Origins: The Chivalrous Shark (Wallace Irwin-1904)

Subject: Correction: Chivalrous Shark
From: Joe Offer
Date: 07 Jan 03 - 04:33 AM

There's one line missing from Chivalrous Shark. Here 'tis:

Then he proffered his fin and she took it-
Such gallantry none can dispute
While the passengers cheered
As the vessel they neared
And a broadside was fired in salute.

Source: Song Fest

-Joe Offer-

---

Here's the full corrected text:



THE RHYME OF THE CHIVALROUS SHARK
(Wallace Irwin)

The most chivalrous fish of the ocean,
To ladies forbearing and mild,
Though his record be dark
Is the man-eating shark
Who will eat neither woman nor child.

He dines upon seamen and skippers,
And tourists his hunger assuage,
And a fresh cabin boy
Will inspire him with joy
If he's past the maturity age.

A doctor, a lawyer, a preacher,
He'll gobble one any fine day,
But the ladies, God bless 'em.
He'll only address 'em
Politely and go on his way.

l can readily cite you an instance
Where a lovely young lady of Breem,
Who was tender and sweet
And delicious to eat,
Fell into the bay with a scream.

She struggled and flounced in the water
And signaled in vain for her bark,
And she'd surely been drowned
If she hadn't been found
By a chivalrous man-eating shark.

He bowed in a manner most polished.
Thus soothing her impulses wild:
"Don't be frightened," he said,
I've been properly bred
And I eat neither woman nor child."

Then he proffered his fin and she took it-
Such gallantry none can dispute
While the passengers cheered
As the vessel they neared
And a broadside was fired in salute.

And they soon stood alongside the vessel,
When a life-saving dinghy was lowered
With the pick of the crew,
And her relatives too,
And the mate and the skipper aboard.

So they took her aboard in a jiffy
And the shark stood at attention the while,
Then he raised on his flipper
And ate up the skipper
And went on his way with a smile.

And this shows that the prince of the ocean,
To ladies forbearing and mild,
Though his record be dark,
Is the man-eating shark
Who will eat neither woman nor child

Reprinted in Song Fest by Dick and Beth Best
from Nautical Lays of a Landsman by Wallace Irwin
@fish @animal
Copyright 1904 Wallace Irwin
filename[ CHIVSHAR
TUNE FILE: CHIVSHAR
CLICK TO PLAY
SOF

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Correction has been made in the current Digital Tradition.
-Joe-

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Nautical Lays of a Landsman

Subject: RE: Correction: The Chivalrous Shark
From: alanabit
Date: 07 Jan 03 - 04:40 AM

I hadn't seen this one before. Thanks. I loved it.

Subject: RE: Correction: The Chivalrous Shark
From: Dave Bryant
Date: 07 Jan 03 - 07:17 AM

Obviously the shark in "Jaws" hadn't been properly educated.

Subject: RE: Correction: The Chivalrous Shark
From: Charley Noble
Date: 07 Jan 03 - 08:31 AM

One of my old favorites as well!

But that last verse, Joe. Are you sure it's correct?

And this shows that the prince of the ocean,
To ladies forbearing and mild,
Though his record be dark,
IS the man-eating shark
Who will eat neither woman nor child.

We always sang it:

This shows that the Prince of the Ocean,
To maidens forbearing and mild,
Though his record be dark,
IT'S the chivalrous shark
Who will eat neither woman nor child.

Cheerily,
Charley Noble

---

I like your rendition better, Charley, but Song Fest has is.
-Joe Offer-

Subject: RE: Correction: The Chivalrous Shark
From: Steve Benbows protege
Date: 07 Jan 03 - 11:56 AM

A song I learnt from Steve. He recorded it in the late sixties. Always has audiences in laughter!! Do have chords if any one wants them.

Subject: RE: Correction: The Chivalrous Shark
From: Stilly River Sage
Date: 07 Jan 03 - 12:27 PM

I always loved that song. Great when sung to small children at bedtime.

SRS

Subject: RE: Correction: The Chivalrous Shark
From: Thomas the Rhymer
Date: 07 Jan 03 - 12:38 PM

Thanks Joe! Swallowed't ho'...

Subject: RE: Correction: The Chivalrous Shark
From: Noreen
Date: 07 Jan 03 - 01:18 PM

Is is correct: Could be written:
that the prince of the ocean (to ladies forbearing and mild, though his record be dark) is the man-eating shark

i.e. The prince of the ocean is the man-eating shark.

Snuffy does a great job of this!

