there be flowers in Bermuda. Beauty lies on every hand,
And there be laughter, ease and drink for every man,
But there is no joy for me.
For when we reached the wretched Nightingale what an awful sight was plain,
The Captain, drowned, was tangled in the mizzen chains,
Smiling bravely beneath the sea.

Subject: RE: Lyr/Chords Req: Flowers of Bermuda
From: radriano
Date: 03 Jan 01 - 01:48 PM

If no one else has posted the chords by tomorrow (Thursday) I'll bring my copy of the songbook to work and post them.

Subject: RE: Lyr/Chords Req: Flowers of Bermuda
From: Uncle_DaveO
Date: 03 Jan 01 - 05:16 PM

Melani:

For a line break, enter a "<" and "br" and ">". All together, and upper or lower case doesn't matter on the letters.

To make a paragraph separated by a blank line, use the letter "p" (upper or lower) instead of "br".

Dave Oesterreich

Subject: RE: Lyr/Chords Req: Flowers of Bermuda
From: Melani
Date: 04 Jan 01 - 12:29 AM

Thanks, Dave, I'm not at my technological best at the moment. I just reread the thread and realized he asked for the CHORDS, not the lyrics.

Subject: Chords Add: FLOWERS OF BERMUDA (Stan Rogers)
From: Musicman
Date: 04 Jan 01 - 12:50 AM

you have the melody I assume? some tricky rhythms....

Here are the chords attached to the first verse....:

He was the [D]Captin [A}of the [E]nightin-[A]gale.
Twenty one [E]days from [D]Clyde in [E]coal
[A]He could [A7]smell the [D]flowers [A]of Bermud in the [D]gale
when he [D]died on the [D]north rock [A]shoal.

Just five short [Bm]hours [D]from Ber[E]mu-[A]da
in a [E]fine Oct-[A]ober [E]gale
[A]there came a [D]cry, oh [A]there be breakers dead a- [D]head from the [E]collier [Bm]Nightin-[E]gale.
[A]No sooner [D]had the [A]Captain [E]brought her [A]'round
came a [E]rending [A]crash be-[E]low
[A]hard on her [D]beam ends [A]groaning like the nightin-[D]gale
And over-[E]side her main[D]mast [A]blows.

hope this helps........

musicman......

Subject: RE: Lyr/Chords Req: Flowers of Bermuda
From: Garry Gillard
Date: 04 Jan 01 - 08:40 AM

I suggest that Steve Turner's performance of "The Flowers of Bermuda" on the deleted Outstack, Fellside FE018, is one of the most impressive of a "folk" song ever - well, IMHO, anyway.

It's QUITE different from its composer's.

Garry

Subject: RE: Lyr/Chords Req: Flowers of Bermuda
From: Noreen
Date: 11 Jun 01 - 01:23 PM

Can anyone tell me more about this song? I've only heard Steve Turner's version, and have just learned here that it was written by Stan Rogers.

Is it a true story? Anything else about the song?

Thanks.

Noreen

Subject: RE: Lyr/Chords Req: Flowers of Bermuda
From: Naemanson
Date: 11 Jun 01 - 01:50 PM

It is not a true story. Stan made it up. And did a very nice job of it too. It is a great song. (IMHO)

Subject: RE: Lyr/Chords Req: Flowers of Bermuda
From: Noreen
Date: 11 Jun 01 - 02:20 PM

Thanks, Brett. I agree, it's a great song.

Noreen

Subject: Tune Add: THE FLOWERS OF BERMUDA (Stan Rogers)
From: MMario
Date: 27 May 03 - 02:21 PM

X:1
T:The Flowers of Bermuda
C:Stan Rogers
N:'Songs from Fogarty's Cove'
I:abc2nwc
M:2/2
L:1/8
K:A
z2A,2C2E2|F6G2|A2C2C2B,2|A,4A A A2|
w:He was the cap-tain of the Night-in-gale Twen-ty-one
B6B2|c2A2B4|A3A c3A|F3(G F2)E2|
w:days from Clyde in coal He could smell the flow__ -ers
A2C C- C2A,2|[M:2/4][L:1/16]D4E4|[M:2/2][L:1/8](F2A2)G F3|E4C2B,2|[M:2/4][L:1/16]A,6A,2-|
w:of Ber-mu_-da in the gale_ When he died on the
[M:2/2][L:1/8]A,3A,-A,4|"^Verse:"z8|z2A2A2G2|F6E2|
w:North Rock_ shoal_ Just five short ho-urs
A2C2(C2B,2)|A,4G3A|B3B2|c2A2B4|
w:from Ber-mu_-da In a fine Oct-o-ber gale
z2c2c2A2|F4z2A2|A3CC2B,2|[M:2/4][L:1/16]D4E4|
w:there came a cry, Oh, there be break-ers dead a
[M:2/2][L:1/8]F4A2F2|E4C4|C3B,B,4|z2A2A2G2|
w:-head From the col-lier Night-in-gale No soon-er
F4-F2G2|A2C2C2B,2|A,4G3A2|B6B2|
w:had_ the cap-tain brought her round, came a rend-ing
c2A2(BA3)|z2c2c2A2|F4G4|A2C2C2A,2|
w:crash be-low_ Hard on her beam ends groan-ing, like the
[M:2/4][L:1/16]D4E4|[M:2/2][L:1/8]F3A G2F2|E4(CB,)A,2-|
w:Night-in-gale And o-ver-side her_ main_
[M:2/4][L:1/16]A,4A,4-|[M:2/2][L:1/8]A,2A,2-A,4
w:-mast_ blows_

