Lyr Req: Admiral Benbow

Subject: Words for English Sea song (tune given)
From: Leslie Butler (inactive)
Date: 31 Jan 03 - 12:17 AM

There's an English sea ballad I'd like to get to know again about a two-day battle involving Admiral Benbow (?), who gets killed and then buried in Kingston Church.
The very simple but stately melody is in a steady 3/2 time and a major key so to represent it, I'll number the white piano notes 1 = C (= Doh), 2 = D (= Re) etc; and notes below 'home' C/Doh, I'll label G, A, B. So, assuming even beats and making the time signature 6/4,ie all in half beats, the tune goes:
----G1/
113355/543312/334322/1111G1/
113355/543312/334322/1111B1/
22AA22/1BGGGG/111231/444432/
113355/543312/334322/1111--.

Repeated notes are mostly sustained single notes but you'd guessed that, hadn't you.

Can anyone tell me the words?

Ta in advance.
Leslie Butler

Subject: RE: Words for English Sea song (tune given)
From: GUEST,LFF at work
Date: 31 Jan 03 - 03:48 AM

Could be this one: blicky

Subject: RE: Words for English Sea song (tune given)
From: Leslie Butler (inactive)
Date: 31 Jan 03 - 03:59 AM

Great! Thanks Liff
Leslie

Subject: RE: Words for English Sea song (tune given)
From: greg stephens
Date: 31 Jan 03 - 05:16 AM

The second line in that version quoted above is probably a mis-hearing (as is pretty common in folksongs!). "and then we weighed all" is the line I'm familiar with, which makes sense and rhymes, unlike "weighed oar".

Subject: Lyr Add: ADMIRAL BENBOW
From: Schantieman
Date: 31 Jan 03 - 07:28 AM

This is the version that I've sung for several years:

Admiral Benbow

We sailed to Virginia, and then to Fayal.
We watered our shipping, and so we weighed all.
Being in view of the seas boys, seven sail we did espy
So we hoisted our tops'ls, and sailed speedily.

Now the first we came up withal was a brig and a sloop.
And we asked if the other five were as big as they looked.
Then turning to windward, as near as we could lie
We found them to be French men of war cruising by.

So we drew up our squadron in a very nice line
And we fought them courageously, for near four hours time.
But the day being spent, and the night coming on,
We let them alone till the very next morn'.

Now the very next morning the engagement proved hot,
When brave Admiral Benbow recieved a chain shot.
And when he was wounded, to his merry men he did say,
"Take me up in your arms boys and carry me away".

Oh the guns they did rattle, and the bullets did fly,
And brave Admiral Benbow for help loud did cry.
"Carry me to the cockpit, there is ease for my smart",
"If my men they should see me, it will break aal their hearts".

Now the very next morning at the break of the day.
We hoisted our tops'ls and so bore away.
We bore down to Port Royal, where the people flocked much,
To see Admiral Benbow carried to Kingston church.

So come all you young fellows, where ever you've been.
Come drink a good health to our King and our Queen.
And another good health, to the girls that we know.
And a third in remembrance of brave Admiral Benbow




... and there's another (which I know as 'Brave Benbow') which starts,

"Come all you seaman bold
And draw near, and draw near..."

to a tune similar to "Captain Kidd" or "Jack Hall" which is a bit more chorusy, bloodthirsty & inaccurate!

The first version (or a similar one) is in the Bodleian Library ballad collection at

http://www.bodley.ox.ac.uk/ballads/ballads.htm

- or at least it used to be - I've just looked and can't find it!

Hang on a tick....


Steve

Subject: RE: Words for English Sea song (tune given)
From: Schantieman
Date: 31 Jan 03 - 08:14 AM

There's a version here:

http://bodley24.bodley.ox.ac.uk/cgi-bin/acwwweng/ballads/image.pl?ref=Harding+B+25(3)&id=09222.gif&seq=1&size=1

which is similar but has more verses and slight differences

Hope this helps

Steve

Subject: RE: Words for English Sea song (tune given)
From: Malcolm Douglas
Date: 31 Jan 03 - 01:09 PM

There's a good bit of material available here already. May as well include both song groups, though they aren't related to each other beyond dealing with the same subject.

ADMIRAL BENBOW "Come all ye seamen bold..." (Set published by Cecil Sharp. It's based on the set he noted from Captain Lewis of Minehead in 1906, but has been altered and additional material added from an unspecified source. Two unidentified midis are provided, but neither is the tune published by Sharp.)

ADMIRAL BENBOW (2) "Come all you seamen bold..." (Copper Family set)

Lyr Req: Admiral Benbow lyrics "We sailed from Virginia..." -Several discussions combined, with historical notes, links to broadside editions and so on. Both DT files and the entry from the Traditional Ballad Index are also quoted.