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Subject: RE: Lyr Req: a dark and a rovin' eye From: Bert Date: 25 Jun 04 - 06:22 PM I remember someone singing it on "Riders of the Range", That radio show with Big Bill Cambell and his Rocky Mountain Rhythm. Late Forties I think. |
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Subject: RE: Lyr Req: a dark and a rovin' eye From: Charley Noble Date: 25 Jun 04 - 04:52 PM This song has certainly been around a long time before anyone dared record a version of it. Certainly my family was singing it back in the 1930's and my uncle recorded a sanitized version of it in the 1940's. Nice to see all the versions posted above. And, yes, the version recorded on Uncensored Sailor Songs is a good one. Cheerily, Charley Noble |
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Subject: RE: Lyr Req: a dark and a rovin' eye From: Dave Swan Date: 25 Jun 04 - 02:47 PM My partner Doug wrote a blow off verse for us that we've used for years and have since seen quoted as trad. So all you love sick seamen that on the streets do sail, If you would have companionship, beware the ship you hail, For I'd barely left my fireship, it was hardly a week gone past, When I found the fire that burned in her was a'raging in my mast People always clap...... D |
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Subject: RE: Lyr Req: a dark and a rovin' eye From: Lighter Date: 25 Jun 04 - 12:07 PM Ed Cray printed an unbowdlerized example in "The Erotic Muse," 1969. His anonymous informant said he learned it from his father who had been a dockworker very early in the century. Cray's second ed. contains additional information. The earliest printing (bowdlerized)of the song in its modern form is in "Songs My Mother Never Taught Me," by John Jacob Niles, Douglas Moore, & W. W. Wallgren (1927). It was learned during WWI. This text is most likely the ultimate origin for all commercial versions since. Easily recognizable earlier forms of the song appeared on mid nineteenth century broadsides. I've seen a late-18th century chapbook with a still earlier version, though without the nautical setting. Randolph-Legman devotes some space to a discussion of the song. A very coarse fragment was collected by Max Hunter in Arkansas around 1960. |
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Subject: RE: Lyr Req: a dark and a rovin' eye From: VIN Date: 25 Jun 04 - 07:12 AM Hey Susanne, i've got that Spinners LP - great version of the song, sung by Hughie. (also got 'Ten of the Best'- live, 'Not Quite Folk' (where they're dressed as hippies) and an EP ''Singing City'. Don't care what some say, i thought they were grand, 'speacially live! |
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Subject: RE: Lyr Req: a dark and a rovin' eye From: GUEST,the O'Meara Date: 24 Jun 04 - 08:08 PM It was a major hit for the Weavers in the early 50s, played often on the radio. Mightily sanitized, I might add. O'Meara |
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Subject: RE: Lyr Req: a dark and a rovin' eye From: Bat Goddess Date: 24 Jun 04 - 07:15 PM I know most of you know this, but she didn't turn into a "ship" at all. She turned into a "fire ship" which is something COMPLETELY different . . . She didn't have need of a ship's carpenter, but of a doctor -- not that he could do much in that era (other than give them blue-tinged glasses) for either her or her gentleman friend. Linn |
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Subject: RE: Lyr Req: a dark and a rovin' eye From: dick greenhaus Date: 24 Jun 04 - 07:05 PM Well, if one recalls the Sinclair Lewis book "Arrowsmith", there was a rather engaging drunken Swedish doctor who bellowed it at every opportunity. |
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Subject: RE: Lyr Req: a dark and a rovin' eye From: Susanne (skw) Date: 24 Jun 04 - 06:52 PM Yes - Guy Mitchell ... :-) |
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Subject: RE: Lyr Req: a dark and a rovin' eye From: Malcolm Douglas Date: 24 Jun 04 - 06:40 PM Did they say where they got it? |
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Subject: Lyr Add: THE FIRESHIP (from The Spinners) From: Susanne (skw) Date: 24 Jun 04 - 06:35 PM A version from my first-ever folk LP, 'The Spinners Are In Town' (1970): THE FIRESHIP (Trad) Chorus: Oh she'd a dark and a rolling eye And her hair hung down in ringlets She was a nice girl, a decent girl But one of the rakish kind As I walked out one evening all on the night's career I spied a lofty clipper ship and after her I steered I hoisted all my signals that she so quickly knew And when she saw my buntings fly she immediately hove, too She said, Kind sir excuse me for being out so late For if my parents knew of it then sad would be my fate My father he's a minister a true and honest man My mother she's a dancing girl so I do the best I can I took her to a tavern and treated her to wine Oh little then did I believe she was the rakish kind I handled her and fondled her and found to my surprise She was nothing but a fireship rigged out in a disguise Well, so I deemed her company for a sailor lad like me I kissed her once, I kissed her twice, she said, Be nice to me I fondled her and cuddled her and bounced her on my knee She wept and cried and then she sighed, Jack will you sleep with me Come all you salt sea sailors that sail our seven seas Likewise you jolly 'prentice lads this warning take from me Steer clear of lofty fireships for me they left well spent For one burnt all my money up and left me broke and bent It seems fairly explicit according to their usual 'family friendly' standard! (If you find any mistakes, let me know. It hasn't been checked properly.) |
