Author Topic: Add: Oh, twas in the Broad Atlantic


dmcg

Posted - 25 Feb 06 - 11:02 am

O 'twas in the broad Atlantic,
'Mid the equinoctial gales,
That a young fellow fell over board
Among the sharks and whales.
And down he went like a streak of light,
So quickly down went he,
Until he came to a mer-ma-id
At the bottom of the deep blue sea.


(Chorus)
Singing Rule Britannia,
Britannia rule the waves!
Britons never, never, never shall be
Marri-ed to a mer-ma-id
At the bottom of the deep blue sea.

She raised herself on her beautiful tail,
And gave him her soft white hand,
I've long been waiting for you, my dear,
Now welcome safe to land.
Go back to your mess-mates for the last time
And tell them all from me,
That you're mar-ri-ed to a mer-ma-id
At the bottom of the deep blue sea.

We sent a boat to look for him
Expecting to find a corpse,
When he came up with a bang and a shout
And a voice sepulchrally hoarse:
"My comrades and my mess-mates,
O do not look for me,
For I'm mar-ri-ed to a mer-ma-id
At the bottom of the deep blue sea."

The anchor was weighed and the sails unfurled,
And the ship was sailing free,
Went we went up to our cap-i-tain
And our tale we told to he.
The captain went to the old ship's side,
And out loud bellowed he,
"Be as happy as you can with your wife, my man,
At the bottom of the deep blue sea."



Source: Singing Together, Spring 1985, BBC Publications


Notes:

'Mermaid' and 'married' are pronounced as 'Murm-eye-id' and 'Mar-eye-id' in the version I know.




masato sakurai

Posted - 27 Feb 06 - 01:52 pm

Sarah Walker and Thomas Allen sang this song ("The Mermaid"), which is on The Sea (Hyperion, track 12).






Snuffy

Posted - 12 Mar 06 - 11:13 pm

The 18th century original is in the Digital Tradition and at Contemplator with some biographical detail on the authors.






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