A folk rocker from Spirit Level ( for those unfamiliar, we are ScottC and RobertKC of this forum).

In February 1808, the American whaling ship Topaz came unexpectedly upon Pitcairn Island, landed, and discovered the thriving community of 19 children, 9 Tahitian women and John Adams, the only surviving HMS Bounty mutineer.

The Last Savage Gentleman

My apologies to a well known forum member for misuse of his moniker in the lyrics!

Style is _REFLECT.STY (Reflective Folk Rock)

RealTracks in style: ~518:Bass, Electric, Pop HalfNotes Ev 085
RealTracks in style: 2548:Guitar, Acoustic, Rhythm FolkSorrow Ev16 090
RealTracks in style: 638:Guitar, Electric, Rhythm RootsRockTremolo Ev 100
RealTracks in song: 3158:Fiddle, 5-string, Rhythm AmericanaMountain16thsABAndy ev16 070
RealTracks in song: 3157:Fiddle, 5-string, Rhythm AmericanaMountain16thsAndy ev16 070
RealDrums :RockHardLA^1-a:Snare, HiHat , b:Snare, Loose HiHat

Scott`s guitars: Fender Stratocaster
Amp : Marshall
Effects: Eventide H9’s, JCRockett Lenny


The Last Savage Gentleman

gather round children I`ll tell you a tale
of mutiny murder and exile
stranger than fiction put away your fairy tales
for a drunkard redeemed paradise defiled
my name is John Adams
the last savage gentleman

scanning the haze with fears ablaze
in straw hat and striped pajamas
only man alive 19 bairns 9 wives
is having another vision
wake up all survivors
his eyes like snapping scissors


sails white sails a whaler sails
bows down on the horizon
no ship we`ve seen these 18 years
here on Pitcairn Island
bring my bible to the beach
a knife between your teeth


dead all dead the whaler`s mate is led
here`s one stabbed with a rusty spoon
by cutlass musket and betrayal
Fletcher Christian gone too soon
will you take me now to hang
the last savage gentleman

I`ve been fierce with drink read my gospel at the brink
your chains now I`ll not refuse
between the lash and the law
tell me sir what would you choose
my tropical perdition
or the muddy hole of England

fate is kind that veils its hand
my story who would believe
at the ends of the earth I`m a grain of sand
all I command a pistol shot from the sea
my name is John Adams
the last savage gentleman
the last savage gentleman


© Robert Cordrey May 2020

Robert & Scott,

"Folk Rock" is a perfect description - you captured both sides of that well.

A interesting story and you told it well.

Scott's guitar is very nice - might be my favorite of his - loved the tone. nicely played and fit well.

Good vocal and harmonies.

The change up at the end was effective. And a cool ending.

fj

Wow, this is really good, guys

Nice arrangement and mix, good vocals and Scott is right in the pocket with his contributions.

A really interesting story very well told, I checked him out on Wikipedia after listening.

I've always been a fan of your collaborations, and this is right up there with your best I think, well done.

This reminds me of a kind of sea shanty. Good story. Well sung and produced. Scott’s guitars adds some perfect touches. I enjoyed it a lot, Tom

Sounds great guys!

Interesting straightforward story, I enjoyed the lively singing and the backing vocals as well, kind of lighter version of Nick Cave. The band fits perfectly with the mood, I couldn't imagine this song without Scott's trademark playing. Spirit Level is very welded together.

Janne

One of the world's great stories ably retold. I'll be looking at it again soon, thanks to this. Nice band. Scott's play was just great...sometimes doubling, sometimes harmonizing, and sometimes leading the way. A wonderful package down through the false ending.

Just another day looking up something that RKC used for inspiration. : ) You're keeping us on our toes, Robert! I'm a big fan as you know, and this fit your oeuvre well. Actually, it was something I had already done a little reading about, so I was able to just kick back and enjoy it. A fine collab, would like to hear more like this and I got a feeling I will. Fine work, gentleman!

Thanks Floyd! I agree Scott does a great job of embellishing the song with taste...my tastes are a little off beat, but he always gets into the spirit (the secret of our longevity?)




Dave,
I`m glad you found the subject interesting ( took some liberties with details which seemed fair game for a story told many times but with very little in the archives available to check).
Thanks for your thumbs up!



Thank you for listening, Tom!



Thank you!




Janne,
Now there`s a guy drawn to the dark side ( I came across Mr Cave on a Thai beach long ago).
I appreciate your listen and comments.

