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Subject: Lyr Add: THE MAN FROM TRALEE (Martyn Travis) From: Reiver 2 Date: 09 Oct 04 - 01:36 PM On the "Farewell to the Rhondda" thread, I mentioned a new CD by a new group in Phoenix, AZ, called "Oceans Apart". The CD is called "The Maiden Voyage of Oceans Apart." (Lots of sea songs, as you might guess.)The group is Steve Colby and John Good, both excellent musicians, multi-instrumentalists, great voices and harmony. There is a website at www.oceansapartmusic.com, but it seems to be down right now. Along with "Farewell to the Rhondda" and "The Mary Ellen Carter," both of which are in the DT, my other favorite song from this CD is one called "The Man From Tralee" which I don't find in the DT. The song is credited to Martyn Travis, and I don't find him in the DT either. Here are the words as best as I can make out from listening to the CD. THE MAN FROM TRALEE (Martyn Travis) Come gather 'round shipmates and list' to my song. I hope you'll bear with me, I won't keep you long. I'll tell of a man that I used to know And his only desire was to sail the seas o'er. But the sea shows no mercy, oh, cruel is the sea And its well I remember the man from Tralee. This man that I knew, he had sailed on them all, From the big deep-sea trawlers to the (grammers) so small. In all of his years he had sailed all around From the east to the west, and the north to the south. From St. George's Channel up to the North Sea, And it's well I remember the man from Tralee.
And she carried a fine crew of eight men so brave. She carried them over the sea and the waves And she carried five men to a watery grave. And taking a big (haul) she met with her fate. A big (haul) was loaded, she could take no more And the decks they were laden as never before. And then without warning she took a great sea, And it's well I remember the man from Tralee.
And she carried a fine crew of eight men so brave. She carried them over the sea and the waves And she carried five men to a watery grave. And to all of those seamen who tomorrow must save, For the sea shows no mercy, oh, cruel is the sea, And it's well I remember the man from Tralee.
And she carried a fine crew of eight men so brave. She carried them over the sea and the waves And she carried five men to a watery grave. Yes she carried five men to a watery grave. Yes she carried five men to a watery grave. The words in (parentheses) are ones I'm not sure about. Is there a type of ship called a grammer or something like that? I could not find anything with that spelling in several dictionaries I checked. Any information anyone can supply about this song or about Martyn Travis would be appreciated. Reiver 2 |
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Subject: RE: Lyr Add: The Man From Tralee (Martyn Travis) From: Reiver 2 Date: 10 Oct 04 - 02:33 PM Joe Offer: Thanks for the personal note about the editing done with the lyrics I posted. Don't worry, I trust you with any editing. I still don't find "The Man From Tralee" on the DigiTrad, however. Where can it be accessed so I can see the results of your editing? Reiver 2 |
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Subject: RE: Lyr Add: The Man From Tralee (Martyn Travis) From: Reiver 2 Date: 11 Oct 04 - 01:05 PM I've emailed John Good and asked him to check out this thread and make corrections to the words I posted here, and also to comment on my other questions. I hope he will. Joe, I still don't find the edited lyrics in the DT. Am I looking in the wrong place? (Or just being annoyingly impatient?) I hope SOMEONE else will post to this thread. It's embarrassing to see only my own posts! Reiver 2
-Joe Offer- |
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Subject: RE: Lyr Add: The Man From Tralee (Martyn Travis) From: GUEST,Steve Colby Date: 11 Oct 04 - 01:07 PM Correct Words to "The Man From Tralee" Grammers is "CRABBERS" The first "Haul" is correct.. The 2nd haul is "FISH HOLDS" Thanks to my wife for helping me figure out crabbers in the beginning. |
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Subject: RE: Lyr Add: The Man From Tralee (Martyn Travis) From: Reiver 2 Date: 11 Oct 04 - 01:13 PM Thanks, Steve!! Do I infer that I got the rest of the words right? That would be amazing. Joe, can you make those changes in the DT? Reiver 2 |
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Subject: RE: Lyr Add: The Man From Tralee (Martyn Travis) From: Chris in Wheaton Date: 11 Oct 04 - 01:38 PM R2 -Have you heard Tom Russel's Isaac Lewis? If you like sea disasters, this is true. Lewis, a seaman, was lost with the ship in a storm and his body came ashore in front of his father's home in Wales. Sad story - great song. Chris |