Subject: RE: Lyr/Chords Req: Flowers of Bermuda (Stan Rogers)
From: GUEST
Date: 31 Jan 04 - 02:55 AM

Correct me if I'm wrong, but the chord at "when he died on the north rock shoal" (well specifically at the died part)..... should it not be an E as opposed to a D?

Subject: RE: Lyr/Chords Req: Flowers of Bermuda (Stan Rogers)
From: Ned Ludd
Date: 31 Jan 04 - 07:30 AM

Thanks Chullainn I've been meaning to ask about this one but kept forgetting. The Steve turner version is the one I've heard, and chords don't matter one that, but I was unclear on some lyrics... can learn it now!

Subject: RE: Lyr/Chords Req: Flowers of Bermuda (Stan Rogers)
From: GUEST,Strollin' Johnny
Date: 31 Jan 04 - 07:44 AM

Done Stan's way it's a total pig to play - very strange rhythms - but if you're the sort of person who can pat your head and rub your belly at the same time you can probably manage it!

I think it was Paul Mills who said it was the most difficult song he'd ever had to play accompaniment to.

And it's wonderful!

SJ

Subject: RE: Lyr/Chords Req: Flowers of Bermuda (Stan Rogers)
From: moocowpoo
Date: 31 Jan 04 - 09:22 AM

does steve turner have anything to do with the Tannahill weavers?
does stan rogers have anything to do with the tannahill weavers?
I don't know but the tannahill weavers do this song really well!!

Subject: RE: Lyr/Chords Req: Flowers of Bermuda (Stan Roger
From: Clinton Hammond
Date: 31 Jan 04 - 11:20 AM

From the Stan Book

when he [E]died on the [D]north rock [A]shoal.

:-)

Subject: RE: Lyr/Chords Req: Flowers of Bermuda (Stan Rogers)
From: moocowpoo
Date: 31 Jan 04 - 11:40 AM

I read that it was about a boat named 'the nightingale' that actually did sink but it wasn't a collier and the rest was fiction too. (If you can believe all you read)

Subject: RE: Lyr/Chords Req: Flowers of Bermuda (Stan Rogers)
From: Charley Noble
Date: 31 Jan 04 - 11:46 AM

Impossible song to play but what a great song!

Charley Noble

Subject: RE: Lyr/Chords Req: Flowers of Bermuda (Stan Roger
From: Clinton Hammond
Date: 31 Jan 04 - 11:53 AM

Why speculate when there's an easily accessable primary source...

From the liner notes of "Between The Breaks... Live!"

"I took my first trip to Bermuda in 1978... blah blah blah... and discovered that a coal carrier called the "Nightingale" sank off the North Rock in the early 1880's. The rest of the details are pure fiction..."

So that's that I guess... Truth or fiction, it speaks to intent...

Subject: RE: Lyr/Chords Req: Flowers of Bermuda (Stan Rogers)
From: moocowpoo
Date: 01 Feb 04 - 08:31 AM

That sounds like the one I read!, thank's for the reminder

Subject: RE: Lyr/Chords Req: Flowers of Bermuda (Stan Roger
From: GUEST,Pete Sumner
Date: 01 Feb 04 - 12:30 PM

A bit of background for those who are interested..
Stan's visit to play for the Bermuda Folk Club in 1978 was the result of a recommendation by the lovely Priscilla Herdman..she sang for us earlier that year and had a 'learning tape' of songs she was intending to put in her set...
She played '45 years' to me and I was astonished at the voice and power of the man..he was not yet 30..
We called him In Dundas, Ontario right then...a spur of the moment thing..."can you do a gig in Bermuda Stan?"...
The rest is history...I have some sweet memories of that trip...."Flowers of Bermuda" came about when we took him to the old Dockyard...now much restored,,,back then it was just the museum part and some 'work in progress' buildings...
The artifacts in there stirred Stan's interest as did the pictures of maritime scenes..
There was a map of shipwreck sites on the wall...there was the 'Nightingale"...
and the North Rock, that had claimed so many vessels...and the song was born..
He last played Bermuda a month or so before the aircraft fire that claimed his life in 1983...
I have some letters he wrote me in March/April 1983...I had returned to the UK by then...He was looking to tour the UK...an unknown singer in that part of the world at that time...
Your songs live on Stan...
Peter Sumner

Subject: RE: Lyr/Chords Req: Flowers of Bermuda (Stan Roger
From: Clinton Hammond
Date: 01 Feb 04 - 01:49 PM

Nice one Pete...

