Lyr Req: Greenland Fisheries--Whale's Version

Subject: Greenland Fisheries--Whale's Version
From: Melani
Date: 30 Jul 01 - 07:46 PM

We are trying to find the lyrics to an alternate version of "The Greenland Fisheries," told from the whale's point of view. I checked the DT under that title and found only the tradional version. Does anybody know this one?

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Greenland Fisheries--Whale's Version
From: Amos
Date: 30 Jul 01 - 08:03 PM

No -- but I did once write a short version of the Moby Dick original incident from the whale's viewpoint! It's in some old thread from mid-2000 I think.

A

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Greenland Fisheries--Whale's Version
From: Sorcha
Date: 30 Jul 01 - 08:04 PM

hmmmm, you don't want much do you Mel? (grin). All I found was The Pogues version, here, which is a little different, but not exactly the whales' point of view.

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Greenland Fisheries--Whale's Version
From: Amos
Date: 30 Jul 01 - 08:05 PM

This may be what you're seeking, no?

A

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Greenland Fisheries--Whale's Version
From: Amos
Date: 30 Jul 01 - 08:08 PM

And here's the Moby Dick story, if you are interested.

A

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Greenland Fisheries--Whale's Version
From: katlaughing
Date: 30 Jul 01 - 08:08 PM

Kim McKee and her husband Ken Willson do a whale's version, not a parody. I'll dig out the lyrics later tonight and post them.

kat

Subject: Lyr Add: GREENLAND WHALE FISHERIES^^^
From: katlaughing
Date: 30 Jul 01 - 08:38 PM

GREENLAND WHALE FISHERIES

Twas in eighteen hundred and fifty-three
On June the thirteenth day
That our gallant ship, her anchor weighed
and for Greenland sailed away, Brave Boys
For Greenland sailed away.

Oh the lookout on the crosstree stood
with his spyglass in his hand
"There's a whale, there's a whale, there's a
whalefish!" he cried
And she blows at every span, Brave Boys
She blows at every span.

We struck the whale, and the line played out
and the whale made a flunder(sic) with her tail
And the boat capsized, and four men were drowned
and we never caught the whale
No, we never caught the whale.

"OH to lose that whale..." my captain cried
"It grieves my heart full sore!"
"But to lose four of my gallant men..."
Well it grieves me 10 times more!"

Now Greenland is a dreadful place
It's a land that's never green
Where there's ice and snow and the whalefishes blow
And the daylight's seldom seen, Brave Boys
The daylight's seldom seen.

When the whale get's strike
And the line runs out
And the whale makes a flunder with her tail
And the boat capsized, and I lost my darlin' man

No more, no more Greenland for you, Brave Boys
No more, no more Greenland for you.

From Willson and McKee's cd The Pattern©1995
Rimsong Music P.O. Box 704 Polson, MT 59860^^^

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Greenland Fisheries--Whale's Version
From: raredance
Date: 30 Jul 01 - 09:01 PM

Actually Kat, that's a pretty standard version. What makes it different is that Kim does sign language to the song (doesn't show up well on the CD).

rich r

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Greenland Fisheries--Whale's Version
From: katlaughing
Date: 30 Jul 01 - 09:05 PM

Oh,thanks, rich, didn't know that, nor see it in the DT. I really enjoy her hand motions. You've seen them perform, then? I go everytime they come to town.

Thanks,

kat

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Greenland Fisheries--Whale's Version
From: Dicho (Frank Staplin)
Date: 30 Jul 01 - 11:48 PM

For something very unusual, get Whale Song, slack key guitar, John Keawe, on his album Auhele. Exceptional guitar work. Support the whales!

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Greenland Fisheries--Whale's Version
From: toadfrog
Date: 31 Jul 01 - 12:51 AM

I think that's Faith Petric's song; check out her recordings.

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Greenland Fisheries--Whale's Version
From: GUEST,Dita (at work)
Date: 31 Jul 01 - 08:22 AM

I know about the song you are looking for. It's a lament sung to the GWF's tune. Iain MacIntosh does it frequently in his live sets. I'll check Iain's recordings when I get home, I can't remember if he's recorded it or not, or if it's in his songbook. If not I'm sure I can get them from him.
love, john

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Greenland Fisheries--Whale's Version
From: radriano
Date: 31 Jul 01 - 11:22 AM

Hi Melani,

Can I assume that the song you're looking for is not also called "Greenland Fisheries?"

