The Old Superb - 1904

Dr. Pitt-Payne in London UK - 17 Sept 2001

The wind was rising easterly,
the morning sky was blue,
the Straits before us
open'd wide and free;
We look'd towards the Admiral,
where high the Peter flew,
and all our hearts
were dancing like the sea.
The French are gone to Martinique
with four and twenty sail,
The 'Old Superb' is old
and foul and slow;
But the French are gone to Martinique,
and Nelson's on the trail,
and where he goes
the 'Old Superb' must go.
So Westward ho! for Trinidad,
and Eastward ho! for Spain,
and 'Ship ahoy!' a hundred times a day.
Round the world if need be,
and round the world again
with a lame duck lagging,
lagging all the way.

The 'Old Superb' was barnacl'd,
and green as grass below,
her sticks were only fit
for stirring grog,
the pride of all her midshipmen
was silent long ago,
and long ago
they ceased to heave the log,
Four year out from home she was,
and ne'er a week in port,
and nothing save
the guns aboard her bright;
But Captain Keats he knew the game,
and swore to share the sport,
for he never yet came in
too late to fight.
So Westward ho! for Trinidad,
and Eastward ho! for Spain,
and 'Ship ahoy!' a hundred times a day.
Round the world if need be,
and round the world again
with a lame duck lagging,
lagging all the way.

"Now up, my lads," the Captain cried,
for sure the case were hard
if longest out were first to fall behind;
Aloft, aloft with studding sails,
and lash them to the yard,
for night and day the trades
are driving blind.
So all day long and
all day long behind the fleet we crept,
and how we fretted
none but Nelson guessed.
But ev'ry night the 'Old Superb'
she sail'd when others slept,
Till we ran the French to earth
with all the rest.

O 'twas Westward ho! for Trinidad,
and Eastward ho! for Spain,
and 'Ship ahoy!' a hundred times a day.
Round the world if need be,
and round the world again,
round the world again,
With a lame duck,
a lame duck alagging,
lagging, lagging all the way!

Soft karaoke
Words
treble clef 1
treble clef 2
lyric line
bass
Lyric Line
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The Old Superb 1904 from 'Songs of The Sea'

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The Old Superb 1904 from 'Songs of The Sea'
The Poem by Henry Newbolt
The Music by C. Villiers Stanford
© 1904 Boosey and Co.
© 1931 copyright renewed in U.S.A. by Boosey and Co. Ltd.
sequenced for Piano by Dr. Pitt-Payne in London UK
on Monday 17 Sept 2001 at 11.21
in association with Doug Grierson
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© James Pitt-Payne, London UK, 2001
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