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A TRAVELLER'S TALE

Yesterday I wrote a poem -- basically the way I remember the journey from Port Dickson (Malaya) to Bremen (Germany) in the summer of '63
Today I rewrote it as a song (i.e. I chopped about four syllables off each line, cut some lines out and added others in).

Style is _12STACF.STY (Fast Country Boogie w/ Pedal Steel)

RealTracks in style: ~520:Bass, Electric, Pop HalfNotes Ev 165
RealTracks in style: ~407:Guitar, Acoustic, Fingerpicking Ev 165
RealTracks in style: ~1120:Guitar, 12-String Acoustic, Strumming Ev 165
RealTracks in style: 619:Guitar, Resonator, Background Cowboy Ev 165
RealDrums in style:NashvilleEven8^2-a:Sidestick, HiHat , b:Snare, HiHat

The style suited my purpose right off the bat. Didn't need to change a thing.


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I'd spent some time in the tropics, about three years, maybe four
I board a bus to Seremban, then the train to Singapore
The locomotive's eager to display its awesome power
As we zoom past rubber plantations at nineteen miles an hour

About ten hours later, Johore Baru's in sight
And then we cross the Causeway – as the day gives way to night
The hotel's not worth mentioning, oh haste another day!
Cos our valiant Scottish freighter lies anchored in the bay

We climb aboard, the anchor's weighed, the crew then make it fast
Propellers thrashing water and we're under way at last
The sun sets over Sumatra as we steam along the Strait
Then a gong announces dinner's served, let's see what's on my plate

Saloon provides refreshment and entertainment too –
Third Officer plays accordion – while the Mate has a kazoo
Typhoon in the Indian Ocean where the ship's tossed like a cork
The promenade deck is empty now and we'd rather crawl than walk

Aden's dry and dusty, the shops are quite bazaar
Red Sea's a blazing furnace and now Suez ain't that far
A placid Mediterranean means that soup is served once more
There's no more crockery breaking, or food rolling on the floor

We're through the Strait of Gibraltar, the white-caps a-plenty now
A force-three scours the Atlantic just off the ship's port bow
The Channel stretches grey and limp on this September morn
At last, I see those White Cliffs – and the coast where I was born.
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Brian Raynor © 2024

That's quite a story, and so well told, Brian. Very decscriptive of your voyage and adventure. Not sure what you did to fashion that poem into this gem of a song, but the lyrics are so good. They bounce right along as if tossed by the sea, yet show feirce determination in reaching the destination.

Brian,

Great song and very well sung. Good clear mix.

Bob

That was a cool journey you took us on. With just enough lyrical content to put us in the song with you. Having been on ships in the ocean during "not so calm" conditions..... I can relate to the "rather crawl than walk" line..... and from the details in the story, it wasn't exactly a Disney cruise ship.

Well done.

Ah, you're not just a musician; you're a wordsmith and storyteller.

Glad you took it all to a song!

Great vocal, creative write, mix and BiaB session folks.

The thought of modern sea shanty came to mind.

Really well done and enjoyable,

J&B

Nicely done, Brian! This reminds me of the great folksy story songs of the 60s. Always loved those, and I love this one, too. Perfect BiaB style for your tune, and I like the creative use of the hold near the end. Super vocals as well.

Around the world in one song - great storytelling that you have packed into a beautiful and entertaining song.
Enjoyed the listen!

I really enjoyed the travel of this song, plus in 1963 when I was 12 I also took a long journey with my father, though not as far as yours. By train from the UK East Midlands to London, then to Dover, across the channel by ferry to Calais and from there it was 2nd class non-sleeper, which I was told was the Orient Express, but I now know that that the OE never had 2nd class non-sleeper carriages. It was a 2 day journey via Paris to the Alps, then to Milan and finally to Belgrade, so essentially the route of the OE, though we didn't stop in Venice. From Belgrade it was a local train across the border into Romania - my father was Romanian - and eventfully to a tiny village near Timisoara, where I had my first case of culture shock! I doubt I'll ever write a song about it!