Nelson's Praise: Songs about Nelson and Trafalgar

1. Not Bold Nelson’s Praise Songs about Nelson and Trafalgar Peter Wood I have inserted narration into the powerpoint presentation of the Mystic talk. Each slide will deliver narration automatically. Now Move on to start the programme

2. Not Bold Nelson’s Praise Not Bold Nelson’s Praise Not Bold Nelson’s Praise Songs about Nelson and Trafalgar Songs about Nelson and Trafalgar Songs about Nelson and Trafalgar Peter Wood Peter Wood Mystic Seaport Symposium, June 13th 2014

3. No broadside version • Absent from all major folk song anthologies, • notably Firth’s Naval Songs & Ballads (1908) 2 Bold Nelson’s Praise Bold Nelson's praise I am going to sing,(Not forgetting our glorious King)He always did good tidings bring,For he was a bold commander.There was Sydney Smith and Duncan too,Lord Howe and all the glorious crew;They were the men that were true blue.Full of care, yet I swearNone with Nelson could compare,Not even Alexander. • First heard sung by Bert Lloyd in a 1958 radio programme • Title? “Bold Nelson’s Praise” • Only found once, by Sharp in 1909 from Tom • Gardiner in Warwickshire • My conclusion: it was written by somebody in • Warwickshire for the 100th anniversary in 1905, • but never took off until the post war revival

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5. 4 The Death of Nelson 1 (O’er Nelson’s tomb with silent grief) Twas in Trafalgar’s Bay We saw the Frenchmen lay Each heart was pounding then We scorned the foreign yoke Our ships were British oak Hearts of oak were our men Our Nelson marked them on the wave Three cheers our gallant seamen gave Nor thought of home and beauty Along the line this signal ran England expects that every man This day will do his duty (This day will do his duty) Words by Samuel James Arnold , tune by John Braham, composed for the opera The Americans , first performed London, 1811. Found in 41 broadsides, 30 by different known printers, another 11 “printer unknown”. Reece Elliott, Durham miner, born 1894, remembers his grandfather, Frank, born 1832, singing the song interminably

6. 5 Broadsides 43 separate songs B3 & B7 also found in OT Four others two copies found Remaining 31 only one copy found

7. 6 Songs from Oral Tradition in England Songs also found as a broadside Songs not found as a broadside (and collected once only) Sharp 2470, Gardiner 1271, Hammond 606

8. 7 Broadsides into the Tradition-1 Louis Killen “Death of Nelson” 1960s Bold Britain’s long expected great news from our fleet Commanded by Lord Nelson the French for to meet Till at length the news came over, through the country was spread The French they were defeated, but Nelson was dead Daniel Wigg Hampshire, “Nelson”, 1906

9. Nelson’s Monument B3 - 14 bs 8 OT Not only brave Nelson, but thousands there was slainBy fighting of the French all on the watery main;To protect old England's glory, its honour and its wealthThey fought and would not yield, till they yielded unto death.These merchants of Yarmouth, they hearing us say so,They said, “Come, brother sailors, to the Church let us go,And there we will build up an excellent pile,In remembrance of Nelson, the hero of the Nile.”“Your plan,” then said Lord Exmouth, “it's excellent and good,A monument for Nelson and Lord Collingwood;Let it be polished with the marble to perpetuate his name,In letters of gold write, “He died for England's fame.”Both seamen and soldiers, as I have been told,They have ordered themselves in readiness to hold,Their rights to maintain, our cause to support,And many an invitation showed us true British sport.Both seamen and soldiers mighty deeds have done,Many has sons in foreign parts and many's the battle won,If the Nile could but speak, for Egypt do declare,All the world with Lord Nelson they could not compare. Broadsides into the Tradition-1 Nelson’s Monument 8

10. 9 Broadsides into the Tradition-1 Wigg’s Nelson’s Monument becomes TheDeath of Nelson 3 • Bert Lloyd needed a good Trafalgar song for a radio programme in 1958. • First Verse & RVW’s adaptation of Daniel Wigg’s tune for Nelson’s Monument • The next three verses based on those of another broadside, “The Death of Nelson 2”, (“Come all you gallant seamen that unite in a meeting”) • Last verse from elsewhere • Final “tag” from several other broadsides

