Lyr Req: Great Big Sea

Subject: Great Big Sea
From: GUEST,The lil' VanBone
Date: 09 Apr 01 - 10:03 PM

After having finally found a wonderful song I had heard once, title Go, Boys, Go, which is perhaps an original by a seemingly unheard of band called Great Big Sea, I cannot seem to find any sort of lyrics to the song. I was wondering if I was the only person to have heard of this song, and/or Great Big Sea?

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Great Big Sea
From: GUEST,sara grl
Date: 09 Apr 01 - 10:42 PM

No, you are not the only one who has heard of GBS. They are quite wonderful. However, I've not heard of the song you are referring to. I've looked on thier website and can't find it by that title. Are you sure that's the name of it? Do you remember any lyrics? Let me know and I'll continue the search.
You might want to check out the website just in case. It's Great Big Sea.

Subject: Lyr Add: CHEMICAL WORKER'S SONG (Great Big Sea)
From: GUEST,sara_grl
Date: 09 Apr 01 - 11:02 PM

Here you go...The song is called "The Chemical Worker's Song (Process Man)" and is on the CD titled UP. Here are the lyrics.

THE CHEMICAL WORKER'S SONG (PROCESS MAN)
(Great Big Sea)

(Chorus)
And it's go boys go.
They'll time your every breath.
And every day you're in this place,
You're two days nearer death.
But you go.

Well a process man am I and I'm telling you no lies.
I work and breath among the fumes that tread across the sky.
There's thunder all around me and there's poison in the air.
There's a lousy smell that smacks of hell and dust all in me hair.

(Chorus)

Well I've worked among the spinners and I breathed the oily smoke.
I shoveled up the gypsum and that nigh on makes you choke.
I've knee deep in cyanide got sick with a caustic burn.
Been working rough I've seen enough to make your stomach turn.

(Chorus)

There's overtime and bonus opportunity galore.
The young men like their money and they all come back for more.
But soon you're knockin' on and you look older than you should.
For every bob made on the job is paid with flesh and blood.

(chorus)

Well a process man am I and I'm telling you no lies.
I work and breathe among the fumes that tread across the sky.
There's thunder all around me and there's poison in the air.
There's a lousy smell that smacks of hell and dust all in me hair.

(Chorus X 2)

HTML line breaks added. --JoeClone, 2-Jun-02.

Subject: Lyr Add: CHEMICAL WORKER'S SONG
From: GUEST,sara_grl
Date: 09 Apr 01 - 11:04 PM

A bit more user friendly. Apols.

The Chemical Worker's Song (Process Man)
Great Big Sea

(Chorus)
And it's go boys go.
They'll time your every breath.
And every day you're in this place,
you're two days nearer death.
But you go.

Well a process man am I and I'm telling you no lies.
I work and breath among the fumes that tread across the sky.
There's thunder all around me and there's poison in the air.
There's a lousy smell that smacks of hell and dust all in me hair.

(Chorus)

Well I've worked among the spinners and I breathed the oily smoke.
I shoveled up the gypsum and that nyon makes you choke.
I've knee deep in cyanide got sick with acostic burn.
Been working rough I've seen enough to make your stomach turn.

(Chorus)

There's overtime and bonus opportunity galore.
The young men like their money and they all come back for more.
But soon you're knock'n on and you look older than you should.
For every bob made on the job is paid with flesh and blood.

(chorus)

Well a process man am I and I'm telling you no lies.
I work and breath among the fumes that tread across the sky.
There's thunder all around me and there's poison in the air.
There's a lousy smell that smacks of hell and dust all in me hair.

(Chorus X 2)

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Great Big Sea
From: Bob Bolton
Date: 09 Apr 01 - 11:12 PM

G'day GUESTS,

This is a great song that I heard many times from Vin Garbutt, when he visited Australia in the '80s. It was written by a fellow Tyne-sider and was based on the statistic that the average chemical process worker at ICI (Imperial Chemical Industries) died at an average of 42 years old.

