Lyr Req: Dance band on the Titanic

Subject: Dance band on the Titanic
From: GUEST,Geoff Kent
Date: 21 Mar 01 - 11:14 PM

Anyone have a copy of these lyrics? I find the song hilarious!

-Geoff [e-mail]

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Dance band on the Titanic
From: GUEST,JTT
Date: 22 Mar 01 - 02:17 AM

Give us a line from the song and we might be able to help.

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Dance band on the Titanic
From: GUEST,Dita (at work)
Date: 22 Mar 01 - 04:36 AM

Don't have the lyrics but it was written by Harry Chapin and appeared on the album of the same name. Hope this is a help
love john.

Subject: Lyr Add: DANCE BAND ON THE TITANIC (Harry Chapin)
From: Wolfgang
Date: 22 Mar 01 - 05:20 AM

I thought I had seen it in the Forum, but haven't been able to find it. So here it is copied from another site.

Wolfgang

DANCE BAND ON THE TITANIC
(Harry Chapin)


Description: Originally found on Dance Band on the Titanic and The Gold
Medal Collection, 1988; and Story of a Life, 1999.



Dance band on the Titanic
Sing "Nearer, my God, to Thee"
The iceberg's on the starboard bow
Won't you dance with me

Mama stood cryin' at the dockside
Sayin' "Please son, don't take this trip"
I said "Mama, sweet Mama, don't you worry none"
"Even God couldn't sink this ship"

Well, the whistle blew and they turned the screws
It turned the water into foam
Destination sweet salvation
Goodbye home sweet home

I'm in the dance band on the Titanic
Sing "Nearer, my God, to Thee"
The iceberg's on the starboard bow
Won't you dance with me

There was a trombone and a saxophone
The bass and drums were cookin' up the bandstand
And I was strummin' in the middle with this dude on the fiddle
And we were three days out from land

And now the foghorn's jammed and moanin'
Hear it groanin' through the misty night
I heard the lookout shout down "There's icebergs around"
"But still everything's all right"

Oh, the dance band on the Titanic
Sing "Nearer, my God, to Thee"
The iceberg's on the starboard bow
Won't you dance with me

They were burnin' all the flares for candles
In the banquet they were throwin' in first class
And we were blowin' waltzes in the barroom
When the universe went CRASH!

"There's no way that this could happen"
I could hear the old captain curse
He ordered lifeboats away, that's when I heard the chaplain say
"Women and children and chaplains first"

Well, they soon used up all of the lifeboats
But there were a lot of us left on board
I heard the drummer sayin' "Boys, just keep playin'"
"Now we're doin' this gig for the Lord"

I heard the dance band on the Titanic
Sing "Nearer, my God, to Thee"
The iceberg's on the starboard bow
Won't you dance with me

There's a wild-eyed boy in the radio shack
He's the last remaining guest
He was tappin' in a Morse code frenzy
Tappin' "Please God, S.O.S."

Jesus Christ can walk on the water
But a music man will drown
They say that Nero fiddled while Rome burned up
Well, I was strummin' as the ship go down

I'm in the dance band on the Titanic
Sing "Nearer, my God, to Thee"
The iceberg's on the starboard bow
Won't you dance with me

Dance band on the Titanic
Sing "Nearer, my God, to Thee"
The iceberg's on the starboard bow
Won't you dance with me

Dance band on the Titanic
Sing "Nearer, my God, to Thee"
The iceberg's on the starboard bow
Won't you dance with me

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Dance band on the Titanic
From: GUEST
Date: 22 Mar 01 - 05:58 PM

I remember the song when it first came out. I was a big Chapin fan. On a curious note the hymne at the end of the song is NOT "Nearer My God To Thee". Chapin never did explain this Faux Paus.

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Dance band on the Titanic
From: Lanfranc
Date: 22 Mar 01 - 07:32 PM

One of my all-time favourite albums - my kids were brought up on it. Some superb songs, including the title track.

Chapin was never particularly big over here in the UK, but over time I've collected half a dozen of his albums.

Must listen to them again - thanks for the reminder!

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Dance band on the Titanic
From: artbrooks
Date: 22 Mar 01 - 10:50 PM

Interesting song...never seen it before...is there a link to the music? BTW, my wife's Uncle Arthur worked for the White Star Line's band as a violinist. He was supposed to be on the Titanic, but traded with someone else at the last minute.

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Dance band on the Titanic
From: Susanne (skw)
Date: 23 Mar 01 - 07:47 PM

Guest - maybe the hymn at the end of the song is not 'Newrer My God To Thee' because that hymn was NOT played while the Titanic went down (though Chapin uses that myth in his lyrics).
Lanfranc - Iain MacKintosh has done quite a few of Chapin's songs. He even got a couple after Chapin's death because his wife had heard of Iain and sent him a cassette Chapin had made of unreleased material shortly before his accident.