Simon Campbell - The Perilous Gate

from The People Have Songs - Volume 1 by Various Artists

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about

When Phyl Lobl found the original 19th century poem describing these shipwrecks she abridged and set it to music. The author had altered some dates to accomodate rhyme and metre, but the essential drama of the story with its themes of courage and regret are unaffected. Rhymin’ Simon, long known as a reciter and humorist, revealed his singing voice with this one and hasn’t looked back.

lyrics

A tale I’ll tell of a perilous gate upon the Eastern coast
Of many shipwrecks and ruins this narrow gate can boast
Beneath Newcastle harbour waves
Lie rotting hulks and sailors graves
Hero’s tombs are hidden caves
Below the Nobby’s post

Yes sir, a pretty entrance but were I homebound sail
I’d rather stand far out to sea when it blows a stiffish gale
Blowing from the south or east
Each huge wave a crest of yeast
Is charging like a wounded beast
And mounts the rolling rail

On the sixth day of November in 1858
The Eleanor Lancaster was caught entering that perilous gate
We watched those huddled in the top
With nothing but a slender prop
Which at each blow we thought would drop
As all the timbers failed

An awful sea was running and not in all that crew
Was one who thought boats could be brought those boiling breakers through
Then a little fair man
Pushed and panted as he ran
And urged us all the waves to scan
And to our mates be true!

“Come lads” he shouted shrill and clear “Who’ll venture it with me?
Each minute lost a life may cost in such a tumbling sea
With four good men I’ll wager
We’ll bring them all to shore
Come who will try?” Three answered “I”
And I sir made up four

It was a roughish kind of trip but Chatfield steered us well
I see him there with his fairish hair facing what befell
And when we’d brought them all to shore
He shook us by the hand once more
I’ve met no braver men before
The truth to you I’ll tell

For ten more years the oyster bank was beaconed by a spar
That stood in witness to the storm that sank the Lancaster
Five fathoms deep her rotting shell
A prayer the slender mast did tell
A brave deed done so nobly well
A good ten years before

Then toward the close of winter hard blowin’ all the night
The great sea horses tearing high raced madly past the bight
Many a man came down to see
If inbound craft there chanced to be
Sailors’ wives watched anxiously
Out on the surging flood

Cawarra was comin’ in I knew her bow so well
We watched her as she struggled on and battled with the swell
We watched her through the mounting blast
And hoped that once the Nobby’s past
The harbour she might make at last
None but the gods could tell

She tried to turn again to sea when a snow white whiff of steam
Told us that her fires were out and she drifted on her beam
Her boilers by the waves were quenched
Her engines by the waves were drenched
Watchers hearts were sorely wrenched
And hope a fading dream

No boats set out to rescue those still clinging to the wreck
‘Though one was there with his fairish hair, he now stood on that deck
His beacon pointing to the sky
Urged us not to let him die
But his same noble feat to try
No man would risk his neck

Many’s the time at midnight I’ve heard the tempest roar
I’ve lain awake and wished that I could have the chance once more
To be the one to leave the crowd
To call his name out clear and loud
And free from Neptune’s salty shroud
Bring him back to shore

credits

from The People Have Songs - Volume 1, released August 12, 2020
words anonymous, tune by Phyl Lobl
sung by Simon Campbell

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all rights reserved

tags

about

Miguel Heatwole image

Miguel Heatwole Sydney, Australia

Miguel’s a versatile singer, choral director & composer. His interests include folk & world music, political satire, the environment, trade unionism & the responsible enjoyment of alcohol. His songwriting embraces themes like peace & justice, the family cat, & visceral passionate attraction. His enthusiasm for recording community singing has let many people share the power of their songs. ... more

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