“The Last Cowboy Song”, by Ed Bruce
“Coal Mining Man”, by Ricky Skaggs (and more)
“The Wreck of the Edmund Fitzgerald”, by Gordon Lightfoot
“The Last Farewell”, by Roger Whitaker
For Aunt Hilda, here are the lyrics to “The Last Farewell”:
There’s a ship lies rigged and ready in the harbor
Tomorrow for old England she sails
Far away from your land of endless sunshine
To my land full of rainy skies and gales
And I shall be aboard that ship tomorrow
Though my heart is full of tears at this farewellFor you are beautiful, and I have loved you dearly
More dearly than the spoken word can tell
For you are beautiful, and I have loved you dearly
More dearly than the spoken word can tellI’ve heard there’s a wicked war a-blazing
And the taste of war I know so very well
Even now I see the foreign flag a-raising
Their guns on fire as we sail into hell
I have no fear of death, it brings no sorrow
But how bitter will be this last farewellFor you are beautiful, and I have loved you dearly
More dearly than the spoken word can tell
For you are beautiful, and I have loved you dearly
More dearly than the spoken word can tellThough death and darkness gather all about me
My ship be torn apart upon the seas
I shall smell again the fragrance of these islands
And the heaving waves that brought me once to thee
And should I return safe home again to England
I shall watch the English mist roll through the daleFor you are beautiful, and I have loved you dearly
More dearly than the spoken word can tell
For you are beautiful, and I have loved you dearly
More dearly than the spoken word can tell.
Gotta love Gord Lightfoot! All of it!! Good music for difficult times like these….
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The Edmund Fitzgerald is my favorite ballad. Every time I hear it I just marvel at the wordsmithing.
I haven’t heard The Last Farewell in forever. Thanks for posting it.
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Jeff – have you heard this one? Clancy Bros/Robbie O’Connell. A classic Irish “lament”…… Not really fitting into your post… then again, it somehow does…..
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Anna, you’re quite welcome! Years ago I was privileged to see Roger Whitaker in concert in Sacramento, in which he of course sang his signature hit. Told some good jokes too. :-)
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James, I would say that Kilkelly definitely provides some needed perspective and fits into the melancholic mood of the day. Thanks for the reminder. You might have missed this post from back in July.
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