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Lyr Add: Song of the World's Last Whale (P Seeger)

17 Jun 97 - 04:02 AM (#6963)
Subject: Lyr Add: SONG OF THE WORLD'S LAST WHALE (P Seeger)
From: Bill (ssssbill@aol.com)

Howdy Folks,

As promised in the fantasy song circle, here's the song I was singing. Enjoy, but think about it.

The Song of the World's Last Whale
Pete Seeger

             Dm
  I heard the song of the world's last whale,
  
  As I rocked in the moonlight and reefed the sail.
  
  It'll happen to you also without fail,
                  G            Am7          Dm
  If it happens to me, sang the world's last whale.
It was down off Bermuda early last spring,
Near an underwater mountain where the humpbacks sing.
I lowered the microphone a quarter mile down,
Switched on the recorder and let the tape spin round.

I didn't just hear grunting, I didn't just hear squeaks,
I didn't just hear bellows, I didn't just hear shrieks,
It was the musical singing and the passionate wail
That came from the heart of the world's last whale.

Down in the Antarctic the harpoons wait,
But it's up on the land they decide my fate.
In London town they'll be telling the tale,
If it's life or death for the world's last whale.

So here's a little test to see how you feel,
Here's a little test for this age of the automobile.
If we can save our singers in the sea,
Perhaps there's a chance to save you and me.

I heard the song of the world's last whale,
As I rocked in the moonlight and reefed the sail.
It'll happen to you also without fail,
If it happens to me, sang the world's last whale.

Allinkausay,
Bill

24 Jun 97 - 06:09 AM (#7298)
Subject: RE: Song of the World's Last Whale Contribution
From: Wolfgang Hell

It is a great song you contributed. I remember The Dubliners singing a different song to the same theme titled "The last of the great whales". Does somebody have the lyrics to this song? Thank you Wolfgang

24 Jun 97 - 09:41 PM (#7393)
Subject: Lyr Add: THE LAST OF THE GREAT WHALES (Andy Barnes
From: rich r

THE LAST OF THE GREAT WHALES
c 1986 by Andy Barnes

CHORUS: My soul has been torn from me and I am bleeding
My heart it has been rent and I am crying
For the beauty around me pales and I am screaming
I am the last of the great whales and I am dying

Last night I heard the cry of my last companion
The roar of a harpoon gun, and I swam alone
I reflected on days gone by, when we were thousands
But I know that I soon will die, the last leviathan. CHORUS

This morning the sun did rise crimson in the North Sky
The ice was the color of blood, and the wind did sigh
I rose to take a breath, it was my last one
From the gun came the roar of death, and now I am gone. CHORUS

And so since time began, we have been hunted
Through oceans that were our home, we have been haunted
From Eskimos in canoes to mighty whalers
Still, you ignored our pleas, none came to save us. CHORUS

Now that we all are gone, there's no more hunting
The big fellow is no more, and it's no use lamenting
What race is next in line, all for the slaughter?
The elephant or the seal, or your sons and daughters? CHORUS.


A beautiful a capella version of this was recorded by Kallet, Epstein & Ciccone.

rich r

25 Jun 97 - 04:17 AM (#7415)
Subject: RE: Song of the World's Last Whale Contribution
From: Wolfgang Hell

Thank you, rich r, with appreciation Wolfgang

19 May 98 - 07:18 PM (#28760)
Subject: RE: Song of the World's Last Whale Contribution
From: Frank McGrath

Mighty Stuff!!
Many, many thanks.
I'll check the old threads in future.
Frank McGrath

07 Jul 10 - 01:32 PM (#2941262)
Subject: RE: Song of the World's Last Whale Contribution
From: GUEST,Valerie J. Rose

Does anyone know the name of the album that this song appeared on, so I can try to find or order it?

Valerie J. Rose
WickedRosie@ma.rr.com

07 Jul 10 - 01:55 PM (#2941278)
Subject: RE: Song of the World's Last Whale Contribution
From: GUEST,sciencegeek

you should be able to find it on her website

http://www.cindykallet.com/

techno klutz didn't even attempt the blue clicky thingum

07 Jul 10 - 02:12 PM (#2941284)
Subject: RE: Song of the World's Last Whale Contribution
From: Leadfingers

Cindy Kallet

07 Jul 10 - 02:18 PM (#2941286)
Subject: RE: Song of the World's Last Whale Contribution
From: Uncle_DaveO

Frankly, The Last of the Great Whales, above, is to my opinion a terrible song. A rather simplistic "melodic" phrase, repeated over and over and over and . . .   

Dave Oesterreich

07 Jul 10 - 02:47 PM (#2941299)
Subject: RE: Song of the World's Last Whale Contribution
From: GUEST,sciencegeek

LOL... Cindy has always had a knack for finding wonderful harmonies and I found that their treatment of Andy Barnes' song prompted a strong visceral response... didn't expect such a negative one, but that's life.

I enjoyed the tune and had reservations about the lyrics... the other extreme... many well loved songs are really rather simple tunes, but they evoke a strong response and have remained favorites for generations. Time will tell if this songs stays for the long haul.

07 Jul 10 - 08:37 PM (#2941488)
Subject: RE: Song of the World's Last Whale Contribution
From: Dennis the Elder

Luke Kelly's version of the Last of the Great Whales is far from a "terrible song". A disturbing song, I would agree, but that I am sure, was the intention.

08 Jul 10 - 02:58 AM (#2941599)
Subject: RE: Song of the World's Last Whale Contribution
From: GUEST,mg

I know of a Sean Cannon of the Dubliners rendition of Last of Great Whales but I have not found a Luke Kelly version...didn't Luke die around 1983 and if the song was written in 1986 there could be a problem...mg

08 Jul 10 - 03:24 AM (#2941608)
Subject: RE: Song of the World's Last Whale Contribution
From: Dennis the Elder

mg - Sounds if I am guilty of mixing my Dubliners, better I suppose than mixing my drinks as I did last night. The rest of my comment still stands.

08 Jul 10 - 03:42 AM (#2941612)
Subject: RE: Song of the World's Last Whale Contribution
From: sciencegeek

while we are on the topic of whales... check out the thread on Archie Fisher's version of Wounded Whale. Or better... give it a listen.

Folk legacy album, A Man with a Rhyme

08 Jul 10 - 08:30 AM (#2941699)
Subject: RE: Song of the World's Last Whale Contribution
From: oldhippie

A unique version of Andy Barnes' The Last of The Great Whales also appears on the CD Woman of the Island by Phyllis Morrissey. Whale sounds were added from a cassette by the Whale Research Group, Memorial University of Newfoundland.

And, another good song incorporating whale sounds is Orca on the CD We Are the Land We Sing - Carolyn McDade

08 Jul 10 - 09:03 AM (#2941715)
Subject: RE: Song of the World's Last Whale Contribution
From: sciencegeek

and even further afield... or adrift... the Topic album Leviathan with AL Lloyd & Ewan MacColl is still a favorite of mine... and a Topic release that made it to CD & downloads. Still waiting for Valiant Sailor to get that far. At least I still have the old LP and booklet.