An old song re-sung (Charles Tomlinson Griffes)

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• CPDL #17677: 

Contributor: Internet Archive^{create page} (submitted 2008-07-22).   Score information: Letter, 16 pages, 814 kB   Copyright: Public Domain

Edition notes: Scanned score. In A flat Major

General Information

Title: An old song re-sung
Composer: Charles Tomlinson Griffes
Lyricist: John Masefield (1878-1967)

Number of voices: 1v   Voicing: Soprano solo

Genre: Secular, Art song

Language: English
Instruments: Piano

First published: circa 1920

Description:

External websites:

• Entry at "Art Song Central" for this song
• Entry at the "Lied and Art Song Texts Page"

Original text and translations

English text

I saw a ship a-sailing, a-sailing, a-sailing,
With emeralds and rubies and sapphires in her hold;
And a bosun in a blue coat bawling at the railing,
Piping a silver call that had a chain of gold;
The summer wind was failing and the tall ship rolled.

I saw a ship a-steering, a-steering, a-steering,
With roses in red thread worked upon her sails;
With sacks of purple amethysts, the spoils of buccaneering,
Skins of musky yellow wine, and silks in bales,
Her merry men were cheering, hauling on the brails.

I saw a ship a-sinking, a-sinking, a-sinking,
With glittering sea-water splashing on her decks,
With seamen in her spirit-room singing songs and drinking,
Pulling claret bottles down, and knocking off the necks,
The broken glass was chinking as she sank among the wrecks.