“The Sailor's Grave”

Description

"Our bark was far, oh, far from land, When the fairest of our gallant band Grew deadly pale and pined away." Lacking "costly winding sheets," they wrap the dead man in his hammock and a flag and sadly bury him at sea

Notes

There is a parody of this ballad as broadside NLScotland, L.C.1269(176.a), "Parody On The Sailor's Grave,"Poet's Box (Glasgow?), 1863 - BS

Broadsides

• Bodleian, Harding B 11(3383), "The Sailor's Grave" ("Our bark was far, far from the land"), J. Harkness (Preston), 1840-1866; also Harding B 11(27), Harding B 11(4264), Harding B 11(3382), Harding B 11(3383), Harding B 11(3384), Harding B 16(240b), Harding B 26(586), Harding B 11(2745), Firth c.12(445), "The Sailor's Grave"
• LOCSheet, sm1845 402000, "The Sailor's Grave" ("Our bark was out far, far from land"), F. D. Benteen (Baltimore), 1845; also sm1845 791150, "The Sailor's Grave" (tune)

Recordings

• Pat Ford, "The Sailor's Grave" (AFS 4211 B1, 1939; in AMMEM/Cowell)

References

1. Doerflinger, pp. 160-162, "The Sailor's Grave" (1 text, 1 tune)
2. Colcord, pp. 162-163, "The Sailor's Grave" (1 text, 1 tune)
3. Warner 155, "A Sailor's Grave" (1 text, 1 tune)
4. Smith/Hatt, p. 47, "Sailor's Burial at Sea" (1 text)
5. DT, SAILGRAV*
6. Roud #2676
7. BI, Wa155