Lyr Req: The Good Ship of London

Subject: Partial Lyrics: The Good Ship of London
From: BBJ
Date: 28 Aug 98 - 05:10 PM

The Sea Songs thread the other night got me to thinking about a song I learned about 30 years ago, can't for the life of me remember where. The problem is I only remember one verse and the chorus. Maybe someone can supply more verses, eh? Hope so! At any rate, here's what I remember.

The Good Ship of London

I am a rake and ramblin' sailor lad
And I've just come home from the port of Trinidad
With my heart still a' tinglin' from the deep salt sea
And the Good ship of London to be free.

Oh honey, I've got lots of money!
And I'll rant and roar 'til I reach my homeland shore.
With my heart still a' tinglin' from the deep salt sea
And the Good Ship of London to be free.


This is a real "rockety boom" song, good for singing loud and waking up a crowd. I hope someone can help me out with some additional verses.

Subject: RE: Partial Lyrics: The Good Ship of London
From: Barry Finn
Date: 28 Aug 98 - 10:17 PM

It seems that there's a possiblity that it could be related to "We'll Rant & We'll Roar", Yankee Whalerman", "Farewell & Adieu Spanish Ladies". There are versions of Nantucket, San Francisco, Newfoundland, England, etc. Check the DT see if any of the versions/verses come close to what you can recall. Barry

Subject: RE: Partial Lyrics: The Good Ship of London
From: BBJ
Date: 28 Aug 98 - 11:28 PM

Thanks for the suggestion , Barry, but no dice. I'm familiar with those songs (my favorite scene from Jaws!). They share a phrase with the song I'm looking for, and that's all. The song I'm talking about has a much faster tempo and a completely different melody. Anyone else recognize it? I may have heard it on a Chad Mitchell Trio album, it is from about that era, early to mid sixties.

Subject: RE: Partial Lyrics: The Good Ship of London
From: rich r
Date: 29 Aug 98 - 10:50 AM

Not Chad Mitchell Trio, but that doesn't move things ahead very much

rich r

Subject: ADD: Sailor Lad
From: GUEST,999
Date: 11 Sep 12 - 03:35 PM

Oh I am a raking rambling sailor lad,
And I am newly bound from the port of Trinidad.
My heart is aching for that deep salt sea,
And the good ship of London to be free.

I found that stanza on another forum. But that's all that was there.



Also found the following that shares some lines:

SAILOR LAD


Oh I'm a rake and rambling sailor lad
And I'm newly home from the port of Trinidad
With my heart still tingling from the deep salt sea
And our good ship longing to be free

There were three girls in jolly Portsmouth town
And they had a reputation of renown
And they tried to keep us clinging till the wedding bells were ringing
But we left 'em and we sailed for the sea

Oh honey, I've got pockets full of money
And we'll rant and roar till we reach our homeland shore
With my heart still tingling from the deep salt sea
And Our good ship longing to be free


copyright 1998 McGuinn Music – Roger McGuinn

https://genius.com/Roger-mcguinn-sailor-lad-lyrics

MP3: http://www.ibiblio.org/jimmy/folkden-wp/?p=6963

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: The Good Ship of London
From: GUEST,Tom Lee
Date: 19 May 17 - 01:58 PM

DEAR BBJ:

I've been singing this song since 1969. Why on earth would Roger McGuinn publish this in 1998? It isn't his! I love The Byrds, Roger, but I'm sorry-this song doesn't belong to you.

This is the version I learned from Troubadour Danny Cox who performed at The Raven Gallery in Southfield, Michigan in 1969. A Detroit folksinger named Ron Coden also sings it. He corrected a line and a chord for me when he heard me perform at the Raven Gallery.


First of all, there are three verses.

I am a rank and ramblin' sailor lad
And I'm newly home from the port of Trinidad
With my heart still tingling from the deep salt sea
And The Good Ship of London to be free!

C
H Oh, Honey- I've got lots of money
O And I'll rant and roar 'till I see my homeland shore
R With my heart still tinglin' from the deep salt sea
U And the good ship of London to be free!
S

There were three girls who lived in Portsmouth town
And each one had a reputation of renown
And we thought we'd keep 'em wigglin'
'till the rigging it was jigglin'
We kissed 'em all, and sailed upon the sea!

(CHORUS)

And now, we're back again in jolly London Town
And we reminisce all the pleasures we have found
But we'll heave a restless sigh
And not know the reason why
We must go and sail upon the sea! (but)

(Chorus)

(Verse One) (sing in harmony while playing the melody)

And The Good Ship Of London to be free! (Repeat Refrain)

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: The Good Ship of London
From: GUEST
Date: 19 May 17 - 07:14 PM

I learned it off a LP of the "Tinker's Dam" with the mighty Roger James on the lead. Used to sing it in the "Tipperary Pub" in Detroit all the time! Great song! Have to dust it off again...

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: The Good Ship of London
From: Joe Offer
Date: 20 May 17 - 03:31 PM

On his Folk Den Website, Roger McGuinn has a "Creative Commons" copyright - which is more-or-less a warning that the song belongs to everyone and nobody should try to slap another copyright on it and claim rights.
The link will lead you to McGuinn's MP3 of the song.
Apparently the song has been around for a while, but it really doesn't sound traditional and I don't see it in listings of traditional songs. To me, "Good ship longing to be free" sounds more credible than "Good Ship of London to be free."

-Joe-