Given the age at which they started and the normal life expectancy, this meant that every day working at ICI took 2 days of their life!

Regards,

Bob Bolton

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Great Big Sea
From: MMario
Date: 09 Apr 01 - 11:14 PM

They do a beautiful song called (I think) 'From Boston to St. John's"

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Great Big Sea
From: sara_grl
Date: 09 Apr 01 - 11:23 PM

Yes...it's on 2 albums: "Turn" and the most recent release "Road Rage" - a live one.

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Great Big Sea
From: Clinton Hammond
Date: 10 Apr 01 - 12:22 AM

Great Big who?

;-)

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Great Big Sea
From: Sorcha
Date: 10 Apr 01 - 01:01 AM

Good job, sara!

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Great Big Sea
From:
Date: 10 Apr 01 - 01:36 AM

minor corrections to verse one:fumes that trail across

verse two:that nigh on makes......I've stood knee-deep.....sick with a caustic burn

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Great Big Sea
From: GUEST,SeanM, casual fan...
Date: 10 Apr 01 - 02:39 AM

Thread drift warning...

I sometimes wonder if GBS and bands like them (Young Dubliners, Fenians, Gaelic Storm, etc.) are the 'next wave' of folk music popularity... they seem to be pulling bigger crowds, and their music is bridging a HUGE age range for attracting fans. I've turned on a friend's teenager, and from his buying the GBS CD both parents got into 'em...

Decent reworkings of traditional material into a more modern-ish sound frame seems to be the major draw from them, though the original material is worthy as well... But I still absolutely love GBS's version of "The Beggarman"... or "Drunken Sailor" from the Fenians...

Might be a good thing a-comin'. You never know...

M

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Great Big Sea
From: nutty
Date: 10 Apr 01 - 05:16 AM

The song was written by Ron Angel who co-runs the The Sun Inn Folk Club at Stockton-on-Tees. The club has been running for nearly 40 years and Ron has been involved since it started.

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Great Big Sea
From: GUEST,Roll&Go-C
Date: 10 Apr 01 - 12:03 PM

Thanks, all of you for pulling this together!

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Great Big Sea
From: GUEST,JohnB
Date: 10 Apr 01 - 12:27 PM

There is also a song with the words "A Great Big Sea hove in Long Beach" Then there is a "whack fol di dol diddle diddle I do" sort of chorus. It is, I believe, a Newfoundland song. It could also be another source for the groups name. JohnB

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Great Big Sea
From: Clinton Hammond
Date: 10 Apr 01 - 01:45 PM

GBS? THE next wave?!?! Where you been?? BGS has already come and gone... They may be crawling in the yank market, but we Canucks have put up with them long enough... You can have 'em... I'll be listening to good bands... Bands like Old Blind Dogs, McGinty, Irish Decendants... All so far above the pedestrian work of GBS it's not even funny...

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Great Big Sea
From: gnu
Date: 10 Apr 01 - 03:19 PM

Did they write Excursion Around the Bay ? Couldn't find it in the Digitrad. It's priceless, and not just because of the excellent Rhan and lyrics.

Clinton... oooooo. I likes em, bye. Especially the trad Newfie tunes. Apparently, they must have something on the ball if The Chieftans like them enough to do gigs and videos with them.

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Great Big Sea
From: Clinton Hammond
Date: 10 Apr 01 - 03:27 PM

I suspect that was their AGENT getting them the gigs with the Chieftans... And that was what? 3 years ago? and well... Paddy M. is kinda a musical slut really... he'll play with just about anybody!

