On 13 February 1748, Lady Lovibond, a three mast legendary schooner, wrecked on the Goodwin Sands, off the Kent coast of south-east England. (see here) Exactly fifty years later , on 13 February 1798, the captain of the ship “Edenbridge” recorded in his logbook that he nearly collided with a three-masted schooner and also reported… Read More The Ghost Ship at the Sandbar/2
John Gay, English poet and dramatist, was born on 30 June 1685.He owes his fame mainly to “The Beggar’s Opera”, a ballad opera with music arranged by Johann Christoph Pepusch, performed for the first time in London in 1728. It was produced by John Rich, an important theatre director and it was so successful that… Read More Black-Eyed Susan & Sweet William/1 (John Gay)
Balaustion’s Adventure is a long poem (2705 lines) written by Robert Browning in 1871. It set just after the defeat of the Athenian expedition against Sicily in 413 BC. A group of people from Rhodes flee on a ship bound for Athens, but are intercepted by pirates and forced to seek shelter in the harbour of… Read More Balaustion’s Adventure
“Mutiny on the Bounty” – the 1962 American historical drama film starring Marlon Brando – and “The Bounty” – the 1984 British film starring Mel Gibson and Anthony Hopkins – are two films dealing with the story of a sailing ship crew that is fed up with their captain’s harsh discipline and decides to take… Read More HMS Bounty
Set at sea from the perspective of a sailor, this is a song that Procol Harum’s lyricist Keith Reid considers one of his favourites It has an apparently nautical theme, as indicated by its cover (a pastiche of the famous Player’s Navy Cut cigarette pack), and its title, which refers to a… Read More “A Salty Dog” – commentary
A SALTY DOG ‘All hands on deck, we’ve run afloat!’ I heard the captain cry ‘Explore the ship, replace the cook: let no one leave alive!’ Across the straits, around the Horn: how far can sailors fly? A twisted path, our tortured course, and no one left alive We sailed for parts unknown to man,… Read More A song: “A Salty Dog”
Si tu veux construire un bateau, ne commence pas par rassembler du bois, couper des planches et distribuer du travail, mais reveille au sein des hommes le désir de la mer grande et belle. Se vuoi costruire una barca, non radunare uomini per tagliare legna, dividere i compiti e impartire ordini,… Read More Se vuoi…
words and music and stories 