15 September 2016

Pentangle - Lord Franklin

There are many times where music compelled me to investigate further into topics, history, or places. In rare cases, however, something I read led me to the music. Such was the case of Lord Franklin and his search of the Northwest Passage which I first encountered in Sten Nadolny's novel 'The Discovery of Slowness' (original German title: Die Entdeckung der Langsamkeit). The recent rediscovery of the HMS Terror has reminded me of the ballad 'Lord Franklin' aka 'Lady Franklin's Lament' which recalls the loss of the expedition ...



Lord Franklin
Pentangle, Bert Jansch, John Renbourn

It was homeward bound one night on the deep
Swinging in my hammock I fell asleep
I dreamed a dream and I thought it true
Concerning Franklin and his gallant crew



With one hundred seamen he sailed away
To the frozen ocean in the month of May
To seek a passage around the pole
Where we poor seamen do sometimes go

Through cruel hardships they mainly strove
Their ship on mountains of ice was drove
Only the Eskimo with his skin canoe
Was the only one that ever came through

In Baffin's Bay where the whale fish blow
The fate of Franklin no man may know
The fate of Franklin no tongue can tell
Lord Franklin along with his sailors do dwell

And now my burden it gives me pain
For my long lost Franklin I'd cross the main
Ten thousand pounds I would freely give
To say on earth that my Franklin do live

Songwriters: ADRIAN MAXWELL SHERWOOD, ALAN EDWARD BRANCH, CORA VENUS(CV LUNNY) LUNNY, DONAL LUNNY, PETE LOCKETT, SINEAD O'CONNOR, STEPHEN WICKHAM
© EMI Music Publishing, Warner/Chappell Music, Inc.
For non-commercial use only.

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