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lord franklin

from Telling Tales by Janette Geri

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about

british rear admiral sir john franklin, born on april 16, 1785, discovered the northwest passage, but disappeared in the course of the exploration. this song was written by is wife, Jane Griffin (Lady Franklin) in 1855. the story goes that they became ice bound, and endured there for 2 years. what killed them however was lead poisoning from the tinned food they were eating during that time. I first heard this song on an album called 'before I forget' by andy armstrong, a fine singer I knew from Adelaide, south Australia. I did lots of session work with andy, and his album is still a favourite. I hope he's still singing, I remember his beautiful voice...

lyrics

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 a hundred sailors he sailed away
to a frozen ocean in the month of may
to seek a passage around the pole
where we poor sailors do sometimes go

through cruel hardship they vainly strove
until their ship on lumps of ice were drove
only the eskimo in his skin canoe
was the only one that ever came through

in baffin's bay where the whale fished play
the fate of franklin no man can say
the fate of franklin no tongue can tell
if he on the earth, or in the depths, do dwell

and now my burden it brings me pain
I long to sail upon the seas again
ten thousand pounds I would freely give
to know if my franklin, if my sweet franklin, do live

credits

from Telling Tales, released November 2, 2007
arrangement ~ janette geri

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Janette Geri VIC, Australia

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