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Length: 6:10
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See how trim she lies
To every man a lucky hand
And to every man a prize
I live to ride the Ocean
The mighty world around
To take a little plunder
And to hear the cannon sound
To lay with pretty women
To drink Madeira wine
To hear the roller's thunder
On a shore that isn't mine
Privateering, we will go
Privateering, Yoh! oh! ho!
Privateering, we will go
Yeah! oh! oh! ho!
The people on your Man 'o war
Are treated worse than scum
I'm no flogging Captain
My God I've sailed with some
Come with me to Barbary
We'll ply there up and down
Not quite exactly
In the service of the Crown
To lay with pretty women
To drink Madeira wine
To hear the roller's thunder
On a shore that isn't mine
Privateering, we will go
Privateering, Yoh! oh! ho!
Privateering, we will go
Yeah! oh! oh! ho!
Look here there's my Privateer
She's small but she can sting
Licensed to take prizes
With a letter from the King
I love the streets and taverns
Of a pretty foreign town
Tip my hat to the dark eyed ladies
As we sally up and down
To lay with pretty women
To drink Madeira wine
To hear the roller's thunder
On a shore that isn't mine
Privateering, we will go
Privateering, Yoh! oh! ho!
Privateering, we will go
Yeah! oh! oh! ho!
Britannia needs her Privateers
Each time she goes to war
Death to all her enemies
No prizes matter more
Come with me to Barbary
We'll ply there up and down
Not quite exactly
In the service of the Crown
I lay with pretty women
To drink Madeira wine
To hear the roller's thunder
On a shore that isn't mine
Privateering, we will go
Privateering, Yoh! oh! ho!
Privateering, we will go
Yeah! oh! oh! ho!
The only remnant of those days that I know of is Weasel. He does a show on WTMD in Baltimore on Friday nights and Saturday morning.
Can't forget Damian...
Reminds me of a time when Cerphe at WHFS played a series of "Sea Faring Chantys" sometime after midnight I think - 1976 or so. Sons like this interspersed with some comedy by Martin Mull ("aye, ye'll get the whip for sure this time mister!"), then various Irish Shanties. OMG those were the greatest of FM Radio Days — WHFS Bethesda Maryland, 102.5 (station ID followed by a live performance of Linda Ronstadt and "Sailing Shoes".
I had it all captured on a 10" 15ips tape from our Pentagon monitoring station then mixed it all down to a cassette. Well, that cassette lasted from 1976 until 1984 when it finally defenestrated while I was driving from Checkpoint Alfa up the East German Autobahn to Checkpoint Bravo and entry back into the US Sector of West Berlin. Damned Opel Senator sedan and Blau-kaput AM/FM/MW/SW/cassette deck player.
OMG yeah! WHFS was the best... Damien, Cerph, Weasel... So many memories. My wife and I won tickets to a WHFS harbor cruise in the early 80s and got to meet and talk with some those guys, after listening to their diverse shows for so many years. Unfortunately shortly thereafter, it got sucked up by some corporate radio conglomerate and changed forever. I remember a new manager guy "Alan Hay", who swore it wouldn´t change. Ha-ha... He probably works for Sony Mergers and Acquisitions now. I just looked it up, and there´s actually a documentary about WHFS called "Feast Your Ears". I need to go check that out!
Flash from the past, WHFS and Cerphe , early 70's just back from Nam. Georgetown,Dupont Circle and P Street Beach were happening. WHFS was the FM station, great musicon radio and great concerts at Georgetown Univ. and GW. Thanks for the memories.
Oh I loved WHFS! I had an outdoor antenna that allowed me to receive it in Gettysburg.
I love this song because it's whole conceit is "wouldn't it be cool to be a pirate" and yes it would, I bet
Well, there are modern day pirates plying the waters of the Caribbean and northeast coast of Africa, if you really want to head out on the high seas for plunder and blood. . . or just join a street gang in the nearest city.
It might appear glamorous in a movie, or book, or ballad, but, unless you're a psychopath (or an accountant), my guess is there really wouldn't be much actual enjoyment in that profession.
Myself, I'd rather follow David Bowie's prodding and head out into space.
Nice to hear him strumming the acoustic.
The only remnant of those days that I know of is Weasel. He does a show on WTMD in Baltimore on Friday nights and Saturday morning.
I though that Cerphe was still bouncing around?
Flash from the past, WHFS and Cerphe , early 70's just back from Nam. Georgetown,Dupont Circle and P Street Beach were happening. WHFS was the FM station, great musicon radio and great concerts at Georgetown Univ. and GW. Thanks for the memories.
The only remnant of those days that I know of is Weasel. He does a show on WTMD in Baltimore on Friday nights and Saturday morning.
Obviously you've never heard the song "Barrett's Privateers". Not a coastal person are you?
Nope. 747 miles to D.C. 1,990 to LA
Had to look it up!
Obviously you've never heard the song "Barrett's Privateers". Not a coastal person are you?
Had to look it up!
