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23 Jul 07 - 12:56 PM (#2109361) Subject: Lyr Add: Sea Dreams (Burt Franklin Jenness) From: Charley Noble Here's a hanuting nautical poem by the old sailor-poet Burt Franklin Jenness that I've recently adapted for singing. I'm not exactly sure where the tune came from but I'll post a link to a MP3 file on my website as soon as the song settles in. To line up the chords, copy and paste into WORD/TIMES/12: Poem by Burt Franklin Jenness From OCEAN HAUNTS, edited by Burt Franklin Jenness, Empire Publishing Co., New York, US, © 1934, pp. 45-47. Adapted by Charlie Ipcar 7/20/07 SEA DREAMS-2 G---------------------------F-------------------C--------------G Have you ever stood the midwatch in the cavern of the night, --------------------------------F---------------G-------F/G With the sea wolves racing past you in a pack; ---------------------------F---------------------C-----------------G With the steely stars a-playing 'round the mastheads for a light, --------------------------------F-----------------------G-----F/G And the bucking trades dis-possed to drive you back? ------------F--------------------------G----------F------G Have you ever seen a sunset on a copper co-lored sea, ------------F-------------------------------------G When the sky was like a polished compass bowl; -------------------------------------F--------------------C----------------------G And the night winds caught the spindrift from the waves and tossed it free – ------------------------------F--------------G-------F/C Till to leeward you could see a silvery shoal? Chorus: G-------F-----------------------------------------G-----------------F--G For the wind has shifted eastward, and the long green roll-ers call, -------F--------------------------------------------G----F/C And a brown-skinned lass beckons there for me; ----------------------------F-------------------C---------------G The starboard watch is yarning, and I'm longing for it all – --------------------F-----------------G------F/C For any wind to take me back to sea. Have you ever rode at anchor while a full tropic moon, Slowly rose above its jungle bed; Dripping silver in the waters of a coral-fringed lagoon, Till it hung there like a shining capstan head? Have you heard the Roaring Forties day and night about your ears, And cursed your packet's ceaseless, sickening roll – With the backstays all complaining and the creaking of the gears, Then you'll understand the fretting in my soul. (CHO) Have you heard the screws a-groaning when the ship was cruising light Or the scuppers gurgle back the weather seas? Have you tailed behind a typhoon in a hellish running fight, And felt your oil-skins freeze about your knees? Have you heard the crack of head seas, and felt the settling hull Or the stern go heaving skyward till she raced? Have you seen her ship the green ones till she shook just like a gull, As a river ran athwart-ships at her waist? (CHO) If you've cleared the reefs of Suva, and have sighted Sydney Head; If you've raised the Sugar Loaf just after dawn; If you've made Corrigador and have swung the sounding lead In the channels of the world where you have gone; If you've cruised with rowdy shipmates, and have heard them curse and brawl; If you know the seas from Rio to Hong Kong; If you've loafed about the waterfronts of every port of call – Then you'll understand the burden of my song. (CHO) Here are the original words, before I got ahold of them: Poem by Burt Franklin Jenness From OCEAN HAUNTS, edited by Burt Franklin Jenness, Empire Publishing Co., New York, US, © 1934, pp. 45-47. Sea Dreams If you've ever stood a midwatch in the cavern of the night, With the sea wolves racing past you in a pack; With the steely star a-playing 'round the mastheads for a light, And the bucking trades possessed to drive you back; If you've ever seen a sunset on a copper colored sea, When the sky was like a polished compass bowl; And the night winds caught the spindrift from the waves and tossed it free Till to leeward you could see a silvery shoal. If you've ever read your compass by a fulling tropic moon, As it slowly rose above its jungle bed; Dripping silver in the waters of a coral-fringed lagoon, Till it hung there like a shining capstan head; If you've heard the whining Forties day and night about your ears, And have cursed your packet's ceaseless, sickening roll – With the backstays all complaining and the creaking of the gears, Then you'll understand the fretting in my soul. For the wind has shifted east'r'd, and the long green rollers call, And a brown-skinned lass is beckoning to me; The starb'r'd watch is yarning, and I'm longing for it all – So it's any wind'll take me back to sea. If you've heard the screws a-grumbling when the craft was cruising light Or the scuppers gurgle back the weather seas; If you've tailed behind a typhoon in a hellish running fight, And have felt your oil-skins freeze about your knees; If you've heard the crack of head seas, and have felt the settling hull Or the stern go heaving skyward till she raced; If you've seen her take the green ones till she quivered like a gull, And a river ran athwart-ships at her waist. If you've cleared the reefs of Suva, and have sighted Sydney head; If you've lifted Sugar Loaf just after dawn; If you've made Corrigador, and have swung the sounding lead In the channels of the world where you have gone; If you've cruised with lousy shipmates, and have heard them curse and brawl; If you know the seas from Rio to Hong Kong; If you've loafed about the waterfronts of every port of call – Then you'll understand the burden of my song. Oh, the wind has shifted east'r'd, and the long green rollers call, And a brown-skinned lass is beckoning to me; The starb'r'd watch is yarning – and I'm longing for it all, So it's any wind'll take me back to sea. Cheerily, Charley Noble |
