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07 Feb 09 - 06:42 PM (#2560403) Subject: Lyr Req: The Thresher - Dick Snell From: Sarah the flute Can anyone help out here? Looking for the lyrics to song about the USS Thresher by Dick Snell. Not the one by Phil Ochs or Dickson, The one I'm searching for was performed by Martin Carthy but we think never recorded. Hope Mudcat can come to the rescue Cheers Sarah |
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07 Feb 09 - 08:30 PM (#2560477) Subject: RE: Lyr Req: The Thresher - Dick Snell From: mkebenn Recorded by the Trio, maybe? " that was the last we ever heard from Her, last word we had from the crew." Mike |
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08 Feb 09 - 06:26 AM (#2560673) Subject: RE: Lyr Req: The Thresher - Dick Snell From: Sarah the flute Nope it's not that one mkbenn. It's got something about the "cruel cruel sea" and the girl at the end saying the next person she will marry is a landsman. It's a ballad - no chorus. Still searching Sarah |
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08 Feb 09 - 01:34 PM (#2560992) Subject: RE: Lyr Req: The Thresher - Dick Snell From: Sarah the flute refresh Anyone? any ideas? |
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08 Feb 09 - 01:41 PM (#2560998) Subject: RE: Lyr Req: The Thresher - Dick Snell From: Richard Mellish Sarah, I've only ever heard one song on that subject, and I've no idea which of the people mentioned wrote it, but it does end with "He'll have to be a true-born landsman. I'll not be wed to the cruel sea." Is that the one you're looking for? Rich |
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08 Feb 09 - 02:00 PM (#2561016) Subject: RE: Lyr Req: The Thresher - Dick Snell From: GUEST,Greycap Sarah, The atrophied pea that remains of my memory recalls this lovely song from Martin Carthy as follows, Rich, does this sound about right? Hope I was of help. As I went out one mid-summer morning to take the air, and to smell the breeze, I overheard a young maiden crying, 'Oh, cur-sed be the cruel seas' 'I had a love and he sailed on the ocean, he sailed on board of a submarine, He sailed on board of the US Thresher, the finest ship to sail the sea'. And he wrote to me 'I love you truly, and I'll come back and marry you' 'Oh, don't you fear, Love, for my safety, thos trip is over so very soon. But the steel sides burst in the deepest waters, the Thresher, it went sinking down' His body rots in a metal coffin, the fish swim o'er his hollow bones' Oh, I'll go courting another sweetheart, and in the end we'll married be, 'But he'll have to be a true-born landsman, I'll not be wed to the cruel sea' |
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08 Feb 09 - 02:02 PM (#2561020) Subject: RE: Lyr Req: The Thresher - Dick Snell From: GUEST,Greycap Typing error!! Verse two-for 'thos'trip read 'this'trip |
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08 Feb 09 - 04:33 PM (#2561140) Subject: RE: Lyr Req: The Thresher - Dick Snell From: Sarah the flute YAAAAAYYYYY! That's the one Is that all the lyrics? Dare I ask for the dots???? Think we can remember the tune but dots would be ace Thankyou thankyou thankyou! Cheers Very happy Sarah |
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08 Feb 09 - 05:45 PM (#2561193) Subject: RE: Lyr Add: THE THRESHER DISASTER (Tom Paxton) From: Rog Peek THE THRESHER DISASTER (Tom Paxton) Oh we had a submarine, She was mighty fast and lean, And she ran by atomic power, too. And although she was the best, They had one more diving test So the Thresher could show what she could do. Chorus And she's gone, gone, gone, to the bottom of the sea, And she's two hundred miles from the shore It was just a diving test, But they laid her there to rest On the cold and lonesome ocean floor. Now those boys were still alive When she started in to dive For she radioed that she was goin, down What went wrong we cannot say But it was later on that day That the flotsam and the oil slick were found. Chorus Although none of them was mine We lost a hundred twenty-nine And I feel just like I lost a friend And sit and wonder why Those poor sailors had to die And I wonder why this killin's gonna end. Chorus Notes: As far as I'm aware, this song was never recorded, but features as the first song in a book published by Oak Publications (1964) entitled "Ramblin' Boy and other songs by Tom Paxton". The melody is based on 'Jesse James'. As a footnote, I purchased my copy of this book circa 1971 and was very pleased to get it signed by Tom when he played in Bristol UK on 27/01/2008. RP Feb 09. |
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08 Feb 09 - 05:57 PM (#2561202) Subject: RE: Lyr Req: The Thresher - Dick Snell From: Richard Mellish The words posted by Greycap look like two and a half verses, so I suspect there's at least another half verse. With any luck someone will come along who can post the whole thing. A friend of mine used to sing it, so I've had a look through my indexes in the hope of finding a recording, but drawn a blank. I can contribute a few different words. First verse, line 3, instead of 'I had a love and he sailed on the ocean' I remember 'My love he was an American sailor". But this is just the folk process at work, and who are we to complain about that? Richard |