Indeed.
Yes indeed.
I had it all captured on a 10" 15ips tape from our Pentagon monitoring station then mixed it all down to a cassette. Well, that cassette lasted from 1976 until 1984 when it finally defenestrated while I was driving from Checkpoint Alfa up the East German Autobahn to Checkpoint Bravo and entry back into the US Sector of West Berlin. Damned Opel Senator sedan and Blau-kaput AM/FM/MW/SW/cassette deck player.
Flash from the past, WHFS and Cerphe , early 70's just back from Nam. Georgetown,Dupont Circle and P Street Beach were happening. WHFS was the FM station, great musicon radio and great concerts at Georgetown Univ. and GW. Thanks for the memories.
Indeed.
I had it all captured on a 10" 15ips tape from our Pentagon monitoring station then mixed it all down to a cassette. Well, that cassette lasted from 1976 until 1984 when it finally defenestrated while I was driving from Checkpoint Alfa up the East German Autobahn to Checkpoint Bravo and entry back into the US Sector of West Berlin. Damned Opel Senator sedan and Blau-kaput AM/FM/MW/SW/cassette deck player.
I tried to scratch the surface of O'Brian but got lost in the sea jargon. Perhaps I'll try it again with the recommended lexicon. Thank you for the suggestion!
I found the trick with O'Brian was to completely ignore the jargon. He artfully writes in such a way that nothing essential to the plot is buried in that jargon.
Then as time goes on, the vocabulary just seeps in. Often this happens through the device of Maturin's immovable ignorance, which allows Aubrey to explain various nautical terms.
Give it another go!
(But if you must, here's a lexicon specific to the series: https://a.co/6zosARU)
I tried to scratch the surface of O'Brian but got lost in the sea jargon. Perhaps I'll try it again with the recommended lexicon. Thank you for the suggestion!
YESSSSSS!
The last line is telling. Privateers were essentially paramilitary bandits of the sea, carrying out dirty work at arms length from their sponsoring government, and 'deniable' when they went too far. The famous Francis Drake (of mythical bowls fame) was one of many privateers in the time of Queen Elizabeth I, who both filled their holds with booty and ravaged 'enemy' shipping in the service of Her Queenship. A long and dishonourable occupation, continued these days by such as mercenaries (sorry, 'security contractors') in Iraq.
not quite the same as Security contractors. but both were/are prone to being tossed to the wolves when politically expedient.
We'll ply there up and down
Not quite exactly
In the service of the Crown
The last line is telling. Privateers were essentially paramilitary bandits of the sea, carrying out dirty work at arms length from their sponsoring government, and 'deniable' when they went too far. The famous Francis Drake (of mythical bowls fame) was one of many privateers in the time of Queen Elizabeth I, who both filled their holds with booty and ravaged 'enemy' shipping in the service of Her Queenship. A long and dishonourable occupation, continued these days by such as mercenaries (sorry, 'security contractors') in Iraq.
I love the lyrics in this song as it reminds of some of my six years of sea time aboard everything from small research ships to large oil tankers. When you are hundreds of miles from the closest friendly port, you really are vulnerable (think Somalia) to pirates even in this modern day. You can call for help on the satellite phone, but it takes quite a while for the cavalry to show up—if ever.
The port towns in some small foreign countries are still pretty wild with bars frequented largely by merchant sailors and the women Mark Knopfler alludes to. Back in the day, the thought of privateering must have been alluring to young men with no other job prospects after hearing sea stories from the lucky privateers who came back alive.
The allure of going to sea was similar for me—adventure and economics—and I miss some aspects of the life, although I'm glad I get to stay home with the wife and kids nowadays.
very interesting comment
I love the lyrics in this song as it reminds of some of my six years of sea time aboard everything from small research ships to large oil tankers. When you are hundreds of miles from the closest friendly port, you really are vulnerable (think Somalia) to pirates even in this modern day. You can call for help on the satellite phone, but it takes quite a while for the cavalry to show up—if ever.
The port towns in some small foreign countries are still pretty wild with bars frequented largely by merchant sailors and the women Mark Knopfler alludes to. Back in the day, the thought of privateering must have been alluring to young men with no other job prospects after hearing sea stories from the lucky privateers who came back alive.
The allure of going to sea was similar for me—adventure and economics—and I miss some aspects of the life, although I'm glad I get to stay home with the wife and kids nowadays.
Pleasant but got nothing on earlier Dire Straits repertoire.
With that said, I like this one - 6
Great movie. The books by Patrick O'Brian are even better—some of the best historical fiction I've read. If you plunge into the series, I highly recommend the lexicon "A Sea of Words" by Dean King, a historical atlas of the Napoleonic era and something like Stephen Biesty's "Cross Sections: Man of War."
SuperWeh wishes that Knopfer would rock out more. I love his sound but feel the same way. I think he got much of that out of his system with Dire Straits.
