Lyr Req: The Balaena

Subject: Words to The Polena?
From:
Date: 03 Dec 98 - 12:54 AM

I'm trying to find the lyrics to a (presumably) Newfoundland song called The Polena or maybe the Paulina, which I heard as a child sung by Dickie Nolan. It's a kind of "thank you note" for a rescue at sea. Starts out: There's a noble fleet of whalers,sailing from Dundee, Manned by British sailors to take them o'er the sea.

Any suggestions, anyone?

Subject: Lyr Add: THE BALAENA
From: Barry Finn
Date: 03 Dec 98 - 08:30 AM

THE BALAENA

The noble fleet of whalers went sailing from Dundee,
Well manned by British sailors to work upon the sea.
On the Western Ocean passage, none with them can compare,
But the smartest ship to make the trip is Balaena, I declare.

CHORUS: Oh, the wind is on her quarter, her engines working free.
There's not another whaler that sails out of Dundee
Can beat the ol' Balaena. She needs no trial run.
We challenged all, both great and small, from Dundee to St John.

It happened on a Tuesday three days out of Dundee.
The gale took off her quarter boat and a couple of men, you see.
It battered at her bulwarks, her stanchions and her rails,
And left the old Balaena boys a-frothing in the gale.

Bold Jackman cut his canvas and fairly raised his steam
And Captain Guy with Erin Boy was ploughing through the stream,
And the noble Terra Nova her boilers nearly burst
And still at the old whaling grounds Balaena got there first.

And now the season's over and the ship half full of oil.
Our flying jib boom points for home towards our native soil,
And when that we have landed, boys, where rum is very cheap,
We'll drink success to the skipper's health for getting us over the deep.

The Balaena was right around the time (1890's) of cutting edge tech, fast steamers and the harpoon cannon. While Captain Guy started the hunt for bottlenose whales (considered the most dangerous to chase), the Balaena went into the Antarctic after the fin and blue whales. They were fast swimmers and couldn't be caught in the old style. They were too big and too fast, yet the fin was easy to cut and try and had a good yield. The blue was a great yield and meant big money for the men. The fast steamer and cannon changed the face of the industry and its music. Barry

Subject: RE: Words to The Polena?
From:
Date: 03 Dec 98 - 08:38 AM

Great song! Can anyone tell me when The Clutha recorded it? I've been hunting for that recording for years. I do have A. L. Lloyd's version, though (from 'Classic A. L. Lloyd'), which isn't bad either. Still, I'd like to hear from anyone who knows about the Clutha version. - Susanne

Subject: RE: Words to The Polena?
From: billy.rubin
Date: 03 Dec 98 - 07:14 PM

Damn, that was fast. Thank you very much. Not quite the way I remembered it; interesting to get a more complete picture though. Anyone have any OTHER lyrics. Can't give you any tips on recording except to say that the version I heard, as I said before, was by Dick Nolan, a Newfoundlander (and i'm afraid i don't know the other names you mentioned). Thanks again, Barry. Now I have something else to sing when I'm driving.

Subject: RE: Words to The Polena?
From: Barry Finn
Date: 14 Feb 99 - 10:39 PM

Refresh. Barry