Charles Dibdin - Tom Bowling (Robert Tear)

Tom Bowling by Charles Dibdin (1745-1814)

Robert Tear, tenor
Andre Previn, piano


Tom Bowling

Here a sheer hulk, lies poor Tom Bowling
The darling of our crew;
No more he'll hear the tempest howling
For death has broached him to.
His form was of the manliest beauty, his heart was kind and soft;
Faithful below, Tom did his duty
And now he's gone aloft
And now he's gone aloft

Tom never from his word departed
His virtues were so rare:
His friends were many and true hearted
His poll was kind and fair;
And then he'd sing so blithe and jolly
Ah! many's the time and oft;
But mirth is turn'd to melancholy
For Tom is gone aloft
For Tom is gone aloft

Yet shall poor Tom find pleasant weather
When he who all commands
Shall give, to call life's crew together
The word to pipe all hands:
Thus death, who kings and tars despatches
In vain Tom's life hath doff'd
For tho' his body's under hatches
His soul is gone aloft
His soul is gone aloft

Category:

Music

Tags:

• robert
• tear
• tenor
• andre
• previn
• piano
• tom
• bowling
• charles
• dibdin
• british
• sea
• song

[stevearcher2000]

The Celtic Cross in memory of Charles Dibdin the Elder is in St.Martin's Gdns, Camden, London. The black signboard shown in the photo has a portrait of Dibdin and a lengthy biography. Congratulations to whichever organisation made this happen.

Nearby, in Joseph Grimaldi Park, Pentonville Road, Islington, there is a new - slightly odd - memorial to Charles Dibdin the Younger and Grimaldi.

There is also a statue of Charles the Elder in the Peacock Room, Trinity College of Music, Greenwich

[whiteocean78]

@stevearcher2000 Wow... You must have been there. Thank you for your information. :))

[foxitewhig]

Lovely song.  What are the pictures?

[whiteocean78]

I'm not sure what the first picture is, but I think it was the grave of Charles Dibdin or his older brother, Thomas according to the website I downloaded it from. The other one is the composer's portrait.

[CurzonRoad]

Beautiful... very moving...thank you!

[louisekr2000]

tom bowlinng is a guy that died at sea. and his friend was charles bidbin( the writer) who wrote this song about him after he died in memory of him

[Lisnageeragh]

Who was Tom Bowling?

[henryahasmith]

Used cello version for dad's funeral, beautiful piece!

[pietergrimbergen]

Robert Tear, who passed away end of march 2011, one of my favourite musicians: in this song all of his refined qualities are there. Refined, that 's the word... A beautiful song, simple, warm, restful, true music...

Today, april the 1rst 2011, I sent this mail to a beloved friend of me ...

Pieter C. Grimbergen/Holland

[drtmuir]

RIP, dear Robert Tear.

[lestermaybe]

The memorial to Charles Dibdin is, more correctly, in St Martin's Gardens, Camden Town, London NW1 (in the London Borough of Camden). I note that it will be the bicentenary of the death of Charles Dibdin in July 2014 - let's home that there will be suitable musical ceremonial. As a former naval officer, I am very pleased that there should be such an important maritime connection just a few hundred yards from my canal-side home.

[blarny38]

I don't know where the grave and monument are, but the portrait is of Charles Dibdin, the composer.