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19 Oct 24 - 06:57 PM (#4210093) Subject: The wreck of the Ramillies Song/ Website From: Nick Dow Some people have been very kind and expressed an interest in the version of this song I have recently started singing. It is 90% from Jumbo Brightwell (Songs from the Eels Foot). I have researched the truth behind the song and was surprised to find some of the wreckage exists to this day. The whole story, with photos of the wreckage and an artist's impression is pasted below. There is even a post from a descendant of one who sailed aboard her. https://www.submerged.co.uk/ramillies/ |
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19 Oct 24 - 07:12 PM (#4210094) Subject: ADD: The Loss of the Ramillies From: RTim Here is the version of the song I recorded on my - "From Spithead Roads" CD - collected from Frederick White in Southampton Workhouse Infirmary by DR. George Gardiner in 1906..I think!! I don't have an audio to post, but I maybe able to post one soon.... Tim Radford The Loss of the Ramillies - Frederick White - H384. Roud 523 It was on one day, one certain day, When the Ramillies at her anchor lay, That very night a gale came on, And our ship from her anchorage away did run. The rain poured down in terrible drops, The sea broke open our fore-top, Our yards and our canvas neatly spread, We were thinking to weather the Old Ram’s Head. Our bo’sun cries, my good fellows all, Listen unto me while I blow my call, Launch out your boats your lives to save, Or the sea this night will be our grave. Then overboard our boats we tossed, Oh, some got in but some were lost, There was some in one place, or, some in another, The watch down below, they all were smothered. When this sad news to Plymouth came, That the Ramillies was lost and all of her men, Excepting two that told the tale, How the ship behaved in that dreadful gale. Come all you pretty maids and weep along with me, For the loss of your true lovers in the Ramillies, All Plymouth Town it flowed with tears, When they heard the news of that sad affair. Lost in February 1760 Over 700 men lost. |
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19 Oct 24 - 07:21 PM (#4210097) Subject: RE: The wreck of the Ramillies Song/ Website From: RTim I think I have managed to update the song on my Reverbnation page... I am joined in singing the song by John Roberts.. Lets hope this works...Tim Radforde https://www.reverbnation.com/timradford/song/34706516-loss-ramillies-traditional |
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20 Oct 24 - 05:15 AM (#4210113) Subject: RE: The wreck of the Ramillies Song/ Website From: Nick Dow Thanks Tim, Jumbo Brightwell had a couple of extra verses dealing with the effects of the gale and attempting to weather the storm. Mainly Norfolk website publishes them. |
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20 Oct 24 - 05:46 AM (#4210114) Subject: RE: The wreck of the Ramillies Song/ Website From: Reinhard The Mainly Norfolk page for The Loss of the Ramillies was quite short. I've added the lyrics as sung by Tim, Sam Larner and Roy Harris, and listed a few more recordings. |
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20 Oct 24 - 05:47 AM (#4210115) Subject: RE: The wreck of the Ramillies Song/ Website From: Nick Dow That's good news. |
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21 Oct 24 - 09:38 PM (#4210202) Subject: RE: The wreck of the Ramillies Song/ Website From: GUEST,Julia L Here's a version from Maine. It apears in our book "Bygone Ballads of Maine- Songs of Ships & Sailors" THE FATED RENA LEE Text from the Kneeland Miscellany 1914 / James Kneeland Searsport, ME Tune as sung by his son Frank Kneeland Recorded Oct 1941 Helen Hartness Flanders, Middlebury VT The miscellany transcript says "fated", Frank sings "fate of" and pronounces Rena as "renna" 1 Come ye bold seamen, pray now attend To read these few lines that have lately been penned Concerning the dangers of the salt sea And the sad destruction of the Rena Lee -Oh, the fate of Rena Lee 2 Seven hundred and seventy bold seamen had we And ninety brass cannon to bear us company And as we were a sailing to our sad surprise A most terrible storm did begin to arise -Oh, the fate of Rena Lee 3 The waves looked like fire and rolled mountains high While over the rigging the salt seas did fly Bear away, said our captain, and do the best you can For if the storm increases, we're lost, every man -Oh, the fate of Rena Lee 4 A few moments later, to our sad shock Our good ship, the Rena Lee, she struck upon a rock Had you heart like a Turk, I am sure you'd lament To have heard the sighs and groans as to bottom she went -Oh, the fate of Rena Lee |
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22 Oct 24 - 11:34 AM (#4210244) Subject: RE: The wreck of the Ramillies Song/ Website From: Nick Dow That is fascinating. I'll get back to you when I've checked but there were three songs on street literature I think, concerning the wreck of the Ramillies. There are a couple of lines in Frank Kneeland's version in common with the UK version as sung and published on 'Mainly Norfolk'. I'm a touch busy so I may not find time for a day or two. I'm not too busy to say thank you Julia for taking the time to type out the text. I might contact the Ramillies website (with due credits) and pass on the results of any research. |
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22 Oct 24 - 12:06 PM (#4210246) Subject: RE: The wreck of the Ramillies Song/ Website From: Robert B. Waltz Nick Dow wrote: I'll get back to you when I've checked but there were three songs on street literature I think, concerning the wreck of the Ramillies. Only two that had much traditional currency, though. The big one is "The Loss of the Ramilles" (Laws K1; Roud #523) -- that appears to have been collected from 26 different people, assuming I'm correctly identifying informants (e.g. I would assume that "Mr. Crisp" and "Mr. Crist," both of Norfolk, are the same guy). "The Fatal Ramillies" (Roud #1266) also shows up in tradition four or five times (there is a husband/wife confusion on that one), but it's mostly from broadsides. There are other broadsides on the topic ("On the Loss of the Ramilies", Roud V27884, and doubtless others), but I can't find any other traditional songs. There are a few traditional songs and broadsides about the Battle of Ramillies, which makes title searches tough. |