Lyrics for Sail the High “C’s” Concert
May 15 and 16, 2025
The Life of a Pirate is Grand Words and Music, Don Brandon
Local Composer Alert: Don Brandon is a “retired” church minister living in Johnson City. With a degree in music composition as well as 50 years of church music experiences, he NEVER got to write a pirate song…until now. Every good choir director works hard to help their groups avoid singing the harsh “R” sound. Well, there’s no avoiding it here:
The life of a pirate is a grand life indeed!
There’s sailing and fighting and great mugs of mead.
Come join us! We’ll find that gold, guaranteed,
for the life of a pirate is grand!
Would you be a pirate? Just follow the call
of sea spray and wind blowing sails, white and tall,
and "shiver me timbers," learn pirate drawl!
'Cause the life of a pirate is grand!
Yes, the life of a pirate is grand!
Arrgh, me matey! Arrgh, yo ho!
Arrgh, for the life of a pirate is grand, so grand!
We don’t need to know much of hist'ry or math.
But when going ashore, we hate all the wrath
from the townsfolk because we forgot to take a bath!
Still the life of a pirate is grand!
Arrgh, me bucko! Arrgh, blackjack!
Arrgh, for the life of a pirate is grand!
Arrgh, blow the man down, Land ho! Ship ahoy, me matey!
Arrgh, avast, ye seadogs, heave ho, yoho!
Arrgh, for the life of a pirate is grand,
so grand, so grand, so grand.
O the life of a pirate is GRAND!
What Shall We Do With the Drunken Sailor English Sea Chanty, Arr. Alice Parker and Robert Shaw
What shall we do with the drunken sailor, what shall we do with the drunken sailor,
what shall we do with the drunken sailor ahrlie in the morning?
Wayhay and up she rises, wayhay and up she rises,
wayhay and up she rises ahrlie in the morning.
Put him in the longboat until he’s sober, put him in the longboat until he’s sober,
put him in the longboat until he’s sober ahrlie in the morning.
Wayhay and up she rises, wayhay and up she rises,
wayhay and up she rises ahrlie in the morning.
Pull out the plug and wet him all over, pull out the plug and wet him all over,
pull out the plug and wet him all over ahrlie in the morning.
Wayhay and up she rises, wayhay and up she rises,
wayhay and up she rises ahrlie in the morning.
Put him in the scuppers with a hosepipe on him, put him in the scuppers with a hosepipe on him,
put him in the scuppers with a hosepipe on him ahrlie in the morning.
Wayhay and up she rises, wayhay and up she rises,
wayhay and up she rises ahrlie in the morning.
Heave him by the leg with a runnin’ bowlin’, heave him by the leg with a runnin’ bowlin’,
heave him by the leg with a runnin’ bowlin’ ahrlie in the morning.
Wayhay and up she rises, wayhay and up she rises,
wayhay and up she rises ahrlie in the morning.
Sea Fever words, John Masefield, music, Evelyn Pursley-Kopitzke
Local Composer Alert: Evelyn Pursley-Kopitzke is a prize-winning local composer whose specialty is musical storytelling with works performed by many organizations, including her recent Procession of the Animals by the Johnson City Symphony. Sea Fever is a setting of John Masefield’s 1902 poem. Listen for bells pealing, waves swelling, and more from this vocal tone painting.
I must go down to the sea again, to the lonely sea and the sky,
and all I ask is a tall ship and a star to steer her by;
and the wheel’s kick and the wind’s song and the white sail’s shaking,
and a gray mist on the sea’s face, and a gray dawn breaking.
I must go down to the sea again, for the call of the running tide
Is a wild call and a clear call that may not be denied;
and all I ask is a windy day with the white clouds flying
and the flung spray and the blown spume and the seagulls crying.
I must go down to the sea again, to the vagrant gypsy life,
to the gull’s way and the whale’s way where the wind’s like a whetted knife;
and all I ask is a merry yarn from a laughing fellow rover,
and quiet sleep and a sweet dream when the long trick’s over.
Sing Me a Song of a Lad that Is Gone Words, Robert Louis Stevenson, Music, Benjamin Dawson
Local Composer Alert: Benjamin Dawson is a former member of AMEn (Appalachian Men’s Ensemble) now residing in Atlanta, Georgia. He bases this beautiful work on the poem by Stevenson built in part on the episode when Britain's Bonny Prince Charlie, after the putdown of his 1745 Jacobite uprising, fled in a small boat to the island of Skye in the Hebrides. Most everyone can relate to this theme of lost youth and dreams.
Sing me a song of a lad that is gone. Say, could that lad be I?
Merry of soul he sailed on a day over the sea to Skye.
Mull was astern, Rum on the port, Eigg on the starboard bow;
Glory of youth glowed in his soul; Where is that glory now?
Give me again all that was there, give me the sun that shone!
Give me the eyes, give me the soul, give me the lad that's gone!
Billow and breeze, islands and seas, mountains of rain and sun,
all that was good, all that was fair, all that was me is gone.
Sing me a song of a lad that is gone. Say, could that lad be I?
Merry of soul he sailed on a day over the sea to Skye.
The Wellerman New Zealand Folk Song, arranged by Jacob Narverud
There once was a ship that put to sea, the name of the ship was the Billy of Tea.
The winds blew up, her bow dipped down. O blow, my bully boys, blow!
Soon may the Wellerman come to bring us sugar and tea and rum.
One day, when the tonguin' is done we'll take our leave and go.
She had not been two weeks from shore when down on her a right whale bore!
The captain called all hands and swore he'd take that whale in tow.
Soon may the Wellerman come to bring us sugar and tea and rum.
One day, when the tonguin' is done we'll take our leave and go.