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Subject: RE: Lyr Add: The Man From Tralee (Martyn Travis) From: GUEST,Toenails John Date: 11 Oct 04 - 04:36 PM This song is HUGELY popular around the area of Dunmore East, Co. Waterford Irl, as it was popularised by a young local fisherman, who was the only man, ever to sing it that I knew of, untill his tragic death on board his own fishing vessell. It has always been locally credited to him, but i know not if he was "Martyn Travis" or not It may just be the fact that he sung it, and giving the circumstances surrounding his drowning, he became immortalised in the song, but will ask questions around, and let you know any details. I first heard him singing this song about 12 13 years ago, Thanks for the words by the way, I've wanted them for years. Brilliant song |
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Subject: RE: Lyr Add: The Man From Tralee (Martyn Travis) From: Reiver 2 Date: 12 Oct 04 - 12:49 PM Thanks, Toenails, for the information. I've heard that the song is based on a true story. In a review of the CD I referred to above (The Maiden Voyage of Oceans Apart) in this week's Arizona Irish Music Society email newsletter the reviewer has this to say about the song, "'The "Man From Tralee' is a haunting song that tells the true story of man who was drowned while working on a fishing trawler. Steve Colby is on lead vocals with John Good and Brid Dower on backup." I'm going to keep looking for more information and if you learn any more I hope you'll post it here. Reiver 2 |
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Subject: RE: Lyr Add: The Man From Tralee (Martyn Travis) From: Reiver 2 Date: 12 Oct 04 - 01:03 PM Chris in Wheaton: No I haven't heard the Isaac Lewis song. I'll ask John if he knows of it. Being as it's about a Welshman, I think he'd be interested. Reiver 2 |
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Subject: RE: Lyr Add: The Man From Tralee (Martyn Travis) From: GUEST,Toenails John Date: 12 Oct 04 - 02:09 PM I have learned this evening what you are looking for. The man I heard singing this song, was not Martyn Travis, But in an ironic twist, I do know who Martyn Travis is. Martyn Travis, (the surname is his "stage name" so out of respect I wont reveal his true surname) Lives Just outside Dunmore East, and is still alive and well! ironically I have played with his brother in a few casual sessions, but never knew his brothers stage name was Travis. This at last, explains to me (and you) why it is so hugely popular around Dunmore, given the author lives local. I don't yet know if it is based on an actual fact, but wouldn't be too hard to find this out. Hope this is something for you to chew on. :o) |
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Subject: RE: Lyr Add: The Man From Tralee (Martyn Travis) From: GUEST,Toenails John Date: 12 Oct 04 - 02:24 PM Just a quick check, found there was a trawler by the name of Boston Sea Ranger, all i found though was a photo Here Will follow this when i have a bit more time wich is alas, not Now! |
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Subject: RE: Lyr Add: The Man From Tralee (Martyn Travis) From: GUEST,Scouse Date: 13 Oct 04 - 05:54 AM Martin lived just up the road in Amsterdam for years and was very well known on the Amsterdam circle and dutch scene before he upped and moved over to Ireland. I still have a not so good cassette which I've transferred to Cd of "The Man from Trallee." Tracks are.. 1 All of your loving 2 Child's Eyes. 3 Crotty the Outlaw. 4 Dream and Wonder. 5 greenFields of Rosbiegh/ The old Copper Plate. 6 Helen's Song. 7 Hundred Thousand welcomes. 8Life unpon the water . Ship in full sail / The long Hours. 10 The Man from Tralee. As Aye... Phil PS.. I think most of the song are self penned!! |
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Subject: RE: Lyr Add: The Man From Tralee (Martyn Travis) From: Reiver 2 Date: 13 Oct 04 - 04:01 PM Thanks a heap Scouse and Toenails John. Now we're getting somewhere. No hurry, but post anything more you find. Reiver 2 |
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Subject: RE: Lyr Add: The Man From Tralee (Martyn Travis) From: Reiver 2 Date: 13 Oct 04 - 04:10 PM Chris in Wheaton: John Good would like any additional information you have on the song "Isaac Lewis". Re. your suggestion (on the Rhondda thread) about sending the CD review to the AZ Welsh group, I'm pretty certain that they get the Az Irish Music Society (AIMS) newsletter, but I'll check on that. Reiver 2 |