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08 Feb 09 - 06:41 PM (#2561249) Subject: RE: Lyr Req: The Thresher - Dick Snell From: GUEST,Greycap Sarah, Glad that did it. I'm almost sure the sorta final half-verse was a deliberate thing, as a finisher, moral, whatever.... I certainly don't remember Martin singing anything else ( but I'm human, and fallible). I can't read or write music, but can do you the guitar chords in any key you require...just ask, Cheers, Roger |
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09 Feb 09 - 05:07 AM (#2561483) Subject: RE: Lyr Req: The Thresher - Dick Snell From: Sarah the flute Mr Greycap and Mr Mellish you are stars! I'll findout what key ( I expect it will be D or G ) we might want to do it in and maybe ask you again for chords Greycap if that is OK Many many thanks - I knew Mudcat would have the answer! Cheers Sarah |
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09 Feb 09 - 11:40 AM (#2561789) Subject: RE: Lyr Req: The Thresher - Dick Snell From: GUEST,Greycap Sarah, Not a problem, I await your call, |
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03 Apr 09 - 07:56 PM (#2604232) Subject: Lyr Add: THE THRESHER (Richard Snell) From: GUEST Richard Snell. I am the writer of 'The Thresher', and am very grateful for every-one's interest. I can supply you with the text as Martin C. learnt it from me when I first wrote it as a schoolboy in the early 60's. I only found out several years later that he'd been singing it around the clubs and giving it a bit of hardly-deserved popularity. He was gracious enough to write it out for me when I met him again a few years back, because I'd forgotten it. It's far from being the best song in the world, very broadsidey and doggerel, clearly the work of an adolescent, but here it is anyway: THE THRESHER (Richard Snell) As I walked out one fine summer morning The grass waved green in the gentle breeze I heard a fair maid softly calling Oh curs-ed be the cruel sea My love he was an American sailor He served on board of a submarine He served on board of the U.S. Thresher The strongest ship that sailed the sea He said to me, I love you truly And I'll come back and I'll marry you Oh don't you fear love for my safety This trip is over very soon And 'twas then he'd gone and 'twas then I waited Waited for his quick return But 'twas then a letter came down to me We fear your own true love has drowned The steel sides burst in the deepest water And to the bottom sank slowly down His body rots in a metal coffin The weeds wave o'er his hollow bones Oh I'll go find another true love And in the end he'll marry me But he'll have to be a true-born landsman I'll not be wed to the cruel sea |
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04 Apr 09 - 03:10 PM (#2604673) Subject: Lyr Add: The Thresher, D Snell's original From: seligmanson For the original version of this song, look in: Lyr Req: The Thresher, Dick Snell. It's how Martin Carthy learnt it from me soon after I'd written it. There's a good later version along with it; take your pick.
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30 Sep 09 - 09:39 AM (#2734955) Subject: Lyr Add: THE THRESHER (G. Moore) From: Rog Peek I was following the link for 'On Board a Man of War' from Guest Ed, when I spotted this one. Ah I though another song about The Thresher. I soon spotted my mistake! The Thresher (G.Moore) Can you hear the thresher's beat Strip the chaff from off the wheat It strikes a rhythm to my bones To hear the swingle hit the stone Early in the mornin Until the sun goes down We brave the frost each winter morn With nought but work to keep us warm We twist and swirl the blackthorn flail And long to down a quart of ale We sing our song from dawn to dusk The air so thick with wheat and dust Our throats are caked so hoarse and sore There's seven bushels safe in store The sweat is streaming from each face Each man is stripped down to the waist The muscles ripple with each flail And make poor Mary spill her pail The work is hard it breaks the back But there's no chance for us to slack The times are hard we need the pay We scarcely can survive each day Rog |
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04 Jul 11 - 11:22 AM (#3181232) Subject: RE: req/ADD: The Thresher (Dick Snell) From: GUEST,Mark when i was a boy i heard a song about the Thresher going down i heard it on a record so i know it was recorded. |
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01 May 13 - 08:11 PM (#3510841) Subject: RE: Lyr Req/Add: The Thresher (Dick Snell) From: Melodeon Thank you Richard for writing such a great song. Simple, understated I have been singing it since around 1970. Someone gave me the words at a Folk Club in Leicester. I still sing it today and it always goes down well. I never knew who wrote it until today. Cheers |