Robert

Robert & Scott

Enjoyed that - well written and played. The history of Pitcairn is certainly interesting, recall reading about some issues there a few years ago.

Really well done as always.

Peter

Thanks everyone for checking out the song. This was a fun project. My favorite line was "in straw hat and striped pajamas". We used this line a lot when we were kids talking about jail birds.

I was more than a little obsessed with Pitcairn as a teen. Various versions of Mutiny and its ties with Australia strengthened it.
You've essayed a particularly interesting part of it's history.
I'd relabel it psych folk rock.
The fate of Pitcairn after 2000 has been mired by the worst offences of men.

Glad this found an echo with your interest in the story: I discovered the Charles Nordhoff Bounty trilogy on Kindle recently- they are well researched and entertaining fictional takes I hadn`t read before.
Yes;Scott`s guitar moves this well past a folk ballad!





Thanks for your listens and support!
We first tried this kind of folkrock a couple of years ago:
https://soundcloud.com/user-564042721/the-devils-punchbowl-with-scottc
The more recent Americana RT`s make a more authentic sound easier to achieve now.

Robert

My second favorite by Spirit Level hands down.
Really well done musically. Excellent drive. Great story! Robert & Scott this is good music.
Listened several times, the only thing that I thought was strange, it started a bit abruptly, but I guess this is how you wanted. If it was mine, I would probably add a few seconds of seabird sounds up front for intro. Enjoyed it very much. Thank you for sharing.

Misha.

Hi Spirit Level,

So lovely this song! A very nice tale (lyrics).
I can almost see children with tension in their eyes listening to this story of the last savage gentleman!
A very nice 'solo' played by Ray. He must have been enjoying himself very much. I could see that too!
And your singing is very nice. 'Decent' I would call it. Like a gentleman, not a savaged one.

I am convinced we'll hear a lot more from the Spirit Level.
does the name sais something of the amount of drinks you use when making those songs? (a bit kidding)

Hans

Thanks Peter!




That`s a label I like (options are limited on Soundcloud).
I think those awful offences on Pitcairn go back before 2000; its gut-turning reading and one reason I chose the best of the mutineers to lift up in song!






Misha,
I`m glad you didn`t object to my use of the rusty spoon and happy you liked the music.
That`s a valid comment about the abrupt opening; yes, maybe some waves crashing & boat
creaks would be a better start.

Robert

"his eyes like snapping scissors"

A small snippet that really stuck with us out of a fabulous write. What an amazing story and
imagery.

Well, "fate is kind that veils its hand" stuck around also. Ah, heck every line could be parsed and
discussed positively

It's a lyric, it's poetry and it reads like a microcosm of a rich novel.

The vocals, guitar performance, band and mix are all excellent and give this story a wonderful musical
delivery.

Impressive indeed.

J&B

PS Now off to educate ourselves better on the genesis of this production...

Thanks to everyone who has checked out the song. Your support is very much appreciated.

Hans,
Its ScottC, not Ray playing those guitars...Spirit Level are more exhibition than prohibition,but please don`t mix our music with the strong stuff!
I appreciate your listen and always personal and interesting comments.



J&B,
Thank you for mentioning the scissors... and all the other nice observations!

Robert

Ai!!!
I misread that. It's Scott playing the lead and being part of the Spirit Level. Excuse me.
After I wrote my post, I was thinking how come that Punker ray also can play smooth and gentle solo's? But Ray can do a lot. Like Scott.

But I also forgot to say how I liked the rhythm of this song. i tried to 'catch' this rhythm too, but never succeeded (or something else came in).

Thanks Robert,
Hans

Great work, gentlemen. A fascinating tale and very well presented. Scott's guitar tone and playing is top notch.
Regards,
Leon

Thanks for all the excellent comments and for checking out the song.

Lol Hans We are going to have to get Ray in on one of our tunes. He can really get the speakers pumping.

Robertkc
Tis a artful thing the way you sneak in a history listen and a good listen at the same time!

Hello Robertkc,

I liked this composition. You have a splendid voice. The orchestration is splendid. On the other hand, the poetry left me with a weird feeling, I liked the content less.

Kindly regard

Dero13
alias JaniJackFlash

Leon & Bawb: Thanks for listening and commenting.
Dero: Thanks for the positives. I can appreciate the subject isn`t for everyone, but hard to know what disturbed about the lyrics: mutiny, murder...the scissors?

Robert