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29 Jul 19 - 06:26 PM (#4002615) Subject: Lyr Req: The Wavertree From: GUEST,Peterr Listening yet again to the Fellside 'Landmarks' 3 CD issue, I decided that 'The Wavertree' by Hughie Jones had now reached the top of my To Learn list. I was surprised that I couldn't find the lyrics anywhere, but as I still think the best way to learn a song is to play it over and over, writing the words down as and when you can, that's what I did. I think I've got 98%, but there are still a few gaps. Has anyone else had a crack at it? |
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29 Jul 19 - 07:44 PM (#4002622) Subject: RE: Lyr Req: The Wavertree From: Noreen Put what you've got up here, and we'll have a look :) |
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31 Jul 19 - 04:17 AM (#4002751) Subject: RE: Lyr Req: The Wavertree From: GUEST,Peterr What I've got so far is as follows, with ? where I can't get a word and (?) where I'm not sure. When I were small at me grandad's knee He'd sing his old songs and his yarns to me Of sailing ships and years long past And serving time before the mast. Sometimes a faraway look would come And I knew I'd be hearing a special one. Of every ship on every sea his favourite was the 'Wavertree'. Running the easting down, running the easting down. Proud to be a signed(?) AB on a Liverpool ship, the 'Wavertree' Bowling along in a westerly, running the easting down. A full-rigged ship two thousand ton Southampton built for the Calcutta run. When demand for jute began to fade She entered the Australia trade. In later years her ? crew ? a dirty cargo off Peru. When she sailed ? eventually, a damn near starving(?) 'Wavertree'. Running the easting down etc For 25 years she played her part 'Til a Cape Horn snorter broke her (heart/mast?) Almost forgotten, tired and worn An old windjammer ? before. If grandad were alive today he'd not believe it if you'd say A century on a New York quay would berth his favourite 'Wavertree'. Running the easting down etc. All clarifications and corrections welcome. |
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31 Jul 19 - 05:59 PM (#4002854) Subject: RE: Lyr Req: The Wavertree From: Jim Dixon I have a partial fix for you: In verse 1: “he’d yarn to me” In verse 2: “In later years her cut-back crew Hung dirty cargo off Peru. When steam beat sail eventually...” I assume “cut back” just means reduced in number. In verse 3: “If granddad was alive today” I still don’t know what goes after “windjammer” but it rhymes with “worn.” It sounds like “windjammer’s [something] corn” but I can’t make sense of it. I believe the rest of your guesses are correct. |
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31 Jul 19 - 07:30 PM (#4002864) Subject: RE: Lyr Req: The Wavertree From: Jim Dixon Wikipedia has an article about The Wavertree. |
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02 Aug 19 - 09:56 PM (#4003096) Subject: RE: Lyr Req: The Wavertree From: leeneia Thanks. A good song and a good ship. I wish I could have seen it when I was in New York. |
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02 Aug 19 - 10:34 PM (#4003098) Subject: RE: Lyr Req: The Wavertree From: Stewie Sounds to me like a slurring of 'an old windjammer's been reborn'. --Stewie. |
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03 Aug 19 - 11:09 AM (#4003136) Subject: RE: Lyr Req: The Wavertree From: Mick Pearce (MCP) Here's my transcription. Mick THE WAVERTREE (Hughie Jones) When I was small at me grandad's knee He'd sing his auld songs and he'd yarn to me Of sailing ships and years long past, And serving time before the mast. Sometimes a faraway look would come, I knew I'd be hearing a special one; Of every ship, on every sea, His favourite was The Wavertree. Chorus: Running your Easting down, Running your Easting down. Ain't you proud to be signed AB On a Liverpool ship, The Wavertree, Bowling along in a Westerly. Running your Easting down. A full-rigged ship, two thousand ton, Southampton built for the Calcutta run. When demand for jute began to fade She entered the Australia trade. In later years her cutback crew Humped dirty cargo off Peru. When steam beat sail eventually, They damned near starved in Wavertree. Chorus For twenty-five years she played her part 'Til a Cape Horn snorter broke her heart. Almost forgotten, tired and worn, An old windjammer's been* reborn. If grandad were alive today He'd not believe it if you'd say A century on a New York quay Would berth his favourite Wavertree. Chorus Running your easting down. * - sounds like beer, but that doesn't seem to make sense! Source: Hugie Jones - cd, Hugie's Ditty Bag |
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03 Aug 19 - 07:39 PM (#4003202) Subject: RE: Lyr Req: The Wavertree From: FreddyHeadey In the songbook that line is Can windjammers be reborn? Don't take that as 'gospel' though, there are quite a few variations between what's written and what's sung e.g. In later years her reduced crew Loaded dirty cargo off Peru. & in the chorus Making an Easting down |
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04 Aug 19 - 08:38 AM (#4003267) Subject: RE: Lyr Req: The Wavertree From: GUEST,Peterr Many thanks to all. Amazing how obvious some of the words seem now. |
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04 Aug 19 - 09:06 AM (#4003271) Subject: RE: Lyr Req: The Wavertree From: Mick Pearce (MCP) Freddy - thanks for the lines from the songbook. Having listened again to the recording that line in v3 is almost as you've given it from the songbook: Can old windjammers be reborn? Perhaps a mod can edit my transcription above. The other lines are as I transcribed them. As you say there are often variations between what's written and what's sung. How often those lyrics in record inserts (remember them?!) differed from the recording! Mick |
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04 Aug 19 - 09:10 PM (#4003393) Subject: RE: Lyr Req: The Wavertree From: Stewie You are quite right, Mick. I too can now hear 'Can old windjammers be reborn' quite clearly now. --Stewie. |
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05 Aug 19 - 06:30 AM (#4003430) Subject: RE: Lyr Req: The Wavertree From: Mick Pearce (MCP) One of the oddities of hearing Stewie - sometimes we need to know what someone said before we can hear it! It's not the first time I've needed someone to tell me what I'm listening to so that when I go back to it it's clear as day! Mick |
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11 Aug 19 - 10:40 AM (#4004137) Subject: RE: Lyr Req: The Wavertree From: GUEST,Peterr I thought that the song really needed to be longer, giving people another chance to join in the excellent chorus. I'm sure Hughie Jones would have written more verses, but decided on the three we have. Researching the Wavertree's history on the www gave me enough material for an attempt at stretching (many would say padding) the story, and for better or worse I've come up with the following. THE WAVERTREE (Hughie Jones) When I was small at me grandad's knee he'd sing his auld songs and he'd yarn to me Of sailing ships and years long past, and serving time before the mast. Sometimes a faraway look would come, I knew I'd be hearing a special one; Of every ship, on every sea, his favourite was The Wavertree. Chorus: Running your Easting down, Running your Easting down. Ain't you proud to be signed AB On a Liverpool ship, The Wavertree, Bowling along in a Westerly. Running your Easting down. A full-rigged ship, two thousand ton, Southampton built for the Calcutta run. When demand for jute began to fade she entered the Australia trade. In later years her cutback crew humped dirty cargo off Peru. When steam beat sail eventually, they damned near starved in Wavertree. Chorus For twenty-five years she played her part 'til a Cape Horn snorter broke her heart. Dismasted, too far gone to save, bound for a South Atlantic grave. A storage hulk in Magellan Strait then a sand barge on the River Plate Til a man who loved tall ships at sea searched and found the Wavertree. Chorus They towed her to a friendly shore last seen over seventy years before Almost forgotten, tired and worn, but the old windjammer's been reborn. If grandad were alive today he'd not believe it if you'd say A century on a New York quay would berth his favourite Wavertree. Chorus Running your easting down. |