“Sable Island Shore”

Description

A tribute to the lifeguards at the Sable Island lighthouse who "glide from the beach to the roaring seas The lives of the crews to save ... They risk their lives in their daily work ... On the Sable Island shore"

Notes

Ted Germain is a Nova Scotia musician. "One of his early compositions, Sable Island Shores, became a local hit and would lead Germain to a recording contract and a series of albums for London Records." (Source: From the East Coast Music Awards Canada site, re 2004 Stompin' Tom Award Recipients)

Sable Island, Nova Scotia, about 23 miles long, is about 110 miles, at its nearest point, from the Nova Scotia coast. According to the Sable Island Preservation Trust site: more than 350 wrecks have been recorded there since 1583; a lifesaving station operated there from 1801 until 1958.

Blondahl04 has no liner notes confirming that this song was collected in Newfoundland. Barring another report for Newfoundland I do not assume it has been found there. There is no entry for "Sable Island Shore" in _Newfoundland Songs and Ballads in Print 1842-1974 A Title and First-Line Index_ by Paul Mercer. - BS

Recordings

• Omar Blondahl, "Sable Island Shore" (on NFOBlondahl04)