Be Thou My Vision - secular lyrics?
Does anyone know any secular lyrics for the tune of "Be Thou My Vision"? I've been told that it is "Banks of the Bann", but it doesn't seem to scan with the tune I know.
Thanks,
Nancy
Hi Nancy,
I found a whaling song, although not the most politically correct these days, that is said to be set to the tune of "Be Thou My Vision". Unfortunatly I am not familiar with this melody myself. But I hope it will suit your needs.
with kind regards
Peter
Blood On The Ice
O our buiness is bloody the truth for to tell
We're naught but a slaughter house out on the swell
There's no romance as in times long gone by
It's fire the harpoon & another whale dies
Then it's tow it alongside & get him on board
And the flencers get working & the blood from him pours
With the aid of a winch his blubber is torn
As we strip him right down, right down to the bone
Here on the Baleana we are stuck for eight months
It's, work, work, and more work, then collapse in your bunks
Though our buisness is bloody when all has been said
We have our families at home to keep fed
O the blood of the whale & the white of the ice
Are there on the funnels as our fleets devise
We are cruising along in the snow hail & sleet
South of South Georgia in Hectors Whale fleet
Hi again Nancy,
I found out that the tune is an ancient Irish air, from the 8th or 9th century somewhere. It was published as "With My Love On The Road" in Patrick W. Joyce's collection "Old Irish Folk Music and Songs" in 1909. I can't help you with the words, but I enclose the tune in ABC notation.
with kind regards
Peter
X:1
T:With my love on the road
M:3/4
L:1/8
R:Air
S:Joyce – Old Irish Folk Music and Songs (1909)
Z:AK/Fiddler’s Companion
K:F
F2F2 GF|D2C2 CD|F2F2G2|A4 cA|G2G2G2|G2A2c2|d2c2A2|c4 zc|
D2 de fe|d2c2A2|c2F2E2|D4 zC|F2A2c2|dc A2 FA|G2F2F2|F4||
Thanks, Peter!
The Whaling song seems to scan. I'll have to find words for the other one. It's such a lovely tune; I'd like to be able to sing it with words that weren't so religious.
El McMeen, a wonderful fingerstyle guitarist, did it on one of his albums (mostly hymns). I don't know if his web site has sound clips.
Thanks again,
Nancy