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Subject: RE: Lyr Add: The Man From Tralee (Martyn Travis) From: GUEST,Albert.ross@btconnect.com Date: 28 Jan 05 - 03:55 PM The Boston Sea Ranger was one of two ships built in Selby for Boston Deep Sea Fisheries of Lowestoft, and was lost off the Cornish peninsula with five of her crew, pretty much as the song details. On the night in question, the Ranger came in from sea to the outer wall at Penzance harbour, waiting for the lock gates to open so she could come in and land some old mackerel. Inside the harbour, her sister ship "Boston Sea Knight" was waiting for the gates to open so she could put to sea. The dock crew decided the swell was too great to risk pumping out the ballast to open the gates, so the Knight remained locked inside, and the Ranger had to put to sea again. The picture of the Ranger mentioned by another poster is rather odd, because it is in the Fleetwood website, and I do not recall the Ranger ever going there. Link follows http://www.nettingthebay.org.uk/gallery/deepsea/twlr75.htm The Sea Knight is still around, and I found a link to a recent photo of it, now serving as a safety vessel http://www.shipphotos.co.uk/pages/covexbrilliant.htm I am glad that someone has thought enough of the Ranger's crew to write a song about them, for years it has been just one of many small (and not-so-small) fishing boats lost while working around our coasts. Strangely, after 25-odd years, I cannot remember who of the five the song must be written about. The one person who springs to mind didn't even sail on the Ranger, and I don't think I met him until several years after the event. Memory can be an odd thing though. |
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Subject: RE: Lyr Add: The Man from Tralee (Martyn Travis) From: GUEST,Martyn Travis Date: 09 Jun 09 - 05:27 PM Hi lads, Still alive and kicking and still writing songs. Wrote the man from Tralee when I was 18 years old (1980 thereabouts!!). The song is about Tommy Switzer who came from Tralee and fished with my father and I, in a boat called the Reaper.That was my first summer full time fishing when I was 13. Incidently I'm still fishing! it was quite a big deal when we heard the news of the Boston Sea Ranger and a lot of people in Dunmore would have known him as well. 'Man from Tralee' is one of the first songs that I wrote and is still requested at my gigs and a good few people at this stage have sung it and made it their own. Thanks for all the interest. Only came across mudcat.org this evening, otherwise I assure you I would have answered sooner. Martyn |
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Subject: RE: Lyr Add: The Man from Tralee (Martyn Travis) From: Fergie Date: 09 Jun 09 - 08:13 PM Welcome to Mudcat Martyn. Join up and hang around. Great song you wrote there, well done. Fergus |
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Subject: RE: Lyr Add: The Man from Tralee (Martyn Travis) From: GUEST Date: 02 Jul 09 - 07:06 AM hi i think that my uncle was on that boat as he was lost his name micheal studd boston sea ranger it was about 1977 if im right |
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Subject: RE: Lyr Add: The Man from Tralee (Martyn Travis) From: GUEST,Steve Colby Date: 24 Oct 09 - 11:09 PM Martyn's last name is Travers not Travis |
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Subject: RE: Lyr Add: The Man from Tralee (Martyn Travis) From: GUEST,nickspry Date: 04 Nov 09 - 06:09 AM There's a photo of this boat here: http://picturepenzance.co.uk/gallery/showphoto.php?photo=5062 |
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Subject: RE: Lyr Add: The Man from Tralee (Martyn Travis) From: GUEST,Martyn Travis Date: 07 Nov 09 - 03:30 PM Sorry Steve, my last name is Travis not Travers. Hope 'Ocean's Apart' are keeping well. Martyn |
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Subject: RE: Lyr Add: The Man from Tralee (Martyn Travis) From: GUEST Date: 19 Oct 10 - 01:33 AM I was about to post on this when I saw Martyn's post. There's your answer from the man himself!!:) |
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Subject: RE: Lyr Add: The Man from Tralee (Martyn Travis) From: GUEST Date: 19 Oct 10 - 01:35 AM Incorrect - it is Travis. It's his stage name, and also his mother's maiden name. |
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Subject: RE: Lyr Add: The Man from Tralee (Martyn Travis) From: GUEST,Stella Switzer Date: 09 Apr 11 - 04:37 PM Hi All, Tommy Switzer is my uncle. Unfortunately, I never met him as i wasn't even born when he set off from Tralee. However, I do remember attending his funeral.One of my brothers found the song recently and a picture of the Boston Sea Ranger. The song made my father really proud but also sad as he was the one who identified Tommy after the tragedy. A few years ago, I was in Castletownbere and cadged a few mackerel from two fishermen who had just docked. we got talking and it turned out that they had both fished with Tommy out of Dunmore a few years before. I don't suppose any of you would have info on Tommy's name being on a plaque somewhere in Cornwall. |
