Texts and Program Notes: imPulse Happy Hour
imPulse Happy Hour: Tales from the Deep – Lake Monster Brewing
February 3 & 4, 2017: 7:30pm
Barrett's Privateers
Historically, the distinction between a "privateer" and "pirate" has been vague. A privateer is a private person or ship authorized by a government by letters of marque to attack foreign shipping during wartime. Privateering was a way of mobilizing armed ships and sailors without having to spend money or commit naval officers. Barrett's Privateers is sung from the point of view of a young fisherman who enlisted on Elcid Barrett's ill-fated Antelope. After describing the initial voyage to Jamaica seeking American merchantmen and the problems with the Antelope, the unnamed narrators sings about how they finally found one, loaded down with gold. Unfortunately, the Antelope's main-mast is knocked down with one volley from the American vessel and Barrett is killed. The remainder of the song conveys the narrator's disillusionment with privateering. The last two stanzas reveal he is only 23 years old and has lost both of his legs in the battle six years earlier. It has taken all six years to beg his way home.
-Ron Smail
Rauði riddarinn
Double, Double Toil and Trouble
The text for this selection comes from Shakespeare's Macbeth, which is recited from the witches trio. It should be noted that the audience may find elements of this text to be disturbing. In an effort to maintain the historical integrity of the text, it will be sung as written. MPLS (imPulse) welcomes your feedback: [email protected]
The text for this selection comes from Shakespeare's Macbeth, which is recited from the witches trio. It should be noted that the audience may find elements of this text to be disturbing. In an effort to maintain the historical integrity of the text, it will be sung as written. MPLS (imPulse) welcomes your feedback: [email protected]
Out of the River of Tuoni
Text excerpted from “Lemminkäinen’s Restoration"
The Kalevala, Runo XV
Compiled by Elias Lönnrot
In Runo XIV of the Kalevala, Lemminkäinen hunts the black swan that lives on the river of Tuoni in the underworld in order to win a daughter of Louhi as his wife. While searching for the swan, he is killed and his body is dumped into the river. In Runo XV, Lemminkäinen’s mother searches all over the world for him before discovering his fate. She fashions a rake and uses it to recover her son’s body from the bottom of the river, then sews his body back together and uses a drop of honey from the god Ukko as an ointment. Speaking the words below, she uses her magic to restore her son to life
Text excerpted from “Lemminkäinen’s Restoration"
The Kalevala, Runo XV
Compiled by Elias Lönnrot
In Runo XIV of the Kalevala, Lemminkäinen hunts the black swan that lives on the river of Tuoni in the underworld in order to win a daughter of Louhi as his wife. While searching for the swan, he is killed and his body is dumped into the river. In Runo XV, Lemminkäinen’s mother searches all over the world for him before discovering his fate. She fashions a rake and uses it to recover her son’s body from the bottom of the river, then sews his body back together and uses a drop of honey from the god Ukko as an ointment. Speaking the words below, she uses her magic to restore her son to life
Serenadi oluelle
Maid on the Shore
T'was of the young maiden who lived all alone
She lived all alone on the shore-o
There was nothing she could find to comfort her mind
But to roam all alone on the shore shore shore
But to roam all alone on the shore
T'was of the young captain who sailed the salt sea
Let the wind blow high blow low-o
I will die I will die the young captain did cry
If I don't have that maid on the shore shore shore
If I don't have that maid on the shore
I have lots of silver I have lots of gold
I have lots of costly fare-o
I'll divide I'll divide with my jolly ship's crew
If they row me that maid on the shore shore shore
If they row me that maid on the shore
By subtle persuasion they got her aboard
Let the wind blow high blow low-o
And he placed her away in his cabin below
Here's adieu to all sorrow and care care care
Here's adieu to all sorrow and care
She sat herself down in his cabin below
Let the wind blow high blow low-o
Where she sang so soft and complete
She sang captain and sailors asleep sleep sleep
She sang captain and sailors to sleep
She robbed him of silver she robbed him of gold
She robbed him of costly fare-o
Then took his broadsword instead of an oar
And paddled her way to the shore shore shore
And paddled her way to the shore
Well me men must be crazy my men must be mad
My men must deep in despair-o
For to let you away with your beauty so gay
And to paddle your way to the shore shore shore
And to paddle your way to the shore
I deluded your sailors as well as yourself
I'm a maiden again on the shore shore shore
The River Driver
I was just the age of sixteen when I first went on the drive,
After six months hard labor, at home I did arrive.
I courted with a pretty girl, t'was her caused me to roam,
Now I'm just a river driver and I'm far away from home.
I'll eat when I am hungry and I'll drink when I am dry,
Get drunk whenever I'm ready, get sober by and by,
And if this river don't drown me, it's down I'll mean to roam,
For I'm a river driver and I'm far away from home.
I'll build a lonesome castle upon some mountain high,
Where she can sit and view me as I go passing by
Where she can sit and view me as I go marching on,
For I'm a river driver and I'm far away from home.
When I am old and feeble and in my sickness lie,
Just wrap me up in a blanket and lay me down to die
Just get a little bluebird to sing for me alone,
For I'm a river driver and I'm far away from home.
The Greenland Whale Fishery
They took us jolly sailor lads
A-fishing for a whale.
