Topsail Shivers in the Wind, The

DESCRIPTION: "The topsail shivers in the wind, Our ship she casts to sea, But yet my soul, my heart, my mind, Are, Mary, moored with thee." The singer touches on the difficulties of the voyage and thinks constantly of his return home
AUTHOR: Michael Arne (1741-1786) and Edward Thompson (source: Stone-SeaSongsAndBallads; Bodleian web site)
EARLIEST DATE: 1776 (Journal from the Ann)
KEYWORDS: sailor home love
FOUND IN:
REFERENCES (2 citations):
Stone-SeaSongsAndBallads XCVI, pp. 189-190, "The Sailor's Adieu" (1 text)
Huntington-SongsTheWhalemenSang, pp. 59-60, "The Topsail Shivers in the Wind" (1 text plus part of another, 1 tune)
Roud #2017
BROADSIDES:
Bodleian, Harding B 17(316b), Firth c.13(3), Harding B 25(1936), "The topsails shiver," J. Jennings (London), 1790-1840; also Firth c.13(5)= Harding B 16(86a), "The Faithful Sailor," J. Pitts (London), 1802-1819; also Harding B 11(39), "The Faithful Sailor," J. Pitts (London), 1819-1844; also 2806 c.17(435), "Top sails shiver in the wind," W. Smith (Newcastle), n.d.; also 2806 c.17(377), "The sailor's adieu," W. Smith (Newcastle), n.d.; also Harding B 16(290c), "The topsails shiver," J. Kendrew (York), n.d.
File: SWMS059

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