Here’s something a little different. It’s a song about the British Navy’s battle of Trafalgar with France and Spain off the coast of Spain. I’ve been reading some of my Sea History magazines and they sometimes write about stuff like this.
I wonder how many Brits will know this song? Spaniards? Any readers out there heard this one before? I’m not that much into military history, but even I remember hearing about that battle, cool that they wrote a song about it. 😉
Farewell Shanty
On the twenty-first of October, before the rising sun
We formed a line for action, boys, at twelve o’clock begun.
Brave Nelson to his men did say “The Lord will prosper us this day.
Give them the broadside; fire away, on board a man-of-war.”
Chorus:
Let him die in Peace, God bless you all, On board a man-of-war.
Let him die in Peace, God bless you all, On board a man-of-war.
From broadside to broadside our cannonballs did fly.
Like hailstones, the small shot, around the deck did lie.
Our masts and rigging were shot away, besides some thousands on that day
Were killed and wounded in the fray, on board a man-of-war.
Chorus
May heaven reward Lord Nelson, likewise protect his men.
Nineteen sails of the combined fleet were sunk and taken in.
The Achille blew up amongst them all, which made the French for mercy call.
Nelson was slain by a musket ball, on board a man-of-war.
Chorus
There’s many a brave commander, with grief he shook his head
But yet their grief had no relief, for Nelson he lay dead.
It was a fatal musket ball that caused our hero for to fall.
He cried `Fight on. God bless you all’, on board a man of war.
Chorus
Let’s hope this glorious battle will surely bring a peace,
And that our trade in England may flourish and increase.
Our ships from port to port go free and turn the hearts of our enemy.
To Nelson’s death and victory, on board a man-of-war.
Chorus
Let him die in Peace.
