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from Volkslieder (Folksongs)
Translation by Samuel Ferguson, Sir (1810 - 1886)

Boatman's hymn
 (Sung text for setting by M. Lang)
 Matches base text
Language: English  after the Irish (Gaelic) 
Bark that bears me thro' foam and squall
You in the storm are my castle wall;
Tho' the sea should redden from bottom to top,
From pillar to mast, she takes no drop.

Tide top, tide top, Ho!
Wherry aroon, my land and store, she is the boat!
She is the boat can sail goleor!

She dresses herself and goes gliding,
Like a dame in her robes of lawn.
For God has blessed her gunnel and wale,
And if you could see her stretch out to the gale!

Tide top, tide top, Ho!
Wherry aroon, my land and store, she is the boat!
She is the boat can sail goleor!

Whilan Ahoy!
Old heart of stone, stopping so black o'er the beach alone,
Andswer me well, on the busrting brine, 
saw you ever a bark like mine?

Whillan since first I wa made of stone,
I have looked abroad o'er the beach alone,
But til today on the bursting brine,
Saw I never a ship like thine.

"God of the air!" the seaman shout
When they see us tossing the brine about,
"Give us the shelter of strand or rock,
Or through and through us goes with a shock!"

Tide top, tide top, Ho!
Wherry aroon, my land and store, she is the boat!
She is the boat can sail goleor!

Composition:

    Set to music by Margaret Ruthven Lang (1867 - 1972), "Boatman's hymn", op. 13, copyright © 1892, first performed 1893 [ men's chorus and piano ]

Text Authorship:

  • by Samuel Ferguson, Sir (1810 - 1886)

Based on:

  • a text in Irish (Gaelic) from Volkslieder (Folksongs)  [text unavailable]
    • Go to the text page.

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Researcher for this page: Abigail Imhof

This text was added to the website: 2012-05-17
Line count: 29
Word count: 221

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