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Tales of the Brine and the Maritime

by Adam Kurtz

/
1.
A July day with white, hazy skies We took a mighty crew Aboard the Maude who welcomed us proud As she is wont to do We quested for fish, the mackerel-fish To fill our emptied cores Heading full steam to the sacred waters Off of Haskell's shores We remembered the words our Grandfather urged Always be ware! Beware! Beware the Swirlies! Traverse them if you dare! For those who cross the Swirlies Seldom tell the tale They seldom tell the tale With hope in our bones and our lines cast out We waited for the bites The bend of the pole that told us tonight We'd dine to our delight When the first mate called out, despair in her voice, Quivering with fear "Aye, on this course, not far off the bow, The Swirlies do appear!" We remembered the words our Grandfather urged Always be ware! Beware! Beware the Swirlies! Traverse them if you dare! For those who cross the Swirlies Seldom tell the tale They seldom tell the tale With nowhere to run and nowhere to hide The Captain followed true Left of the red, to the right of the green Of the buoys numbering two The sea serpent spikes of Haddock Rock Lured us to our wreck We knew that the Swirlies cared not where we died So long as we splintered our deck We remembered the words our Grandfather urged Always be ware! Beware! Beware the Swirlies! Traverse them if you dare! For those who cross the Swirlies Seldom tell the tale They seldom tell the tale Steadfast and brave our crew carried on In hope of Haskell's Lee We never did quit on our mackerel-fish quest We don't quit so easily. Because we were proud and caught us a fist The Swirlies were no match And on to the port we sailed with the triumph Of living and of our catch. We remembered the words our Grandfather urged Always be ware! Beware! Beware the Swirlies! Traverse them if you dare! For those who cross the Swirlies Seldom tell the tale But we lived to tell the tale
2.
Halfway Rock is the farthest place I’ll go What lies on beyond her I won’t ever know If sea ships run by mermaids sail the waters south of her I’ll never know Because Halfway Rock is the farthest place I’ll go I was born with sea legs, I was built to sail the seas Exploring bays and inlets throughout the Merriconeag Rare is it a rock I find that I ain’t seen before I have been by Thrumbcap, I’ve laid anchor by Whaleboat’s shore Halfway Rock is the farthest place I’ll go What lies on beyond her I won’t ever know If whale-fish run a disco for the merman boys and girls I’ll never know Because Halfway Rock is the farthest place I’ll go Put a fog around me, I’ll sail through Jaquish Gut Then underneath the Cribstone Bridge I’ll return with both eyes shut I’ll take a crew to Ship’s Cove without a chart in hand I’ll tell tale of gnomes who live upon those enchanted lands Halfway Rock is the farthest place I’ll go What lies on beyond her I won’t ever know If the great Poseidon has a mermaid slave beside him I’ll never know Because Halfway Rock is the farthest place I’ll go I will sail past Drunkers Ledge toward the open sea I will stand upon the Maude both tall and triumphantly I’ll circumnavigate those rocks that mark the halfway spot Then quickly back to mainland so to drink the ale I’ve bought ‘Cause Halfway Rock is the farthest place I’ll go What lies on beyond her I won’t ever know If the seals that swim her waters know of mermaid breeding grounds I’ll never know Because Halfway Rock is the farthest place I’ll go
3.
We curse, we curse the Teri Lee And her crew one by one How many times must she slice our lines Before her work is done Before her cursed work be done? An August escape to the waters of Maine To catch a feast of fish Our lines unfurled, our lures so sharp We never could’ve expected this A boat, a boat, a lobstering boat Approached and overtook Our lines went limp, one after the other, We lost our every hook We curse, we curse the Teri Lee And her crew one by one How many times must she slice our lines Before her work is done Before her cursed work be done? Helpless the feeling as in vain we be reeling Our limply dangling lines Nothing has bit them yet they are broken And the Teri Lee so close by She growled with malice, her captain long calloused To the simple ways of man Left us in her wake, to the horizon she did take As just the kin of Satan can We curse, we curse the Teri Lee And her crew one by one How many times must she slice our lines Before her work is done Before her cursed work be done?
4.
Captain, Captain Overboard He plunged into the sea He took to the waves of the Merrigoneag And he took with him: me. Yes he took with him: me. What a day, what a day to take a sail High on ocean’s crust Fill every sail to the brim with wind We should, nay, we must A wave, a wave so rogue and grand Attacked us at the stern Our Captain did tumble into the Sound Then I, too, took my turn Captain, Captain Overboard He plunged into the sea He took to the waves of the Merrigoneag And he took with him: me. Yes he took with him: me. Like a lightning bolt from Poseidon’s trident So quick we made our dive “Oh Captain! Oh Captain! Grandfather of mine I pray you are alive!” “Yes lad, I am, but my spectacles Now lie on ocean’s floor. This day we lost my bi-focaled lenses, Our pride, but nothing more!” Captain, Captain Overboard He plunged into the sea He took to the waves of the Merrigoneag And he took with him: me. Yes he took with him: me. May have been hours or days or weeks Or months adrift at sea As fortune could have it, was only a minute, ‘Fore the Maude returned to retrieve With the grace of a sea lion I climbed back aboard Ashamed by the hand I’d been dealt The Captain returned to the helm with less grace I hoisted him up by his belt. Captain, Captain Overboard He plunged into the sea He took to the waves of the Merrigoneag And he took with him: me. Yes he took with him: me. Fair maidens and wives whom we’d left safe at port Rejoiced our safe return Craning their necks to hear tale of triumphs And conquests we had earned. The room fell as silent as a stillborn babe As the Captain’s speech began Maybe, just maybe, we needn’t be pushed To ever go full sail again. We shall never go full sail again! Captain, Captain Overboard He plunged into the sea He took to the waves of the Merrigoneag And he took with him: me. Yes he took with him: me. Oh Captain, Captain Overboard Who plunged into the sea.
5.
What maiden, what maiden would betroth to me A Captain out at sea? What maiden, what maiden would give herself to A Captain out at sea? I have no wife awaiting my ship No word down Widow’s walk Nary a lady stares wistfully out at the rocks There was Young Isabella who walked by my side Before I set out to sea Young Isabella, now old, has forgot about me The girls at the inn would giggle and dance Whilst filling my cup full of rum At the end of the evening, the evening was done What maiden, what maiden would betroth to me A Captain out at sea? What maiden, what maiden would give herself to A Captain out at sea? The fairest Rebecca, with porcelain cheeks, Gazed her glass eyes on mine Rebecca married a peddler of lamb and swine. Mary, the daughter of the mayor, did whisper Secrets for only mine ears Mary fell ill, she’s been gone for a fistful of years. Alone on the bridge of my one worldly love I soak in the brine Ocean swells supplanting the supple breasts that could have been mine What maiden, what maiden would betroth to me A Captain out at sea? What maiden, what maiden would give herself to A Captain lost at sea?

about

Twas time for Sea Shanties to be writ about Casco Bay and its waters. Captain Adam explores the Merriconeag by boat and by song in this collection of modern day Shanties for Sailers of all breed.

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released July 14, 2015

Captain Adam Kurtz: vocal and guitar

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Adam Kurtz Nashville, Tennessee

Nashville-based singer, songwriter, guitarist, pedal steel guitarist, manic-album-maker, wing enthusiast.

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