“Sinking of the Titanic (Titanic #9)”

Description

The Titanic leaves Southampton. After the ship strikes an iceberg, her officers call upon the Carpathia for help. The passengers and crew place women and children in the lifeboats, leaving the men to go down with the ship.

Supplemental text

Sinking of the Titanic (Titanic #9)
  Partial text(s)

          *** A ***

As recorded (and probably written) by Richard "Rabbit" Brown.
Recorded on Victor 35840, 1927. Transcribed by Robert Waltz
(with thanks to Lyle Lofgren).

Twas on the ten of April
On a sunny afternoon,
The Titanic left Southampton
Each one as happy as bride and groom.
No one thought of danger
Or what their fate might be
Until a gruesome iceberg caused
Fifteen hundred perish in the sea.

(4 additional stanzas plus a portion of "Nearer, My God, to Thee.")

Long description

The Titanic leaves Southampton, bound for America with happy passengers and crew. After the ship strikes an iceberg, her officers call upon the Carpathia for help, but she is far away. The passengers and crew, realizing the ship is sinking, place women and children in the lifeboats, leaving the men to go down with the ship. The band plays "Nearer My God to Thee" as the ship sinks (Singer sings the hymn)

Notes

This song can be distinguished from the other Titanic songs primarily by its lack of a chorus, by its description of the SOS call to the Carpathia, and by the singing of "Nearer My God to Thee" at the end. - PJS

Richard Brown in fact not only sang "Nearer..." but did it in a sort of distorted voice, like music heard through water. A cute trick. Although the song was not recorded until 1927, Lyle Lofgren thinks it was written soon after the tragedy, because of the details it has, most of which (except for the playing of "Nearer...") are accurate. Despite this song (and other folklore), the band on the _Titanic_ did *not* play "Nearer My God to Thee" as the ship sank. Instead, they played light music to prevent panic.

For an extensive history of the _Titanic_, with detailed examination of the truth (or lack thereof) of quotes in the _Titanic_ songs, see the notes to "The Titanic (XV)" ("On the tenth day of April 1912") (Titanic #15) - RBW

Historical references

• April 14/15, 1912 - Shortly before midnight, ship's time, the Titanic strikes an iceberg and begins to sink. Only 711 survivors are found of 2224 people believed to have been aboard.

Recordings

• Richard "Rabbit" Brown, "Sinking of the Titanic" (Victor 35840, 1927; on TimesAint01)

References

1. ST RcTitaIX (Partial)
2. BI, RcTitaIX