Subject: RE: Correction: The Chivalrous Shark
From: Joe Offer
Date: 07 Jan 03 - 02:56 PM

I found this song in one of the Silver Burdett music textbooks, with only the first two verses and the last one. The textbook identifies it as an "American folk song." Lyrics are exactly what I posted in the first message of this thread. I wonder if we can find original sheet music. It seems, though, that Dick and Beth Best got it correct and complete in Song Fest, and it would seem to me that they have correctly attributed the song to Wallace Irwin.
-Joe Offer-

Subject: RE: Correction: The Chivalrous Shark
From: Charley Noble
Date: 07 Jan 03 - 03:25 PM

As I recall singing this verse:

She struggled and flounced in the water
And signaled in vain for her BARK,

there was often a volunteer "BARK" from the chorus.

In the second verse I ususally sing "sailors" instead of "seamen" but that's just a matter of personal taste.

Charley Noble

Subject: RE: Correction: The Chivalrous Shark
From: Art Thieme
Date: 07 Jan 03 - 04:52 PM

Joe,

This song is on my recording called A.Thieme--Live At Winfield, Kansas('84). Burl Ives Coronation Concert (for Queen Elizabeth---1950s) was my source and those words were as you've posted in this thread.

Art Thieme

Subject: RE: Correction: The Chivalrous Shark
From: GUEST,Claymore
Date: 07 Jan 03 - 04:55 PM

It seems I recall a version of this song sung on one of the Sing Along with Mitch Miller albums of the early 60's.

Subject: RE: Correction: The Chivalrous Shark
From: Snuffy
Date: 07 Jan 03 - 06:55 PM

I got it from a Hughie Jones CD. On the liner notes he says he got it from a Burl Ives recording, maybe the same one Art got it from. Unfortunately I've never heard the Ives version.



WassaiL! V

Subject: RE: Correction: The Chivalrous Shark
From: GUEST
Date: 07 Jan 03 - 07:49 PM

Could Mr Irwin possibly have been unaware of that pun? It induced me, 40 years ago, to explore the possibilities of "eat" as well.

Subject: RE: Correction: The Chivalrous Shark
From: dick greenhaus
Date: 08 Jan 03 - 03:22 PM

Now I'm confused. The missing line isn't missing an eny of the downloadable versions. Apparently we get some glitches in translating to the online format.

Subject: RE: Correction: The Chivalrous Shark
From: Mr Happy
Date: 19 Feb 08 - 06:27 AM

A nice rendition here:http://uk.youtube.com/watch?v=h8yyMNPjKoE

Subject: RE: Correction: The Chivalrous Shark
From: GUEST,BobL
Date: 19 Feb 08 - 08:15 AM

While we're on the subject...

I earned it from a Burl Ives recording "Songs for and about Women", 10 inch LP circa 1955, which may be a compendium of previously released tracks. In the last verse, he leaves out the disputed (see above) "is/it's" at the start of the penultimate line and the "who" at the start of the last line, which makes a better fit to the music.

I leave out the last verse altogether, it's a bit of an anticlimax.

Subject: RE: Correction: The Chivalrous Shark
From: Snuffy
Date: 19 Feb 08 - 08:38 AM

Anti-climax? Far from it. If you've got 'em all joining in the screaing and broadsides etc, then everyone's raring to join in the big ending "will eat neither woman nor child" with (preferably) harmonies, or just pure volume. And it takes the kiddie's minds off the fate of the poor captain!

Subject: RE: Correction: The Chivalrous Shark
From: Uncle_DaveO
Date: 19 Feb 08 - 09:46 AM

A long time ago I got the words from somewhere, without the tune. Well, nothing for it but to "write" my own tune, which I did, and I've been singing it that way for lo, these many years.

Not surprisingly, I suppose, I like my own tune better than that I just listened to from the DT. Oh, well. Of such is the folk tradition made.

Dave Oesterreich

Subject: RE: Correction: The Chivalrous Shark
From: Flash Company
Date: 19 Feb 08 - 11:10 AM

Got this from the same source as BobL above, as I recall also Devilish Mary and a version of The Unfortunate Man.
Remember that Steve Benbow sang it too.

FC

Subject: RE: Correction: The Chivalrous Shark
From: Joe_F
Date: 19 Feb 08 - 09:23 PM

In view of the date & respectable provenance of this song, we should keep our mind out of the (uh) gunwale & scrupulously refrain from attributing bawdy intent to the words "eat" and "seamen".