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23 Jul 07 - 04:30 PM (#2109534) Subject: RE: Lyr Add: Sea Dreams (Burt Franklin Jenness) From: Charley Noble Well, the chord positions are shifting already and the chorus has a significant word change from "wind" to "ship" which makes better sense to me (copy and paste into WORD/TIMES/12 to line up chords): G---------------------------F------------------C---------------G Have you ever stood the midwatch in the cavern of the night, ---------------------------------F--------------G------F/G With the sea wolves racing past you in a pack; ---------------------------F---------------------C-----------------G With the steely stars a-playing 'round the mastheads for a light, ----------F-------------------------------------------G-----F/G And the bucking trades disposed to drive you back? ------------F--------------------------G-----------F-----G Have you ever seen a sunset on a copper col-ored sea, ------------F--------------------------------------G When the sky was like a polished compass bowl; --------------------------------------F--------------------C----------------------G And the night winds caught the spindrift from the waves and tossed it free – -------F-------------------------------------G-------F/G Till to leeward you could see a silvery shoal? Chorus: G-------F-----------------------------------------G-----------------F--G For the wind has shifted eastward, and the long green roll-ers call, -------F---------------------------------------------G----F/G And a brown-skinned lass beckons there for me; ----------------------------F-------------------C---------------G The starboard watch is yarning, and I'm longing for it all – -----F-------------------------------G------F/G For any ship to take me back to sea. Cheerily, Charley Noble |
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29 Jul 07 - 09:53 PM (#2114379) Subject: RE: Lyr Add: Sea Dreams (Burt Franklin Jenness) From: Charley Noble Those who have sifted through my song threads will not be surprised that there are a few more changes from what I posted above but the song seems to have finally settled down and now there's a link to a MP3 sample on my website as well (Copy and paste into WORD/TIMES/ 11 to line up chords): Poem by Burt Franklin Jenness From OCEAN HAUNTS, edited by Burt Franklin Jenness, Empire Publishing Co., New York, US, © 1934, pp. 45-47. Adapted by Charlie Ipcar 7/20/07 SEA DREAMS-2 G---------------------------F-------------------C---------------G Have you ever stood the midwatch in the cavern of the night, ---------------------------------F--------------G With the sea wolves racing past you in a pack; ---------------------F---------------------C-----------------G The steely stars a-playing 'round the masthead for a light, ----------F-------------------------------------------G And the bucking trades disposed to drive you back? ------------F---------------------------G------------F----G Have you ever seen a sunset on a copper col-ored sea, ----F--------------------------------------G The sky just like a polished compass bowl; -------------------------------------F---------------------C Seen the night winds catch the spindrift from the waves and -------G toss it free – -------F-------------------------------------G Till to leeward you could see a silvery shoal? Chorus: G--------F-------------------------------------G-----------------F---G Now the wind has shifted eastward, the long green roll-ers call, -------F---------------------------------------------G And a brown-skinned gal beckons there for me; ----------------------------F--------------------C---------------G The starboard watch is yarning, and I'm longing for it all – -----F--------------------------------G For any ship to take me back to sea; -----F------------C------------------G For any ship to take me back to sea. Have you ever rode at anchor while a full tropic moon, Slowly rose above its jungle bed; Dripping silver in the waters of a coral-fringed lagoon, Till it hung there like a shining capstan head? Have you heard the Roaring Forties, day and night about your ears, And cursed your packet's ceaseless, sickening roll – With the backstays all complaining and the groaning of the gears? Then you'll understand the fretting in my soul. (CHO) If you've cleared the reefs of Suva, and have sighted Sydney Head; If you've raised the Sugar Loaf at break of dawn; If you've made Corrigador, and have swung the sounding lead In the channels of the world where you have gone; If you've cruised with rowdy shipmates, heard them curse and brawl; If you know the seas from Rio to Hong Kong; If you've loafed about the waterfronts of every port of call – Then you'll understand the burden of my song. (CHO) I did drop out one verse and the song still runs almost 5 minutes. Here's the MP3 link: Click here and search for MP3 Sample! I think the song is another keeper! Cheerily, Charley Noble |
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29 Jul 07 - 11:16 PM (#2114418) Subject: RE: Lyr Add: Sea Dreams (Burt Franklin Jenness) From: JennyO Just listened to it. Yeah, haunting is the word - both words and tune. Very nice indeed Charlie. Looking forward to you singing it here in October! PM on its way. Think I'll go and listen to it a few more times...... |
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30 Jul 07 - 09:11 AM (#2114661) Subject: RE: Lyr Add: Sea Dreams (Burt Franklin Jenness) From: Charley Noble Thanks, JennyO, the song is definitely one I plan to sing at the Loaded Dog when I'm there October 27th. I just noticed that I can't find this song on my website when I try to access it from my MAC. It does show up if you use a PC. I bet JudyB would have an easy explanation. Cheerily, Charley Noble |
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30 Jul 07 - 10:22 PM (#2115193) Subject: RE: Lyr Add: Sea Dreams (Burt Franklin Jenness) From: EBarnacle Charley, is this Jenness related to the Jenness family who run a rowing team down near the cape? |
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31 Jul 07 - 07:46 AM (#2115398) Subject: RE: Lyr Add: Sea Dreams (Burt Franklin Jenness) From: Charley Noble Eric- Not a clue but he served in the U. S. Navy in World War 1 and had several other poetry books published. I've been posting my favorite poems from those books to the Oldpoetry website: Click here for website That's the same website where I've been posting poems by other old-sailor poets Bill Adams and Harry Kemp. Oh, my wife resolved my problem of accessing this song on my website. She suggested that I hit the "refresh button." Dah! Now it works fine. Cheerily, Charley Noble |