There's a song called "The Last Whale" which might be what you are looking for. Faith Petric did sing it one evening at the shanty sing. Let me see if I can track down the lyrics.

Richard

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Greenland Fisheries--Whale's Version
From: radriano
Date: 31 Jul 01 - 11:28 AM

Melani, this might be what you are looking for. It's called "The Last Leviathan" by Andy Barnes.


The Last Leviathan


Richard

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Greenland Fisheries--Whale's Version
From: GUEST,Melani
Date: 31 Jul 01 - 02:55 PM

I don't think it's "The Last Leviathan." I think the Faith Petric one might be it. I have only a vague memory of having heard it, and I think it's the same tune as "The Greenland Fisheries." It's Alice of the Thayer who wants it, and she may remember it better than I.

Subject: Lyr Add: CALL ME THE WHALE ^^
From: Dita
Date: 31 Jul 01 - 03:27 PM

CALL ME THE WHALE
By Paul Kaplan

They call me the whale, and thats what I am
and a whale I always will be.
You may call yourself the king of the land
But I am the king of the sea, brave boys
I am the king of the sea.

I never ment to do you any harm, brave boys,
When I took you to the bottem with my tail
I only meant to show you, that you should have been at home,
Instead of on the ocean chasing whales, brave boys,
Instead of on the ocean chasing whales

But you didn't get the message, and so more and more you came,
Till I ran out of places for to hide.
And your boats got so big that I couldn't take you down
I knew then that you had turned the tide, brave boys,
I knew then that you had turned the tide.

You hunt me down with your factory ships,
and you never even touch me with your hands.
I'n the morning, I'm playing with my babies in the waves
In the evening, I'm packed into your cans, brave boys,
In the evening, I'm packed into your cans.

You've become so efficient with your instuments of death
That by now, I'm barely alive.
But if you treat each other in the way you've treated me
I think i'm going to survive, brave boys,
I think i'm going to survive.

From the singing of Iain Mackintosh, recorded on "Home for a While", Kettle Kop-14.

The tune is the "Greenland Whale Fisheries", and Iain sings verses 1 & 3 of a variant of Kat's song, posted futher up the thread, before starting Paul's song

love, john. ^^

Subject: Lyr Add: CALL ME THE WHALE (from Paul Kaplan)^^
From: yirdy
Date: 01 Aug 01 - 09:20 AM

Dita above has almost the correct version as sung by Ian McIntosh (missing out the second verse) Here is the original version as sung by Paul Kaplan on his LP - "Life on the Planet" Copyright 1982 - Hummingbird Records 212 W.85St.,New York, N.Y. 10024. Tune - as stated previously, The Greenland Whale Fisheres.

CALL ME THE WHALE

Call me the whale for that´s what I am
And that`s what I am to be
You may call yourselves the kings of the land
But I am the king of the sea, brave boys
Yes I am the king of the sea

You came after me in your matchstick boats
With your harpoons poised for the kill
When I looked you in the eye I never saw you cry
But I know I gave you a chill brave boys
I know that I gave you a chill.

But I didn`t ever mean you any harm brave boys
When I sent you to the bottom with my tail
I only meant to show you that you should have been at home
Instead of on the ocean chasing whales brave boys
Instead of on the ocean chasing whales

But you never got the message and the more and more you came
Till I ran out of places to hide
When your boats got so big that I could not bring you down
Then I knew you had turned the tide brave boys
I knew you had turned the tide.

Now you hunt me down in your factory ships
And you never even touch me with your hands
In the morning I am playing with my babies in the waves
In the afternoon I`m packed into your cans brave boys
In the afternoon I´m packed into your cans

You`ve gotten so efficient with your implements of death
That by now I`m barely alive
But if you treat each other the way you`ve treated me
I think I`m going to survive brave boys
Yes I think I`m going to survive. ^^

Line Breaks <br> added.
-Joe Offer-

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Greenland Fisheries--Whale's Version
From: Melani
Date: 01 Aug 01 - 11:18 PM

Thanks, guys! That's the one!

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Greenland Fisheries--Whale's Version
From: Gypsy
Date: 02 Aug 01 - 10:52 PM

Will our Shantyman have fun with these! Thanks for posting the question, Melani. See you at Northern?

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Greenland Fisheries--Whale's Version
From: AllisonA(Animaterra)
Date: 03 Aug 01 - 06:24 AM

I ended the school year this past June with songs of the sea, including the original that Kat posted. Wait'll school starts and I can zing'em with this new version! Thanks, Melani, for starting this, and thanks all for the great words.