Ta fer posting that!

:-)

Subject: RE: Lyr/Chords Req: Flowers of Bermuda (Stan Rogers)
From: Lady Hillary
Date: 02 Feb 04 - 09:31 AM

EBarnacle on Lady Hillary's machine:

One night, not long before his death, travelling through the night to Maine, I heard Stan being interviewed on the radio. He did this song and Barrett's Privateers. The impression I got from the way he sounded was that the short phrasing was largely a result of his need to breathe--He was the cap tain [breath] of the Nightingale [breath] 21 days from Clyde in coal [breath], etc.

Subject: RE: Lyr/Chords Req: Flowers of Bermuda (Stan Rogers)
From: GUEST,Strollin' Johnny
Date: 02 Feb 04 - 12:51 PM

Pete Summner - I have a tape, passed on to me by a friend, of one of Stan's solo performances at the Bermuda Folk Club, which may have been a 'naughty' copy of an 'official' recording that was too poor in quality to use commercially, or it may have been a bootleg recorded by some bum in the audience, I don't know. May have even been the '78 visit.

It's certainly a poor recording technically, but it demonstrates Stan's huge voice admirably and, having all of his between-songs remarks etc. unedited, it really does give a flavour of the guy's persona and undoubted charisma - in one part he gives a heckler what we Lincolnshire Yellowbellies would call a bloody good bollocking!

Stan lives on through his songs and his recordings. One of The Greats. You're a lucky guy to have known him.

Are you still in Bermuda or back here with us?

Subject: RE: Lyr/Chords Req: Flowers of Bermuda (Stan Roger
From: Bo Vandenberg
Date: 02 Feb 04 - 02:04 PM

What did he say to the heckler?


I never saw him in concert and that sort of stuff very seldom makes recordings.

Sigurd

Subject: RE: Lyr/Chords Req: Flowers of Bermuda (Stan Rogers)
From: Acorn4
Date: 11 Feb 10 - 11:42 AM

The version by the Tannahill Weavers with Bill Bourne singing is really good.

It's a brave soul who takes on this song - as someone has pointed out it's the rhythm that's the tricky bit not the chords and it wouldn't be the same without that "off the beat" emphasis.

Subject: RE: Lyr/Chords ADD: Flowers of Bermuda (Stan Rogers)
From: GUEST,William Halsted
Date: 13 Aug 23 - 10:53 PM

For anyone interested, I made a score for this song that is as accurate as I could get it. Much of the work was done by ear, but if you want to sing it this lead sheet will work. Let me know if there is anything you think I got wrong.

https://musescore.com/user/37067197/scores/11796424

Subject: RE: Lyr/Chords ADD: Flowers of Bermuda (Stan Rogers)
From: GUEST,Phil d'Conch
Date: 14 Aug 23 - 09:05 PM

"Flowers of Bermuda" came about when we took him to the old Dockyard...now much restored,,,back then it was just the museum part and some 'work in progress' buildings...
The artifacts in there stirred Stan's interest as did the pictures of maritime scenes..
There was a map of shipwreck sites on the wall...there was the 'Nightingale"...
and the North Rock, that had claimed so many vessels...and the song was born.

North Rock, Bermuda: 32°28'26.47"N, 64°46'6.96"W

Odd. The usual Bermuda wreck websites are fairly complete for the period. None I could find list a Nightingale. Anybody know more about the map/wreck mentioned above?

If it be the same vessel (big if), the USS Nightingale (1851) was a fairly well known New Englander by W.L. Hanscom of Maine. Her Swedish backer named her after Jenny Lind with a figurehead to match. She had been a China clipper; African slaver; Pacific telegrapher and Union collier. She was out of Liverpool, bound for Halifax, in general cargo service when she foundered in an April 1893 North Atlantic storm.

Hitting The Rock would have her many hundreds of miles off course to the south.

Subject: RE: Lyr/Chords ADD: Flowers of Bermuda (Stan Rogers)
From: cnd
Date: 15 Aug 23 - 07:59 AM

Excellent notating, William.

Some fine mudelf may note that his link title text URL points in a different direction than the link itself actually directs you -- might someone be able to fix it?