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White Whale

from Some Folk by Pete Robinson

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about

A few years ago, in a discussion between songwriters to which I was party, the topic turned to ‘novels that would make good folk songs’. Instantly the image of the lifeless body of Gregory Peck lashed to a whale, his arm flailing with the motion of the beast, exhorting his shipmates to follow flashed through my mind. At six or seven years old at the time, I was perhaps a little too young for such a film but it has stuck with me my entire life like a framed photo in the hallway of my mind. Moby Dick it was for me! Knocking around a thousand pages into a five minute song meant there had to be sacrifices – lots of them. And if you can detect a little bit of a Christmas Carol in the music, that's because Ishmael's adventure begins at Christmas.

lyrics

Be done! Now call me Ishmael for in faith that is my name
I and only I survive to tell of what became
Of the Pequod in pursuit of Captain Ahab’s Holy Grail
White Whale!

I served aboard a merchantman out of Nantucket Sound
But seeking for adventure found myself for whaling bound
I met an old harpooner - he was dark as I was pale
In friendship bound together we went hunting for the whale

Queequegg was my shipmate a truer soul you’d never find
A painted dark barbarian. Courageous wise and kind
I prefers a sober pagan in the fury of a gale
To a pious drunken christian – Queequegg’s heart would never fail

Three weeks aboard the Pequod where all was calm pretence
Whence Ahab appears and takes us all into his confidence
Few words but deep, deep meaning from this giant of a man
Entreats us all to join and hunt down his leviathan

This gaunt ungodly, God-like man scorched from lightening’s breath
Beseeched, cajoled, enjoined us on his rendezvous with death
‘This Spanish gold for he – the first - who raises the white whale’
Our course was set, our fate was sealed to destiny we sailed

Not the Rachael, Jeroboam nor the Samuel Enderby
could help us in our quest to find this terror of the sea
Then ‘She blows!”. Suddenly ‘She Blows… See the White Whale blow!’
Ahab spies his nemesis ‘Now to the boats and row!’

For three long days we fought the beast for three days he prevailed
Though brave men fought and died we could not best this damned whale
Says Gabriel to Flask ‘I hear the tolling of a bell…
…this incarnate shaker god will drag us all to hell!’

Then the White Whale sounds and rises and she’s struck and split the keel
The Pequod, dealt a mortal blow, my shipmates fate was sealed
‘Sink all coffins and all hearses now into one common tomb…
I’ll chase thee down to Davey Jones though I be fortune’s fool!’

The ocean claimed the Pequod and made of her a hearse
Enveloped in that great grey shroud her cargo to disperse
But echoes on the water born defying deaths dark veil
‘From hell’s heart I stab at thee
And to the last I grapple thee
With my last breath thou cursed be’
White Whale
White Whale

credits

from Some Folk, released April 6, 2021
Artwork by nadja
nadja-art.blogspot.com/2019/02/whale-drawing.html

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The Mather Robinson Band image

The Mather Robinson Band Salford, UK

Dave Mather and Pete Robinson grew up together in the north of England in the nineteen sixties and have been writing and performing music individually and as a team ever since. From Opera to rock to pop and now back to their roots in folk music. Mather & Robinson entertain audiences in the north west of England but if you ask them - they will hummmm. ... more

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