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07 Jul 04 - 06:56 PM (#1220986) Subject: Origins: He Was A lonely Sailor Man From: GUEST,Chanteyranger This poem (or song)was found in the papers of the late U.S. Senator Alan Cranston. A biogrqapher asked me if I could find out anything about its origins. There are 16 verses (and the writing is hard to decipher). It begins: He was a lonely sailor man And his face was lined with grief As he sat alone on a piece of stone On a rocky windswept reef Oh sailor man, I said to him What ----this awful woe You sit and sigh on this rock and cry What makes you weepest so? He was sailin' round the horn, said he, When he hit a fearful gale And of all the crew there was only two what survived to tell the tale There was only me and my old pal bill Cast up on a rocky beach (next line very hard to read) As far as the eye could see Poor Bill was ill with tyhe wet and cold Had a nasty cold in his chest So he says to me, old pal, ----- Please grant me this last request My pal, my Bill, I want to make my will So I looked about for paper, a pen, and ink But nary a one could I find Til Bill said here, I've a fine idear I knows what I can do So he tatooed a will with a quill upon my back In a hour or two old Bioll died And I sat alone and cried Till late that day about a mile away A sailing ship I spied There are some more verses, very hard to read. A google search on the title came to nothing. If this looks familiar, I'd appreciate any info, and will pass it on, with credit to you, to his biographer. Thanks! Chanteyranger |
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08 Jul 04 - 02:20 PM (#1221548) Subject: RE: Origins: He Was A lonely Sailor Man From: Q (Frank Staplin) I remember this as a story, so it is out there somewhere. So far no luck although I have tried various possible titles. I did find a broadside about a sailor's will, but will post it separately so as not to muddy this thread. |
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08 Dec 04 - 01:49 PM (#1351112) Subject: RE: Origins: He Was A lonely Sailor Man From: GUEST refresh |