11. 10 Broadsides into the Tradition-1 Lloyd’s TheDeath of Nelson (my Death of Nelson 3) Bold Britons long expected good news from our fleet Commanded by Lord Nelson the French for to meet Till at length the news came over, and through the land was spread That the French was defeated, and Nelson was dead He was as bold commander, as sailed the ocean wide He made the French surrender to his terrible broadside And one hundred fights he’d been in, and in never a one was beat Though he lost an arm and an eye likewise, no power could him defeat This bold undaunted hero on the quarterdeck he stood You would admire his actions, with the decks awash with blood When aloft all in the rigging, a Frenchman fired a ball And that was the cause of our bold Lord Nelson’s fall Up stepped the doctor, in a hurry he did say Oh my Lord indeed I’m sorry, to see you bleed this way Oh no matter and no matter whatever about me It’s to mi gallant seamen, your first duty should be So come all of you bold heroes, let the bottle pass around For Nelson was loyal, and true to the crown Here’s God bless all seamen who speak for his good And likewise our fleet, and the brave Lord Collingwood Oh but mourning , and mourn, oh mourn and complain For the loss of Lord Nelson, who died on the main

12. Broadsides into the Tradition-2 B7 Brave Nelson/Nelson’s Death & Victory (10 bs) 11 Ye sons of Britain in chorus join and sing:Great and joyful news is come to our royal king.An engagement we have had by sea, With France and Spain our enemy,And we've gained the glorious victory, Again, my brave boys. On the twenty-first of October at the rising of the sun We formed a line for action, at 12 o’clock began Brave Nelson to his men did say, `The Lord will prosper us this day.Give them a broadside, fire away, My true British boys.‘ Broadside and broadside our cannon balls did fly,And small shot like hailstones on the deck did lie.Their masts and rigging were shot away, Besides, some thousand on that dayWere killed and wounded in the fray, On both sides, brave boys. Heaven reward Lord Nelson and protect His men.Nineteen sail of the combined fleet was sunk and taken in.The Achille blew up amongst them all, Which made the French for mercy call.Nelson was slain by a cannon ball, Mourn, England, mourn. Many a brave commander in tears he shook his head,But yet their grief was no relief for Nelson he lay dead.It was a fatal musket ball, Which caused our hero for to fall.He cried: `Fight on. God bless you all, My brave British tars.‘ Huzza, valiant seamen, huzza, we've gained the day,Though lost a bold commander who on the deck did lay;With joy we've gained the victory, Before me dead I now do see.`I die in peace, bless God,' said he, `The victory is won.‘ Let's hope this glorious battle will bring a peace,That our trade in England may prosper and increase;And our ships from port to port go free. As before let us with them agree,May this turn the heart of our enemy. Huzza, my brave boys.

13. Broadsides into the Tradition-2 B7 Brave Nelson/Nelson’s Death & Victory (10 bs) 12 George Dunn, Staffordshire, to Roy Palmer, 1971 1. Twas the twenty first of October before the rising sun We formed a line for action my boys at 12 o’clock begun Our masts and rigging was shot away, Besides some thousands in that fray Were killed and wounded on that day, On board the man o' war. 2 From broadside to broadside our cannon balls did fly; Like hailstones the small shot around our deck did lie. Brave Nelson to his men did say The Lord will prosper us this day Give them the broadside fire away On board the man of war 3. And then our brave commander with grief he shook his head, There is no relief, there is no reprieve, for Nelson he is dead. It was a fatal musket ball That caused our hero for to fall, Let him die in peace God bless you all On board the man o'war.

14. 13 Broadsides into the Tradition-2 Interpretations 1. Twas the twenty first of October before the rising sun We formed a line for action my boys at 12 o’clock begun Our masts and rigging was shot away, Besides some thousands in that fray Were killed and wounded on that day, On board a man o' war. 2 From broadside to broadside our cannon balls did fly; Like hailstones the small shot around our deck did lie. Brave Nelson to his men did say The Lord will prosper us this day Give them the broadside fire away On board the man of war 3. And then our brave commander with grief he shook his head, There is no relief, there is no reprieve, for Nelson he is dead. It was a fatal musket ball That caused our hero for to fall, Let him die in peace God bless you all On board a man o'war. Grainger/Wilsons Wood/Hardy

15. 14 Not Bold Nelson’s Praise Songs about Nelson and Trafalgar Peter Wood Daniel Wigg Harry Cox Bert Lloyd Louis Killen Thanks for listening Folks!