Lyr Req: Spanish Ladies (from Dr Faustus)

Subject: Lyr Add: SPANISH LADIES (from Dr Faustus)
From: Roberto
Date: 29 Jul 05 - 09:33 AM

Quite a beautiful recording of this song. Please, help me correct the transcription. Main doubts: in most recordings, we have the Deadman, but here I hear the Deadland, and Ram head instead of Ramshead; and Dover instead of Dungeness. And I'd like to be sure of these verses: We'll let go cat stoppers, so clear the shank painters
Haul in clew garnets, let sheets and tacks fly. Tune: from Walter Pardon. Text: from the book Boxing the Compass, with two lines suggested by Martin Carthy. Recording: Dr Faustus, Wager, Fellside FECD189.

Farewell and adieu, you fine Spanish ladies
Farewell and adieu, you ladies of Spain
For we've received orders to sail for old England
And I hope in a short while we'll see you again

We hove our ship to with the wind at south-west, boys
Hove our ship to, to strike soundings clear
We let go our topsail and bore right away, boys
Straight up the Channel our coast we did steer

We'll rant and we'll roar like true British sailors
We'll rant and we'll roar the rest of our lives
We'll drink and be jolly and drown melancholy
Here's a health to old England, our sweethearts and wives

The first land we made was called the Deadland
Ramhead off Plymouth, off Portsmouth and Wight
We sailed by Beachy, by Fairlight and Dover
Then bore away for the South Foreland light

We'll rant and we'll roar like true British sailors
We'll rant and we'll roar the rest of our lives
We'll drink and be jolly and drown melancholy
Here's a health to old England, our sweethearts and wives

The signal was made for the Grand Fleet to anchor
All on the Downs that night for to lie
We'll let go cat stoppers, so clear the shank painters
Haul in clew garnets, let sheets and tacks fly

We'll rant and we'll roar like true British sailors
We'll rant and we'll roar the rest of our lives
We'll drink and be jolly and drown melancholy
Here's a health to old England, our sweethearts and wives

Then let every man drink up his full bumper
Let every man drink up his full glass
We will be jolly and drown melancholy
And drink a good health to each sweetheart and lass

We'll rant and we'll roar like true British sailors
We'll rant and we'll roar the rest of our lives
We'll drink and be jolly and drown melancholy
Here's a health to old England, our sweethearts and wives

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: dr faustus' spanish ladies
From: Roberto
Date: 30 Jul 05 - 12:33 PM

First and last refresh. R

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: dr faustus' spanish ladies
From: Raedwulf
Date: 30 Jul 05 - 03:18 PM

Try searching the DigiTrad. I can't clarify lyrics on your recording, but in the version I learnt (Vaughn-Williams) it's Ramehead, rather than Ramhead; & Dodman, not Deadman or Deadland. Both of those are on modern maps too (Ramehead being just outside Plymouth, Dodman Point is more or less due South of St Austell). I've never heard/seen Dungeness for Dover (except in the DT version). It's plausible in geographical terms, Dungeness coming before Dover if you're heading East up the Channel, but rather spoils the scan of the song.

And if anyone is wondering, Fairlight is just East of Hastings, South Foreland Light is actually an NT property nowadays, a little East of Dover (North Foreland is about equidistant, following the coast, between Ramsgate & Margate), & The Downs (presuming there wasn't more than one) lie just off of Deal.

The V-W version of the fourth verse is:

Then the signal was made for the Grand Fleet to anchor,
And all in the Downs that night for to lie,
Let go your shank-painters, let go your cat stoppers,
Haul up your clew garnets, let tacks and sheets fly!