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02 May 13 - 04:40 AM (#3510924) Subject: Lyr/Chords Add: THE THRESHER (Phil Ochs) From: John MacKenzie I love this song about the Thresher. The Thresher By Phil Ochs Intro: Bm G F# Bm Em A F# Bm G F# Bm In Portsmouth town on the eastern shore Em A F# Where many a fine ship was born. Bm G The Thresher was built F# Bm And the Thresher was launched Em A F# And the crew of the Thresher was sworn. Bm G She was shaped like a tear F# Bm She was built like a shark Em A F# She was made to run fast and free. Bm G And the builders shook their hands F# Bm And the builders shared their wine, Em A F# And thought that they had mastered the sea. Bm F# Yes, she'll always run silent Em F# And she'll always run deep Em Bm Though the ocean has no pity A F# Though the waves will never weep Bm They'll never weep. And they marvelled at her speed And they marvelled at her depth They marvelled at her deadly design. And they sailed to every land And they sailed to every port Just to see what faults they could find. Then they put her on the land For nine months to stand And they worked on her from stem to stern. But they could never see It was their coffin to be For the sea was waiting for their return. Yes, she'll always run silent And she'll always run deep Though the ocean has no pity Though the waves will never weep They'll never weep. On a cold Wednesday morn They put her her out to sea When the waves they were nine feet high. And they dove 'neath the waves And they dove to their graves And they never said a last goodbye. And it's deeper and deeper And deeper they dove Just to see what their ship could stand. But the hull gave a moan And the hull gave a groan And they plunged to the deepest darkest sand. Now she lies in the depths Of the darkened ocean floor Covered by the waters cold and still. Oh can't you see the wrong She was a death ship all along Died before she had a chance to kill. And she´ll never run silent, And she´ll never run deep, For the ocean had no pity And the waves, they never weep, They never weep. [Alternate final verse from an early Broadside tape] And it's 8000 fathoms of the water above And over 100 men below And sealed in their tomb Is the cause of their doom That only the sea will ever know Notes: On the morning of April 10, 1963, the USS Thresher (SSN 593) proceeded to conduct sea trials about 200 miles off the coast of Cape Cod. At 9:13 a.m., the USS Skylark (a surface vessel assigned to assist Thresher) received a signal, via underwater telephone, indicating that the submarine was experiencing minor difficulties, have positive up-angle, attempting to blow. Shortly afterward, the Skylark received a series of garbled, undecipherable message fragments from the Thresher. At 9:18 a.m., the Skylark's sonar picked up the sounds of the submarine breaking apart. All 129 hands were lost -- 112 military and 17 civilian technicians. |
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02 May 13 - 05:08 AM (#3510933) Subject: RE: Lyr Req/Add: The Thresher (Dick Snell) From: GUEST,Phil The last version above was written by Phil Ochs and it appeared on The Folk Box, a great collection of songs released by Elektra in about 1964 |
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02 May 13 - 06:32 PM (#3511125) Subject: RE: Lyr Req/Add: The Thresher (Dick Snell) From: Bat Goddess John, you know The Thresher sailed from Portsmouth, NH (Portsmouth Naval Ship Yard, actually in Kittery, ME)? I like the song (Phil Ochs' song) a lot, too, and have since I first heard it around 1971, but the song is never sung around here (southern New Hampshire and Maine) -- too many people knew the men who died. For the 50th anniversary a few weeks ago, they dedicated a memorial flagpole in Kittery Circle. Here's the memorial site -- Kittery Memorial Site And here's a local article --Portsmouth Herald Linn |
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03 May 13 - 08:51 AM (#3511275) Subject: Lyr Add: THE THRESHER (Pete Seeger) From: Jim Dixon THE THRESHER As sung by Pete Seeger on "Broadside Ballads, Vol. 2" (1963; reissued 2004) 1. 'Twas on a bright and sunny day not too long ago. The wind blew strong; the sea broke white, but all was still below. The submarine called Thresher was on a deep-sea dive. She dove below her safety range and crushed her crew alive. CHORUS: The Thresher was a nuclear sub with modern guns* and gear, But none of her designers could make her reappear. 2. The fastest deepest submarine caught beneath the brine, Caught were all her sailors, a hundred-twenty-nine. Among them were two brothers; Shafer was their name. Their mother kept a midnight watch but prayers were all in vain. CHORUS 3. But if it's best and biggest too, and if it's made for war, Just like the ship called Thresher, we'll make a million more, But hope this loss will bring to pass a day we'll live to see When ships are all designed to sail together peacefully. CHORUS [Repeat verse 1 & chorus.] [* Did the Thresher really have guns?] |
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03 Dec 13 - 03:11 PM (#3581143) Subject: RE: Lyr Req/Add: The Thresher (Dick Snell) From: GUEST,Al Moore I actually remember seeing this song sung on some sort of TV talent show in 1963 or 64. As I recall the chorus was "The Thresher was a mighty craft with modern guns and gear" |
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12 Apr 18 - 11:53 PM (#3916957) Subject: RE: Lyr Req/Add: The Thresher (Dick Snell) From: GUEST,julia L Where can we hear Richard Snell's song about the Thresher? Though I was only 6 I remember the incident very well as we lived in seacoast NH. What a tragedy. I'd love to sing this song. thanks |
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13 Apr 18 - 02:23 AM (#3916965) Subject: RE: Lyr Req/Add: The Thresher (Dick Snell) From: GUEST,Nick Dow I remember Dicks' tune very well. Am I right in saying he was a member of the critics for a while? Sarah, contact me on the usual E.mail and I'll get the tune to you. Alan castle will tell you the address if you've lost it. Nick |