Lyr Req: The Wounded Whale (from Archie Fisher)

Subject: Lyr Req: wounded whale sung by Archie Fisher
From: doryman
Date: 09 Mar 07 - 04:39 PM

sung by Archie Fisher   Thanks

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: wounded whale sung by Archie Fisher
From: GUEST,Art Thieme
Date: 09 Mar 07 - 05:20 PM

Bet you are looking for the song "Hard Times" by Steven Foster...

With the line about "the whale that is hurt upon the shore."

Right? ;-)

A.T.

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: wounded whale sung by Archie Fisher
From: Bill D
Date: 09 Mar 07 - 05:28 PM

hmmm..I have that, but no immediate access. I'll see if I can dig it up.

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: wounded whale sung by Archie Fisher
From: Peace
Date: 09 Mar 07 - 05:32 PM

Fisher does a song entitled "The Wounded Whale" and it's on a 2003 CD release. I gather he wrote the song (might be wrong there). The length of it on the CD is 6:40.

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: wounded whale sung by Archie Fisher
From: Herga Kitty
Date: 09 Mar 07 - 05:37 PM

Thanks AT - I thought the whale was hurlt upon the shore, and I always wondered who could throw that far.....

Kitty

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: wounded whale sung by Archie Fisher
From:
Date: 10 Mar 07 - 01:26 AM

Wow! Art Thieme with a huge "Wail"!!!

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: wounded whale sung by Archie Fisher
From: GUEST,Terry McDonald
Date: 10 Mar 07 - 03:21 AM

He's also recorded Andy Barnes's 'Last of the Great Whales' as 'The Last Leviathan' (or is that the correct title?' on his CD with Garnet Rogers, called 'Off the Map.' Is this one the song you're looking for?

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: wounded whale sung by Archie Fisher
From: doryman
Date: 10 Mar 07 - 07:22 AM

This song seems to be an actual historical account of a whale killing set to music. Verses don't rhyme.

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: wounded whale sung by Archie Fisher
From: Phil Cooper
Date: 10 Mar 07 - 09:42 AM

I believe the song is on Archie's folk legacy recording, "Man With a Rhyme." It was also covered by Fairport Convention. There should be a lyric sheet with the Folk Legacy recording.

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: wounded whale sung by Archie Fisher
From: GUEST
Date: 10 Mar 07 - 10:02 AM

Archie Fisher did not write the song The Wounded Whale. His version is the splicing together of the best of two versions that were found aboard American whaleships in the late 1830s and 40s. See "Songs the Whalemen Sang" by Gale Huntington for information about the original text that Fisher borrowed from.

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: wounded whale sung by Archie Fisher
From: GUEST
Date: 10 Mar 07 - 10:04 AM

The tune of this song is "Hail to the Chief."

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: wounded whale sung by Archie Fisher
From: Phil Cooper
Date: 10 Mar 07 - 09:32 PM

I don't think Fisher claimed authorship on the Folk Legacy recording.

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: wounded whale sung by Archie Fisher
From: katlaughing
Date: 11 Mar 07 - 12:18 AM

You can find it at Folk Legacy on his CD The Man With the Rhyme.

Subject: Lyr Add: WOUNDED WHALE (Archie Fisher)
From: GUEST,Bob Soper
Date: 13 Aug 10 - 05:36 PM

I recently transcribed the song... there are some mistakes, especially the third verse:

THE WOUNDED WHALE
(Archie Fisher)

Low as the sun from her ocean bed was rising brought underwater a glittering light rose
Hark from the masthead our lookouts are crying there's hard on your lee beam a whale there she blows

Call up your sleepers your larboard and your starboard men mean yard aback and your boats clear away
For hard on our lee beam see the white water green glittering and foaming in glorious array

See the leviathan in vastness is lying making the ocean or some chore sped
While high overhead the seabirds are flying combing the billows that break o'er her head

High white and swimming her dark fluke sublime, stately but slowly she sinks in the main
Peak all your oars awhile, rest from your weary toil, watching and waiting arising again

Row hearties row for the pride of your nation, spring to your oars let the rigging sweat flow
Now for the blood let a calf circulation for would on your thwarts you've away all ye know

See how the boats advance gaily as to a dance, floating like feathers over the dark blue sea
Stand up and give us some send both your irons home, stead off and trim your boat we are all clear

Wounded and sore things and flukes in commotion, black skin and oars contending spray
While loud long and shrill blows the horn of the ocean, fretting and lost she brings to in dismay

Haul line everyman, gather in all ye can, lances and spades from yer thwarts clear away
Now clique your oars again, while fast each boat remains for safely and surely we hold her at bay

Surrounded by foes with strength undiminished, heed how she flashes her dark flukes in the air
A lance in the life and the struggle is finished, and see how she sinks with a chimney on fire

While so loud and shrill the cry from our seamen, mocking the whale in her terrible hour
Watch her as she dies see the blue signal flies, here she goes, fade out, and the contest is o'er

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: wounded whale sung by Archie Fisher
From: GUEST,kendall
Date: 13 Aug 10 - 07:42 PM

Disturbing, so graphic.

