“Harbour Grace”
Description
"Harbour Grace is a very nice place And so is the Bay of Islands, So we give three cheers for Carbonear When the boys comes home from swilin'." Disconnected verses about George and Lizer, going to town and sea, and Mackety Bay
Notes
A song in the style of Weevily Wheat but clearly not related. Smith/Hamm: "this is a Newfoundland song. It is a dance tune, used by fiddlers." Of the places mentioned in the song, Harbour Grace and Carbonear are on the west shore of Conception Bay on the Avalon Peninsula and Bay of Islands is on the west coast of Newfoundland just south of what is now Gros Morne National Park.
MRHCreighton and Creighton-Maritime, p. 180, is an example of Newfoundland "chin" or "cheek" music and Nova Scotia diddling [the book and LP are of the same performance]. Peacock explains "'Chin' or 'mouth' music is a vocal imitation of instrumental music and is used for dancing when a fiddle or accordion is not handy. Some singers ... become so proficient that they are often called upon even when instruments are available." - BS
Recordings
- Omar Blondahl, "Harbour Grace" (on NFOBlondahl04)
- Berton Young, "Harbour Grace Diddling" (on MRHCreighton)
References
- Smith/Hatt, p. 35, "Harbour Grace" (1 text)
- Creighton-Maritime, p. 180, "Harbour Grace"; p. 207, "Harbour Grace" (2 text, 2 tune)
- Roud #2723
- BI, RcHarGrI