Lyr Req: 'Some men are Steamers'?

Subject: Lyrics to 'Some men are Steamers'?
From: TheAuldGrump
Date: 05 Jan 03 - 04:30 AM

I'm looking around for lyrics to a song my grandfather had on a record, maybe a 78. The song contained the line 'Some men are steamers, and others are dreamers'. I was reminded of the song when I caught part of it on our local college station.

Thanks if you can help,
The Auld Grump, not so old or grumpy 'round here...

Subject: RE: Lyrics to 'Some men are Steamers'?
From: Hillheader
Date: 05 Jan 03 - 04:47 AM

Searched on Google and 10 other search engines but found nothing. Would you know who sang it?

Davebhoy

Subject: RE: Lyrics to 'Some men are Steamers'?
From: TheAuldGrump
Date: 05 Jan 03 - 04:54 AM

Alas no, if I did my search would be much easier. I tried Google first, and found nothing either.

The song also had the line 'The men who are steamers, they laugh at the dreamers' or something very much like that. The song being more about the steamers than the dreamers.

The Auld Grump, steaming toward bed...

Subject: RE: Lyrics to 'Some men are Steamers'?
From: gnomad
Date: 05 Jan 03 - 02:04 PM

Sounds to me like Eric Bogle's Safe in the Harbour, which contains the lines

"Some men are schemers, who laugh at the dreamers,
Take the gold from the sailors, and turn it to dross"

I haven't time to post in full just now, but will do so if this is the one you are seeking. A lovely song by the way, written in tribute to Stan Rogers.

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: 'Some men are Steamers'?
From: Jim Dixon
Date: 05 Jan 03 - 02:25 PM

Don't bother typing it, gnomad. It's in the DT twice, as SAFE IN THE HARBOUR and as SAFE HARBOUR. The former is the correct title, according to AMG/All Music Guide.

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: 'Some men are Steamers'?
From: Hillheader
Date: 05 Jan 03 - 02:28 PM

Thanks Gnomad - one word make all the difference but I'm not sure this will be the song if The Auld Grump's grandfather had it on a 78. Perhaps Bogle was drawing on the line of song for his inspiration.

Anyone else able to assist.

Have you stood by the ocean on a diamond-hard morning
And felt the horizon stir deep in your soul
Watched the wake of a steamer as it cuts through blue water
Been gripped by a fever you just can't control
Oh to throw off the shackles, and fly with the seagulls
To where green waves tumble before a driving sea wind
Or to lie on the decking on a warm summer evening
Watch the red sun fall burning beneath the earth's rim
Chorus
   But to every sailor comes time to drop anchor
   Haul in the sail, and make the lines fast
   You deep water dreamer, your journey is over
   You're safe in the harbor at last
   You're safe in the harbor at last


Some men are sailors, but most are just dreamers
Held fast to the anchors they forge in their minds
Who in their hearts know they'll never sail over deep water
To search for a treasure they're afraid they won't find
So in sheltered harbors they cling to their anchors
Bank down their boilers and shut down their steam
And wait for the sailors to return with the treasures
That will fan the dull embers and fire up their dreams

And some men are schemers, who laugh at the dreamers
Take the gold from the sailors and turn it to dross
They're men in a prison, they're men without vision
Whose only horizon is profit and loss
So when storm-clouds come sailing across your blue ocean
Hold fast to your dreaming for all that you're worth
For as long as there're dreamers, there will always be sailors
Bringing back their bright treasures from the corners of earth

Davebhoy

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: 'Some men are Steamers'?
From: TheAuldGrump
Date: 06 Jan 03 - 01:27 AM

Thanks! I may have assumed the 78, because so much of his collection was.

The Auld Grump

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: 'Some men are Steamers'?
From: TheAuldGrump
Date: 06 Jan 03 - 01:39 AM

Hmmm, either I've mixed two songs up or my Great-grandfather had a time machine, having died well before the copyright on the song.

The Auld Grump, now I wonder where he left that time machine...

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: 'Some men are Steamers'?
From: Dave Bryant
Date: 06 Jan 03 - 05:04 AM

"Safe in the Harbour" is a great song, I don't know why it doesn't get sung more often. Eric wrote it for the death of Stan Rogers.

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: 'Some men are Steamers'?
From: gnomad
Date: 06 Jan 03 - 05:04 PM

Oh goody, don't need to dig out the transcript on which I worked so hard before discovering Mudcat.

My quess as to why the song gets little exposure is the wide vocal range needed to do it justice, I know I cannot make it.

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: 'Some men are Steamers'?
From: Charley Noble
Date: 06 Jan 03 - 05:43 PM

Damn! I was hoping a different song would surface.

Well, now we'll just have to compose a new ditty "Some Men are Steamers." Now would that be an allusion to steam ships, steamed clams or old copper laundry vessels?

Cheerily,
Charley Noble

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: 'Some men are Steamers'?
From: Dave Bryant
Date: 07 Jan 03 - 06:23 AM

I agree with you about the range it needs. Eric sings it with his group on the record and I don't think he sings both the top notes "fly with the seagulls" bit and the chorus which is much lower. It sounds quite OK if you leave the high notes off though, which is what I do when I sing it alone. When I sing it with Linda, she sings the melody on the chorus and I sing a harmony - that way I can pitch the verses lower.

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: 'Some men are Steamers'?
From: gnomad
Date: 07 Jan 03 - 03:49 PM

Maybe time for another go using DB's patent amendment, it's too good a song to let it be wasted.

I wondered about how he made the jump, but my recording was well worn by the time I started to try it for myself (excuses!)