On the fourth day of August in 1864
Bound for Greenland we set sail.
The lookout stood on the cross-trees high
With a spyglass in his hand.
“There's a whale, there's a whale, there's a whale-fish,” he cried,
“And she blows at every span.”
The captain stood on the quarterdeck,
And a sod of a man was he.
“Overhaul, overhaul, let your davit tackles fall.”
And we'll launch them boats to sea.
We struck that whale and the line played out
But she gave a flurry with her tail.
And the boat capsized, we lost seven of our men,
And we never caught that whale.
Now the losing of seven fine seamen,
It grieved the captain sore.
But the losing of a bloody sperm whale
Oh, it grieved him ten times more.
Now Greenland is a horrid place
where us whaling lads have to go.
Where the rose and lillies never bloom in spring
Oh there's only ice and snow.
The winter star doth now appear,
so boys we'll anchor aweigh.
It's time to leave this cold country.
Now let's homeward sail away.
Fishing - Stephen Chatman. Text by Tara Wohlberg
Fishing, running out the bay,
Sailing got her underway,
On the bank and steering straight,
Whipping breeze and tub of bait.
Traps and trawls and finger stalls,
Rubber boots and killick claws,
Line twines, ropes and coils,
Get sore hands and full of boils.
What a brave young banker's crew,
Foolish things cod jiggers do,
Catching codfish, pick out dogfish
Catching big fish, pick out small fish
Haul up smelt and salmon, too,
Catching more than just a few,
Steady wind and thick'ning fog,
Bound for home to get more grog!
T'was of the young maiden who lived all alone
She lived all alone on the shore-o
There was nothing she could find to comfort her mind
But to roam all alone on the shore shore shore
But to roam all alone on the shore
T'was of the young captain who sailed the salt sea
Let the wind blow high blow low-o
I will die I will die the young captain did cry
If I don't have that maid on the shore shore shore
If I don't have that maid on the shore
I have lots of silver I have lots of gold
I have lots of costly fare-o
I'll divide I'll divide with my jolly ship's crew
If they row me that maid on the shore shore shore
If they row me that maid on the shore
By subtle persuasion they got her aboard
Let the wind blow high blow low-o
And he placed her away in his cabin below
Here's adieu to all sorrow and care care care
Here's adieu to all sorrow and care
She sat herself down in his cabin below
Let the wind blow high blow low-o
Where she sang so soft and complete
She sang captain and sailors asleep sleep sleep
She sang captain and sailors to sleep
She robbed him of silver she robbed him of gold
She robbed him of costly fare-o
Then took his broadsword instead of an oar
And paddled her way to the shore shore shore
And paddled her way to the shore
Well me men must be crazy my men must be mad
My men must deep in despair-o
For to let you away with your beauty so gay
And to paddle your way to the shore shore shore
And to paddle your way to the shore
I deluded your sailors as well as yourself
I'm a maiden again on the shore shore shore
The River Driver
I was just the age of sixteen when I first went on the drive,
After six months hard labor, at home I did arrive.
I courted with a pretty girl, t'was her caused me to roam,
Now I'm just a river driver and I'm far away from home.
I'll eat when I am hungry and I'll drink when I am dry,
Get drunk whenever I'm ready, get sober by and by,
And if this river don't drown me, it's down I'll mean to roam,
For I'm a river driver and I'm far away from home.
I'll build a lonesome castle upon some mountain high,
Where she can sit and view me as I go passing by
Where she can sit and view me as I go marching on,
For I'm a river driver and I'm far away from home.
When I am old and feeble and in my sickness lie,
Just wrap me up in a blanket and lay me down to die
Just get a little bluebird to sing for me alone,
For I'm a river driver and I'm far away from home.
The Greenland Whale Fishery
They took us jolly sailor lads
A-fishing for a whale.
On the fourth day of August in 1864
Bound for Greenland we set sail.
The lookout stood on the cross-trees high
With a spyglass in his hand.
“There's a whale, there's a whale, there's a whale-fish,” he cried,
“And she blows at every span.”
The captain stood on the quarterdeck,
And a sod of a man was he.
“Overhaul, overhaul, let your davit tackles fall.”
And we'll launch them boats to sea.
We struck that whale and the line played out
But she gave a flurry with her tail.
And the boat capsized, we lost seven of our men,
And we never caught that whale.
Now the losing of seven fine seamen,
It grieved the captain sore.
But the losing of a bloody sperm whale
Oh, it grieved him ten times more.
Now Greenland is a horrid place
where us whaling lads have to go.
Where the rose and lillies never bloom in spring
Oh there's only ice and snow.
The winter star doth now appear,
so boys we'll anchor aweigh.
It's time to leave this cold country.
Now let's homeward sail away.
Fishing - Stephen Chatman. Text by Tara Wohlberg
Fishing, running out the bay,
Sailing got her underway,
On the bank and steering straight,
Whipping breeze and tub of bait.
Traps and trawls and finger stalls,
Rubber boots and killick claws,
Line twines, ropes and coils,
Get sore hands and full of boils.
What a brave young banker's crew,
Foolish things cod jiggers do,
Catching codfish, pick out dogfish
Catching big fish, pick out small fish
Haul up smelt and salmon, too,
Catching more than just a few,
Steady wind and thick'ning fog,
Bound for home to get more grog!