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Subject: RE: Lyr Add: The Man from Tralee (Martyn Travis) From: GUEST,Heidi Date: 27 Jun 13 - 11:42 PM I was recently on vacation in Dunmore when sadly three lobster fishermen, the Bolger' brothers from Passage East, lost their lives in Tramore Bay. A kind soul, John, at The Strand sang this song quite beautifully to us Canadians however he couldn't finish as the sadness of their loss overtook him. A sad but fond memory and a beautiful song. Thank you Martyn for sharing the story. |
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Subject: RE: Lyr Add: The Man from Tralee (Martyn Travis) From: Spailpin Date: 28 Jun 13 - 05:43 AM Hi all , any recording available that I could buy ? Loved the lyrics .. |
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Subject: RE: Lyr Add: The Man from Tralee (Martyn Travis) From: GUEST Date: 25 Feb 14 - 04:29 AM Hi everyone, I really hope I haven't left things too late! As yet another storm passes through I am just here messing with this alien entity known as a computer and pressing buttons that I haven't gone near for quite some time. I have just come across all these messages over and back all about my song again. It's lovely to be learning some more details from other quarters.To Heidi who was in Dunmore last Summer.. I'm sorry that you timed it badly as the lads had just been lost but that at least you saw our lovely village and have good memories. To Stella Switzer .. I would love to talk and or meet up and I know my father would like that too. If you see this message and would like to share more stuff about tommy then please try me on face book if that suits. To everybody..thanks for all the interest, Martyn T |
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Subject: RE: Lyr Add: The Man from Tralee (Martyn Travis) From: GUEST,edndori Date: 02 Nov 14 - 02:03 AM I appreciate the lyrics. I've just listened to a rendition by Alex Beaton from his album From The Sea To The Shore, and have some changes you may (or may not) want to incorporate. [square brackets] enclose changes, including 3 empty ones that are deletions. THE MAN FROM TRALEE (Martyn Travis) Come gather 'round shipmates and list' to my song. I hope you'll bear with me, [I'll not] keep you long. I'll tell of a man that I used to know And his only desire was to sail the seas o'er. But the sea shows no mercy, oh, cruel is the sea And its well I remember the man from Tralee. This man that I knew, he had sailed on them all, From the big deep-sea trawlers to the [crabbers] so small. In all of [the seas] he had sailed all around From the east to the west, and the north to the south. From St. George's Channel up to the North Sea, And it's well I remember the man from Tralee. Boston Sea Ranger was the ship's name And she carried a fine crew of eight men so brave. She carried them over the sea and the waves And she carried five men to a watery grave. One night in December, Sea Ranger she sailed [But] taking a big [haul] she met with her fate. [The fish holds were] loaded, she could take no more And the decks they were laden [like] never before. And then without warning she took a great sea, And it's well I remember the man from Tralee. Boston Sea Ranger was the ship's name And she carried a fine crew of eight men so brave. She carried them over the sea and the waves And she carried five men to a watery grave. []God watch the [sons] who were lost to the waves. And []all of [the] seamen who tomorrow must [sail], For the sea shows no mercy, oh, cruel is the sea, And it's well I remember the man from Tralee. Boston Sea Ranger was the ship's name And she carried a fine crew of eight men so brave. She carried them over the sea and the waves And she carried five men to a watery grave. []She carried five men to a watery grave. Yes she carried five men to a watery grave. |
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Subject: RE: Lyr Add: The Man from Tralee (Martyn Travis) From: GUEST,Feiko Date: 15 Apr 19 - 10:54 AM 2nd verse: [the seas] = his years 3rd verse: her fate = ill fate 4rd verse: Now God watch those souls who were lost to the waves I have some other words that are different, but they don't change the meaning of the sentece, so... |
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