Grey Funnel Line

The Grey Funnel Line is one of the songs that sticks with you forever. The lyrics are poignant poetry, the melody fills you with a longing to be elsewhere, and then add an arrangement built with fifths and you'll be haunted as if it was sung by the sirens of ancient mythology. Maddy Prior and June Tabor do it best on their Silly Sisters album. The links on YouTube keep getting pulled so you'll have to track down a version yourself.

Cyril Tawney wrote it as the last song he composed during his long service in the British Navy. Mainly Norfolk has a nice collection of resources related to the song including a description of how Tawney wrote the song.

Lyrics
Don’t mind the rain nor the rolling sea The weary night never worries me But the hardest time in a sailors day Is to watch the sun as it dies away It’s one more day on the Grey Funnel Line The finest ship that sailed the sea Is still a prison for the likes of me But give me wings like Noah’s dove I’ll fly above her to the one I love It’s one more day on the Grey Funnel Line Oh Lord If dreams were only real I’d have my hands on that wooden wheel With all my heart I’d turn around And tell the boys that we’re homeward bound Here’s one more day on the Grey Funnel Line I’ll pass the time like some machine Until blue water turns to green Then I’ll dance on down that walk ashore And sail the Grey Funnel Line no more And sail the Grey Funnel Line no more -- Cyril Tawney 1959

Numbers
1115333123 111531232 11533216 1176535611 176535611

1=F (F)

Here's a set of numbers from Barb Panter:



Samples

 * [[Media:GreyFunnelLineMelody_numbers.ogg|Grey Funnel Line sung by the numbers]]

Inspiration
Maddy Prior and June Tabor do a haunting version of the Silly Sisters album. The links on YouTube keep getting pulled so you'll have to track down a version yourself.

Delores Keane, Mary Black and Emmylou Harris have some beautiful harmonies in this BBC production.

Here's Cyril Tawney performing it later in life with an accordion.