Subject: Lyr Add: EXCURSION AROUND THE BAY
From: MMario
Date: 10 Apr 01 - 03:33 PM

EXCURSION AROUND THE BAY
- traditional

Well it was on this monday morning
And the day be calm and fine
A harbour grace excursion
With the boys who had the time
And just before the sailor
Took the gangway from the pier
I saw some fellow haul me wife
Aboard as a volunteer

(chorus)
Oh me, oh my, I heard me old wife cry
Oh me, oh my, I think I'm gonna die!
Oh me, oh my, I heard me old wife say,
"I wish I'd never taken this excursion around the bay"

We had fourteen hundred souls aboard, oh what a splendid sight!
Left stong and regimental to make our spirits bright
And meself being in the double, when a funny things they'd say
They choke themselves from laughing when they'd see us in the bay

(chorus)

Me wife she got no better, she turned a sickly green
I fed her cake and candy, fat pork and kerosene
Castor Oil and sugar of candy, I rubbed pure oil on her face
And I said she'll be a dandy when we reaches Harbour Grace!

(chorus)

My wife she got no better, my wife me darling dear
The screeches from her trollear could hear in Carbonear
I tried every place in Harbour Grace,
Tried every store and shop,
To get her something for a cure or take her to the hop

(chorus)

She died below the brandy's as we were coming back
We buried her in the ocean, wrapped up in a Union Jack
So now I am a single man, in search of a pretty face
And the woman that says she'll have me, I'm off for Harbour Grace!

(chorus)

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Great Big Sea
From: gnu
Date: 10 Apr 01 - 04:05 PM

MMario... thanks. I didn't know it was Trad !!! They do a lot of Trads, but, EYE think they do them pretty well. They are talented musicians, worth a listen. I especially like their mixture of Trad and ... is it jazz ? is it blues ? is it rock ? .... in some tunes.

As for The Chieftans, I suppose you may be correct, Clinton. Maybe I shouldn't say this, but GBS was voted Entertainer of the Year at the East Coast Music Awards for about four years running.... now, now, Clinton - don't shit all over Atlantic Canadians' taste. That title has as much to do with promoting East Coast music to the rest of the world as it does with what AC's listen to. I just can't understand why Buddy Wassisname An' the Other Fellers ( sp ? ) never won.

Even if they don't measure up to the ID's and others, as Clinton puts forth, they certainly have spread the word to the younger generation through their exposure on radio, Much Music and so on. And for that, I am grateful.

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Great Big Sea
From: Clinton Hammond
Date: 10 Apr 01 - 04:12 PM

Don't get me starred about the ECMA... As far as I'm concerned Canada has ONE music awards show, and it's the Juno's... with that, what do we need anything else for except as a mutual admiration society...

Pass!

Subject: Lyr Add: A GREAT BIG SEA HOVE IN LONG BEACH (trad)
From: raredance
Date: 11 Apr 01 - 12:55 AM

Sorry, been having some computer stutters

A GREAT BIG SEA HOVE IN LONG BEACH

A great big sea hove in Long Beach
Right foloral, Tadeedle, I do
A great big sea hove in Long Beach
And Granny Snooks she lost her speach
To my right foldidy foldee

A great big sea hove in the harbour...
And hove right up in Keough's Parlour...

Oh dear mother I wants a sack...
With beads and buttons all down the back...

Me boot is broke, me frock is tore...
But Georgie Snooks I do adore...

Oh fish is low and flour is high...
So George Snooks he can't have I...

But he will have me in the Fall
Right foloral, Tadeedle, I do
If he don't I'll hoist my sail
And say good-bye to old Cannaille
To my right foldidy foldee

from: Old-Time Songs and Poetry of Newfoundland by Gerald S Doyle, 1966 (4th edition)

rich r

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Great Big Sea
From: gnu
Date: 11 Apr 01 - 07:55 AM

Clinton.... They need the ECMA's because it gives them exposure to a broader audience and, most importantly, to music industry types. The ECMA's are not just a TV award show. The festivities go on for about four days with hundreds of gigs at all hours of the day and night. When last in Moncton, a cable channel was opened up and a bar staged a continuous telecast for three days - 24 hours a day of great and not worth the time performances.