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: wounded whale sung by Archie Fisher
From: GUEST,kendall
Date: 13 Aug 10 - 07:43 PM

The Japanese are taking thousands of tons of whales in violation of the international ban on whale slaughter. The claim it's research. Bollox! It's $50.00 a pound research.

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: wounded whale sung by Archie Fisher
From: Paul Burke
Date: 13 Aug 10 - 07:54 PM

Even at $50 a pound, it's utterly marginal to their economy. It's also irrelevant to Iceland's economy, and Norway's.

What is it that presses such potent cultural buttons that they will risk trade boycotts over whaling?

Subject: Lyr Add: THE WOUNDED WHALE (Archie Fisher)
From: maeve
Date: 14 Aug 10 - 06:32 AM

Nice start, Guest Bob Soper. This is a tricky one to transcribe by ear! I've made a few adjustments for accuracy, album notes in hand.
Archie's liner notes are quoted, below.

maeve
__________________________________________

The Wounded Whale*
(Archie Fisher)

Lo, as the sun from her ocean bed was rising,
Broad on the water her glittering light throws,
Hark, from the masthead our lookouts are crying:
"'Tis hard on your lee beam, a whale, there she blows!"

Call up your sleepers, your larboard and your starboardmen;
Main yard aback and your boats clear away,
For hard on our lee beam see the white water gleam,
Glittering and foaming in glorious array.

See the Leviathan in vastness is lying,
Making the ocean her sumptuous bed,
While high overhead the sea birds are flying,
Combing the billows that break o'er her head

High, wide and swimming, her dark flukes are flying,
Stately, but slowly, she sinks in the main.
Peak all your oars awhile, rest from your weary toil,
Watching and waiting her rising again.

Row, hearties, row for the pride of your nation,
Spring to your oars, let the reeking sweat flow!
Now for the blood, let it have circulation,
Forward on your thwarts, give away all you know.

See how the boats advance, gaily, as to a dance,
Floating like feathers over the dark blue sea.
Stand up and give her some, send both your irons home,
Stern off and trim your boat; we are all clear.

Wounded and sore, fins and flukes in commotion,
Blackskin and oars contending spray,
While loud, long and shrill blows the horn of the ocean.
Fretting and lost she brings to in dismay.

Haul line, every man, and gather in all you can.
Lances and spades from your thwarts clear away.
Now peak your oars again, while fast each boat remains,
For, safely and surely, we hold her at bay.

Surrounded by foes with strength undiminished,
Heed how she flashes her dark flukes in the air!
A lance in the life, and the struggle is finished;
See how she sinks with her chimney on fire.

While so loud & shrill are the cries from our seamen,
Mocking the whale in her terrible hour.
Watch her as she dies; see, the blue signal flies.
Here she goes, fin out, and the contest is o'er.
____________
*From "The Man With a Rhyme" album notes Folk Legacy
Records CD 61, written by Archie Fisher: "Collated from two versions in Gale Hunting's Songs the Whalermen Sang, taken from the logs of the Maria (1846) and the Uncas (1843). The melody is a filleted, Dundee-influenced hybrid.
The song first came to my notice when I was browsing through Albe Dawson's library. I was very moved by the detailed and compassionate description of the kill, and borrowed the book so I could just let the song sink in slowly over a period of time. Forgive the "lump in my throat" style of singing over the last few verses."

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: wounded whale sung by Archie Fisher
From: maeve
Date: 15 Aug 10 - 08:25 AM

Refresh... for one who missed it.

m

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: The Wounded Whale (from Archie Fisher)
From: doryman
Date: 13 Mar 12 - 09:07 AM

Well I just found this here lurking in the computer- Thanks to all and Maeve especially--Brian

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: The Wounded Whale (from Archie Fisher)
From: maeve
Date: 13 Mar 12 - 09:39 AM

You are welcome, Brian. Will we get to hear you sing it?

By the way- Archie will be Stateside in June of this year.