Subject: RE: Correction: The Chivalrous Shark
From: Stilly River Sage
Date: 19 Feb 08 - 11:07 PM

Are you surprised that an anonymous post is inappropriate when reading into the meaning of the song? I'm as willing to find bawdy meanings as anyone, but GUEST 07:49 PM's suggestion is simply silly.

SRS

Subject: RE: Correction: The Chivalrous Shark
From: GUEST,Ken Rowley
Date: 21 Sep 13 - 01:37 PM

She shouted in vain for the BARK

SHOULD BE WRITTEN
She shouted in vain for the BARQUE

Barque is a type of three masted sailing ship and with this correction the words make sense.

I have seen the spelling bark mis-used for a ship, but NEVER in anything with a true nautical connection.

When we sing this song my wife gives a small scream after Barque and it always gets a laugh.

Subject: RE: Correction: The Chivalrous Shark
From: dick greenhaus
Date: 21 Sep 13 - 02:26 PM

bark 3 also barque (bärk)
n.
1. A sailing ship with from three to five masts, all of them square-rigged except the after mast, which is fore-and-aft rigged.
2. A small vessel that is propelled by oars or sails.

Subject: RE: Correction: The Chivalrous Shark
From: GUEST,Ken Rowley
Date: 21 Sep 13 - 05:37 PM

Sorry, I was interupted whilst typing my comment.
My wife actually screams after "Fell into the bay with a scream".

Subject: RE: Correction: The Chivalrous Shark
From: Uncle Tone
Date: 21 Sep 13 - 07:16 PM

This was part of Cyril Tawney's repertoire too, although I don't think he ever recorded it. He liked to sing it after a few bevies late at night.

Tone

Subject: RE: Correction: The Chivalrous Shark
From: BK Lick
Date: 17 May 18 - 08:09 PM

Art's recording (and several other lovely things) are available online at: Soundcloud

Subject: RE: Correction: The Chivalrous Shark
From: Nancy King
Date: 17 May 18 - 09:52 PM

I'm coming late to this discussion, but thought I should put in that I've always sung the last few of lines as:

Though his record be dark,
The man-eating shark
Will eat neither woman nor child.

Makes perfect sense, with no "it's," no "who."

Just my 2 cents' worth.

Subject: RE: Origins: The Chivalrous Shark (Wallace Irwin-1904)
From: Joe Offer
Date: 18 May 18 - 01:15 AM

Anybody got time to transcribe the lyrics from the original source, Nautical Lays of a Landsman? I'm stuck with a Chromebook for a couple weeks and can't open the file.
-Joe-

Subject: RE: Origins: The Chivalrous Shark (Wallace Irwin-1904)
From: BK Lick
Date: 18 May 18 - 04:46 AM

THE RHYME OF THE
CHIVALROUS SHARK
(Transcribed from Nautical Lays of a Landsman by Wallace Irwin)

Most chivalrous fish of the ocean,
To ladies forbearing and mild,
Though his record be dark, is the man-eating shark
Who will eat neither woman nor child.

He dines upon seamen and skippers,
And tourists his hunger assuage,
And a fresh cabin boy will inspire him with joy
If he's past the maturity age.

A doctor, a lawyer, a preacher,
He'll gobble one any fine day,
But the ladies, God bless 'em, he'll only address 'em
Politely and go on his way.

I can readily cite you an instance
Where a lovely young lady of Breem,
Who was tender and sweet and delicious to eat,
Fell into the bay with a scream.

She struggled and flounced in the water
And signaled in vain for her bark,
And she'd surely been drowned if she hadn't been found
By a chivalrous man-eating shark.

He bowed in a manner most polished,
Thus soothing her impulses wild;
"Don't be frightened," he said, "I've been properly bred
And will eat neither woman nor child."

Then he proffered his fin and she took it—
Such a gallantry none can dispute—
While the passengers cheered as the vessel they neared
And a broadside was fired in salute.

And they soon stood alongside the vessel,
When a life-saving dingey was lowered
With the pick of the crew, and her relatives, too,
And the mate and the skipper aboard.

So they took her aboard in a jiffy,
And the shark stood attention the while,
Then he raised on his flipper and ate up the skipper
And went on his way with a smile.

And this shows that the prince of the ocean,
To ladies forebearing and mild,
Though his record be dark, is the man-eating shark
Who will eat neither woman nor child.

Subject: RE: Origins: The Chivalrous Shark (Wallace Irwin-1904)
From: Richard Mellish
Date: 18 May 18 - 03:12 PM

I remember some of it from the singing of (probably) Shirley Abicair when I was a nipper. If my memory is accurate, she ended it the same way as Nancy.