Lyr ADD: Make and Break Harbour (Stan Rogers)

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Make or Break Harbour (Stan Rodgers)
From: Sandy Mc Lean
Date: 09 Sep 05 - 03:59 PM

This is my favourite of Stan's songs. A tough choice but I rate this #1! Except for spelling errors Leadfingers lyrics are correct. From the note that he mentions they would be from Stan's songbook.
The name "Make and Break Harbour" is taken from the engine that almost all of the inshore fishermen of Nova Scotia used in years past. It was more formally known as the Acadia Gas Engine but nicknamed "make&break" and "putt-putt". It had 1 cylinder and a hell of a big heavy flywheel. It was direct drive to the prop (no clutch or transmission) and the engine had to be stopped to stop the boat. You would use your foot to turn the flywheel to start the engine. If you wanted reverse you would kick the flywheel in the opposite direction and it would run backwards.
Reliable, simple and easy to fix an sea.
   
                         Sandy

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Make or Break Harbour (Stan Rodgers)
From: Leadfingers
Date: 09 Sep 05 - 03:37 PM

I am not going to argue , but those are the words as published in the Fogarty Cove book !! And it IS a hell of a good song !!

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Make or Break Harbour (Stan Rodgers)
From: Clinton Hammond
Date: 09 Sep 05 - 03:32 PM

" The old boat and I still WALK like old friends"


"Still talk like old friends..." is correct...
As is "Go by now with LONG seeing eyes"
as is " Make and break and make do"...

But change is part of the folk process right....

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Make or Break Harbour (Stan Rodgers)
From: kendall
Date: 09 Sep 05 - 03:25 PM

That's pretty much as I learned it, but a few words are different...

But for all we make do the fish are so few...
Foreign trawlers go by with their ALL seeing eye

Keep time by the turn of the TIDE..

The old boat and I still WALK like old friends...


Hellofasong, hellofawriter

Subject: Lyr Add: MAKE AND BREAK HARBOUR (Stan Rogers)
From: Leadfingers
Date: 09 Sep 05 - 02:42 PM

MAKE AND BREAK HARBOUR (Stan Rogers 1976) - The note with the dots I have says "I believe the first song for the Inshore Fishermen"

How still lies the bay in the light western airs
Wich blow from the crimson horizon
Once more we tack home with a dry empty hold
Saving gas with the breezes so fair
She's a kindly cape islander old but still sound
But so lost in the long liners shadow
Make and break and make do But the fish are so few
That she wont be replaced should she founder

Ch

In Make and Break Harbour the boats are so few
Too many are pulled up and rotten
Most houses stand empty Old nets hung to dry
Are blown away lost and forgotten

Its so hard not to think of before the big war
When the cod went so cheap but so plenty
Foreign trawlers go by now with long-seeing eyes
Taking all where we seldom take any
And the young folk wont stay with the fisherman's way
Lon ago they all moved to the cities
And the ones left behind , old , tired , and blind
Cant work for "a pound for a penny"

I can see the big draggers have stirred up the bay
Leaving lobster traps smashed on the bottom
Can they think it dont pay to respect the old ways
That make and Break Men have not forgotten
For we still keeep our time by the turn of the time
And this boat that I built with my father
Still lifts to the sky ! The one lunger-and I
Still talk like old friends on the water

Subject: Lyr Req: Make or Break Harbour (Stan Rodgers)
From: GUEST,12Stringstan
Date: 09 Sep 05 - 01:42 PM

Does anyone out there have these lyrics. I have a scratchy recording of Stan singing this, but a lot of the lyrics are undecipherable.
I'm assuming Stan to be the author of the song, if not, please correct me
Thanks 12sS