Before the boat had hit the water the whale's tail came up and caught her.
All hands to the side, harpooned and fought her when she dived down low.
Soon may the Wellerman come to bring us sugar and tea and rum.
One day, when the tonguin' is done we'll take our leave and go.
A line we dropped all in pursuit, she raised her tail, one last salute,
but the harpoon lodged, there’s no dispute, she took that ship in tow.
And then for six long days and six long nights she drove us south with all her might
until we were too tired to fight…then we let her go! HUH!
Soon may the Wellerman come to bring us sugar and tea and rum.
One day, when the tonguin' is done we'll take our leave and go.
Jonah Words and music by Rollo A. Dilworth
This is the story about Jonah whose circumstances made for quite a tale.
He was a man who had a great adventure, while caught up in the belly of a whale!
Jonah was a runnin’ from the call of the Lord.
So he finds a ship that’s sailin’ and he makes his way on board.
But soon and very soon the tempests come. The call of the Lord, he was hiding from,
and a mighty whale was awaitin’ by.
The crew said, “We must all do something fast before this boat sinks.”
So they all drew lots and found out that old Jonah was the jinks.
Poor Jonah then confessed, “I know it’s me.”
The crew of the ship threw him into the sea, and a mighty whale was awaitin’ by.
And he was swallowed up by the whale, and given some time to think things over.
Swallowed up by the whale, and given some time to pray.
He spent three days, three nights, then the whale set Jonah free.
Eternal Father, Strong to Save words, William Whiting, music, John Dykes, arrangement, Dan Forrest
Eternal Father, strong to save, Whose arm does bind the restless wave,
Who bids the mighty ocean deep its own appointed limits keep;
O hear us when we cry to Thee for those in peril on the sea.
O Christ, whose voice the waters heard and hushed their raging at Thy word,
Who walked’st on the foaming deep, and calm amid the rage did sleep;
O hear us when we cry to Thee for those in peril on the sea.
Most Holy Spirit, who didst brood upon the chaos dark and rude,
and bid its angry tumult cease, and give, for wild confusion, peace;
O hear us when we cry to Thee for those in peril on the sea.
O Trinity of love and pow'r, our brethren shield in danger's hour;
from rock and tempest, fire, and foe, protect them where-so-e'er they go;
Thus, evermore shall rise to Thee glad hymns of praise from land and sea. Amen.
Wade in the Water Spiritual, arranged by Mark Hayes
Wade in the water, wade in the water, children,
wade in the water. God’s gonna trouble the water.
See that host all dressed in white, God’s gonna trouble the water.
The leader looks like the Israelite. God’s gonna trouble the water.
See that band all dressed in red, God’s gonna trouble the water.
Looks like the band that Moses led. God’s gonna trouble the water.
Look over yonder, what do you see? God’s gonna trouble the water.
The Holy Ghost acomin’ down on me. God’s gonna trouble the water.
If you don’t believe I’ve been redeemed, God’s gonna trouble the water.
Just follow me down to Jordan’s stream. God’s gonna trouble the water.
Crossing the Bar Words by Alfred, Lord Tennyson music by Gwyneth Walker
Sunset and evening star and one clear call for me!
And may there be no moaning of the bar when I put out to sea;
But such a tide as moving seems asleep, too full for sound and foam,
when that which drew from out the boundless deep turns again home.
Sunset and evening star and one clear call to me!
And may there be no moaning of the bar when I put out to sea.
Twilight and evening bell and after that the dark!
And may there be no sadness of farewell when I embark;
For, tho’ from out our bourne of time and place the flood may bear me far,
I hope to see my Pilot face to face when I have crossed the bar.
Pirates of Penzance Medley W.S. Gilbert and Arthur Sullivan, arranged by Johnie Dean
When the foeman bares his steel (Ta-ran-ta-ra, Ta-ran-ta-ra!)
we uncomfortable feel! (Ta-ran-ta-ra!)
And we find the wisest thing (Ta-ran-ta-ra, Ta-ran-ta-ra!)
is to slap our chest and sing, “Ta-ran-ta-ra!”
For when threatened with emeutes (Ta-ran-ta-ra, Ta-ran-ta-ra!)
and your heart is in your boots (Ta-ran-ta-ra!)
there is nothing brings it round like the trumpet's martial sound.
(Ta-ran-ta-ra, Ta-ran-ta-ra!)
When a felon's not engaged in his employment or maturing his felonious little plans,
his capacity for innocent enjoyment is just as great as any honest man'.
Our feelings we with difficulty smother when constabulary duty's to be done.
Ah, take one consideration with another, a policeman's lot is not a happy one!
Come friends, who plough the sea, truce to navigation, take another station.
Let's vary piracy with a little burglary!
Now here’s a first-rate opportunity to get married with impunity,
and indulge in the felicity of unbounded domesticity.
You shall quickly be parsonified, conjugally matrimonified,
by a doctor of divinity, who is located in this vicinity,
We have missed our opportunity of escaping with impunity;
So farewell to the felicity of our maiden domesticity!
We shall quickly be parsonified, conjugally matrimonified,
by a doctor of divinity!
I am the very model of a modern Major-General.
I've information vegetable, animal, and mineral.
I know the kings of England, and I quote the fights historical
from Marathon to Waterloo, in order categorical;
I'm very well acquainted, too, with matters mathematical.
I understand equations, both the simple and quadratical.
About binomial theorem I'm teeming with a lot o' news,
with many cheerful facts about the square of the hypotenuse.
I'm very good at integral and differential calculus;
I know the scientific names of beings animalculous.
In short, in matters vegetable, animal, and mineral,
I am the very model of a modern Major-General.