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Subject: RE: Lyr Req: a dark and a rovin' eye From: GUEST,MMario Date: 24 Jun 04 - 02:00 PM the Pyrates Royale do a great version of this. |
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Subject: Lyr Add: THE FIRESHIP From: JWB Date: 24 Jun 04 - 01:58 PM Richard "Salty Dick" Docker has this on his new CD of uncensored sailor songs. The words are more extensive and bawdy than any version I've heard before -- they fill in the rest of the story. Here they are as I hear them: The Fireship As I walked out one evening upon a night's career, I spied a lofty clipper ship and to her I did steer. She hoisted up her sig-a-nals which I so quickly knew, And when she saw me bunting up she immediately hove to. CHORUS She had a dark and a roving eye, and her hair hung down in ring-a-lets. She was a nice girl, a decent girl, but one of the rakish kind. "Oh sir, won't you excuse me for staying out so late, And if my parents heard of this, then sad would be my fate. My father, he's a minister, a good and righteous man, My mother she's a Methodist; I do the best I can." I eyed that girl both up and down for I'd heard such talk before, And when she moored herself to me I knew she was a whore. But still she was a pretty girl; she shyly hung her head. "I'll go along with you, my lad," was what to me she said. I took her to a tav-er-in and treated her with wine. Little did I think that she was one of the rakish kind. I handled her, I dandled her, and much to my surprise, Turns out she was a fireship rigged up in a disguise. So up the stairs and into bed I took that maiden fair. I fired off my cannon into her thatch of hair. I fired off a broadside until my shot was spent, Then rammed that fireship's waterline until my ram was bent. Then in the morning she was gone, my money was gone too. My clothes she'd hocked, my watch she stole, my seabag bid adieu. But she'd left behind a souvenir, I'd have you all to know. And in nine days, to my surprise, there was fire down below. So come all you good whaler boys that sail the wintry seas, And come all you good sailor boys, a warning take by me: Beware of lofty clipper ships, they'll be the ruin of you, For she not only made me walk the plank, she set fire to me mainmast, too. Jerry |
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Subject: RE: Lyr Req: a dark and a rovin' eye From: Flash Company Date: 24 Jun 04 - 07:27 AM Guy Mitchell definitely in 1951, I think the fourth line of the verse quoted by Amos should read 'When she saw my bunting fly', could probably remember all of the words if I thought about it. Agree related to 'The Fireship' although Mitchell sang 'She was nothing but a Pirate ship got up in a disguise@ FC |
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Subject: RE: Lyr Req: a dark and a rovin' eye From: beardedbruce Date: 24 Jun 04 - 06:31 AM my copy is a 60's "best of" collection... 1962? might be 64- I have not had it out in a while... |
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Subject: RE: Lyr Req: a dark and a rovin' eye From: GUEST,Jim Ward Date: 24 Jun 04 - 05:27 AM Hit for Guy Mitchell in UK in 1951. Columbia 78rpm- DB2816. |
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Subject: RE: Lyr Req: a dark and a rovin' eye From: Mark Dowding Date: 24 Jun 04 - 03:31 AM It's also called "The Fireship" and it's in the DT lyrics. Cheers Mark |
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Subject: RE: Lyr Req: a dark and a rovin' eye From: Little Robyn Date: 24 Jun 04 - 01:48 AM If Guy Mitchell sang it in 1981, who sang it in the 50s? Robyn |
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Subject: RE: Lyr Req: a dark and a rovin' eye From: Amos Date: 24 Jun 04 - 01:24 AM She had a dark and a roving eye And her hair hung down in ring-a-lets She was a nice girl, a proper girl But - one of the roving kind. As I cruised out one evening upon a night's career I spied a lofty clipper ship and to her I did steer I heisted out my signals, which she so quickly knew And when she saw my bunting flag, she immediately hove to |
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Subject: RE: Lyr Req: a dark and a rovin' eye From: michaelr Date: 23 Jun 04 - 11:02 PM Here are the lyrics. I first heard the song recorded by the Black Family (Mary, Michael, Shay, Frances, and Martin). She were a nice gerl, a dacent gerl, but one of the rovin' kind. Cheers, Michael |
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Subject: RE: Lyr Req: a dark and a rovin' eye From: Malcolm Douglas Date: 23 Jun 04 - 10:44 PM You've got it, Jeep. A search for roving kind will reveal plenty more. Don't try to find rovin', though. You might get a few hits, but in the end it's as sensible as looking for spoo' when you really want spoon. |
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Subject: RE: Lyr Req: a dark and a rovin' eye From: Jeep man Date: 23 Jun 04 - 10:14 PM I think I remembered more. I think the name is "The Roving Kind". Jim |
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Subject: RE: Lyr Req: a dark and a rovin' eye From: Jeep man Date: 23 Jun 04 - 10:02 PM "And her hair hung down in ringalets". Great old song, might have been the Ames Brothers. Jim |
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Subject: Lyr Req: a dark and a rovin' eye From: GUEST,northern skye Date: 23 Jun 04 - 09:49 PM Yo mates! lookin' for the lyrics to a song about 'a lady (a ship) with a dark and a rovin'eye' that has to do with the lady turning into a priate ship....I know it's not much to go on, but knowing the bunch of ye's...I'm hopin' for the best! Thanks, Kaaren |
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