Uploaded by musicaergosum on Jul 13, 2008
The Pentangle
Cruel Sister (1970)
3. Lord Franklin
(traditional)
It was homeward bound one night on the deep
Swinging in my hammock I fell asleep
I dreamed a dream and I thought it true
Concerning Franklin and his gallant crew
With one hundred seamen he sailed away
To the frozen ocean in the month of May
To seek that passage around the pole
Where we poor seamen do sometimes go
Through cruel hardships they mainly strove
Their ships on mountains of ice was drove
Only the Eskimo with his skin canoe
Was the only one who ever came through
In Baffin's Bay where the whale fish blow
The fate of Franklin no man may know
The fate of Franklin no tongue can tell
Lord Franklin among his sailors do dwell
And now my burden it gives me pain
For my long lost Franklin I'd cross the main
Ten thousand pounds I would freely give
To say on earth that my Franklin do live
Jacqui McShee
Bert Jansch
John Renbourn
Terry Cox
Danny Thompson
Photo:
Giulio Pili (1872-1950)
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Top Comments
All Comments (25)
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The instrumentation in this is Absolutely
Brilliant!
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This is just such a wonderful piece of English folk. Love it.
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@beans1308 Dear oh dear. Have yourself a faceslap.
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@beans1308 No- it's you Yanks that appear to be thick - well probably just you in particular - this song is about Sir John Franklin whose expedition disappeared whilst attempting to navigate the NorthWest Passage in 1845.
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you brits are so thick,our ben franklin never went to the ice
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Many thanks for posting this.
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love it thanks xx.
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O how I love this song - have done since heard it when "Cruel Sister" first came out (about 40 years ago!). Thank you sooo much for posting it.
Saw them several times in concert - Sophia Gardens, Cardiff in 1970, then again in Caerphilly. They were just a good live as on record. They were such a fusion of talent that created an enduring sound that, quite literally, lasts a lifetime.
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Did you know there is a statue to Franklin at the end of the Mall in SW1
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Love this song but the lilting in the background ruins it for me. I think Micheal O'Domhnaill's rendition gives this song its due.
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brilliant.
yetiflicker 3 years ago 6
Been thinking about this song for, oh, 22 years or so. So much better than I remembered. Thanks for posting.
eshafto 3 years ago 4