If you grew up on Long Island or know Montauk it's a MUST read:
Posted on 06/22/2023 3:13:46 PM PDT by Fiji Hill
'Twas a summer's day and the waves were rippled
By a soft and gentle breeze,
When a ship set sail with a cargo ladened
For a port beyond the sea.
There were fond farewells, loving demonstrations
By the ones who were most concerned.
Though they little knew 'twas the fatal voyage
Of the ship that never returned.
Did she ever return? No, she never returned,
And her fate is yet unlearned.
Though for years and years there were fond hearts watching
For the ship that never returned.
Said the feeble lad to his anxious mother,
"l must cross the deep blue sea,
For they say, perchance, in some foreign climate
There is help and strength for me."
'Twas a gleam of hope in the midst of danger
And her heart for her youngest yearned.
But she sent him forth with a smile and a blessing
On the ship that never returned.
"Only one more trip," said a gallant seaman
As he kissed his weeping wife.
"Only one more bag of the gold and treasure
And 'twill last us all through life.
"Then we'll settle down in our cozy cottage
And enjoy the rest we've earned."
But alas, poor man, for he sailed commander
Of the ship that never returned.
Did she ever return? No, she never returned,
And her fate is yet unlearned.
Though for years and years there were fond hearts watching
For the ship that never returned.
Reminds me of that poor guy ‘neith the streets of Boston.
Exactly. Charlie, the man who never returned. By the Kingston Trio.
If you grew up on Long Island or know Montauk it's a MUST read:
Seems the Kingston Trio were doing a parody.
Oh they built the ship Titanic To sail the ocean blue And they thought they had a ship That the water would never go through; But the Lord's Almighty hand Said that ship would never land, It was sad when that great ship went down
Chorus:
It was sad. It was sad. It was sad when the great ship went down. (to the bottom of the...) Husbands and wives, Little children lost their lives It was sad when the great ship went down.)
They were off for England And not very far from shore When the rich refused To associate with the poor So they sent them down below Where they'd be the first to go It was sad when that great ship went down
The boat was about to sink, And the sides about to burst, When the captain shouted, "All Women and children first!" Oh, the captain tried to wire, But the wires was on fire, It was sad when the great ship went down.
Oh, they swung the lifeboats out O'er the deep and ragin' sea, When the band struck up with, "Nearer My God to Thee." Little children wept and cried, As the waves swept o'er the side, It was sad when the great ship went down.
Or this poor guy, whose air brake failed as his locomotive rounded a curve on a trestle approaching Danville, Va. in 1903. He lost his life, but the locomotive was repaired and stayed in service for more than three more decades.
Oh ladies, you must take warning From this time now and on.
Never speak harsh words to your true love and husband.
He may leave you and never return.
Wreck of the Old 97--Vernon Dalhart (1925)
Vernon Dalhart recorded several versions of that song. Here's one of them.
The Sinking of the Great Titanic--Vernon Dalhart (1928)
That was one of the songs I learned at scout camp. Some of the lyrics were a bit different, but most are the same.
The Geezinslaw Brothers did a parody of The Wreck of the Old 97, in the 1960s. It was one of my childhood favorites.
At least Charlie got a sandwich.
Yeah, I found that version online. But now that I think about it, one of my favorite lines was actually, “It was on its maiden trip when an iceberg hit the ship……..”
Exactly my thoughts!!! I bet this is where that came from.
I only recall the chorus. Our middle school music teacher had us sing that.
Of course the truth is, the ship was designed for certain kinds of breaches, and honest engineering basically said it was “virtually unsinkable”. Besides, it was a sister ship to the Olympic, so it really was already done. And the Olympic itself had suffered quite a gash. As it happened this breach was outside the factor of safety design plan.
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