SuperWeh wrote:
He never really "rocked", great musician, but it always feels like he needs a good kick in the butt
And I wonder whether he would get any airplay if his name weren't Mark Knopfler (I wonder this with Sting too)...
Genius, mellowed and deepened with age.
He never really "rocked", great musician, but it always feels like he needs a good kick in the butt
And I wonder whether he would get any airplay if his name weren't Mark Knopfler (I wonder this with Sting too)...
Genius, mellowed and deepened with age.
We'll ply there up and down
Not quite exactly
In the service of the Crown
To lay with pretty women
And drink Madeira wine
We'll ply there up and down
Not quite exactly
In the service of the Crown
OMG, this song is horrendous. 1
Agree wholeheartedly, me hearties. Yarrrr
one of the best writers, and players on the planet and of course you don't like him....why are you listening to rp?
you dislike most everything you hear.
Half the songs I have rated are 7 or higher. Those same songs are much more than half of the actual air-plays though. Nice try, cleetus.
This song is really bad, as someone else pointed out it sounds like Giligan's Island. I do not get this guy's appeal.
My kind of breakdown!
I agree..nice concept though I guess..but even his worst effort is better than my best, so there you have it ;)
Mark Knopfler @ Sportpaleis Antwerpen - 12-05-2013 - "Privateering Tour" - Never can get enough of Mark's music, lyrics, genius... Wish he'd tour here in the US as much as he does Europe. Soulful music at its best.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Letter_of_Marque
why? to lay with pretty women and drink madeira wine.....makes sense to me
There ya go.
why? to lay with pretty women and drink madeira wine.....makes sense to me
OMG, this song is horrendous. 1
one of the best writers, and players on the planet and of course you don't like him....why are you listening to rp?
you dislike most everything you hear.
There's plenty of very fine "up tempo" stuff on the new MK double album, but for reasons unknown, those gems aren't getting any play here.
OMG, this song is horrendous. 1
Oh the humanity! I don't think I can make it another day. -9999999.
OMG, this song is horrendous. 1
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Letter_of_Marque
marvelous song... soooo pertinent in the present tense...
Everybody in my churches loves this song...
brilliant piece of acting from mr.pitt!
"Fer Maw"
"Fer Maw"
NuggetNectar wrote:
This amazing 2 disc release contains 20 songs. Two of them could be considered "sea songs" (if one really wanted to break that down as a genre). The other 18, not.
That's exactly what I keep hearing too!
I do love Mark Knopfler though, his music makes takes me to far away places.
linden wrote:
How is the rest of the album?
Ya, good point. When we realize that we only get to look forward to the exceptionally good and the exceptionally bad at the rate of 10% of the time each, that means we're left with that 80% of our lives chunk in the terribly banal middle. Seems to me that writing for that middle 80% ain't such a bad idea after all.
How about that amazing tribute to an old truck he did? That was quite interesting, not too many trucker songs in that category of amazing.
I heard the same thing about the Vancouver show. Bob is a legend, but his best live performances are behind him.
I recently saw these guys play live, opening for Bob Dylan. They were so much better than Dylan that the comparison is ridiculous. Really.
Go see them if you can. Singularly brilliant performance.
The lyric about "they treat you like sh*t on a warship" is amazingly accurate.
IrieTom wrote:
Leonard Cohen - Darkness
Grapes of Wrath - All the things I wasn't
Neko Case - Things that scare me
...and now this!
Thank you. I've always been self conscious that I am not funny and could never deliver a joke, but that one, that one I may just try!
How is the rest of the album?
I liked that joke so much that I'm pretty sure if my girlfriend hears that one or "Did you hear about the new pirate movie? It's rated Arrrrr!" again she'll probably murder somebody.
Well, the song is specifically about "privateers" - often referred to as "pirates". Is it the lyrical content or the amount of airplay which be gettin' under yer eyepatch?
Sorry, Proclivities, I wasn't aware that you were reading comprehension challenged. The lyrics are banal and fatuous (hopefully, that's explicit and straight-forward enough for ye, me hearty). This would be a good tune for Pirates of the Caribbean VI, or some other suck-in-the-morons flick. You goin'?
Well, the song is specifically about "privateers" - often referred to as "pirates". Is it the lyrical content or the amount of airplay which be gettin' under yer eyepatch?
OMG yeah! WHFS was the best... Damien, Cerph, Weasel... So many memories. My wife and I won tickets to a WHFS harbor cruise in the early 80s and got to meet and talk with some those guys, after listening to their diverse shows for so many years. Unfortunately shortly thereafter, it got sucked up by some corporate radio conglomerate and changed forever. I remember a new manager guy "Alan Hay", who swore it wouldn´t change. Ha-ha... He probably works for Sony Mergers and Acquisitions now. I just looked it up, and there´s actually a documentary about WHFS called "Feast Your Ears". I need to go check that out!
Cerphe actually got canned from WHFS due to a Greatful Dead Show and related interview. He then went in to WAVA and ended up doing the intro to Little Feat's "Waiting for Columbus."
The more you know.;)