The loss of the Ira H. Owen - Lyrics & Song
Many horrible stories have been told about one of the deadliest storms on the great lakes which took place in the winter of 1905. The storm wrecked over 30 vessels and killed approx. 60 people. The most famous wreck was the SS Mataafa, after which the storm later was named, the Mataafa Storm. But many stories have not been told so far. This is the story and song about the Ira H. Owen and her last struggle against a merciless November witch...
https://soundclick.com/r/s8nvrh
Sorry for the "raw" recording, this was one take...
The loss of the Ira H. Owen
music and lyrics by Stefan Portune
The weather was fine and the forecast seemed fair
when the men at the harbor grew restless
their cargo well stowed and enough supplies bought
though the voyage this time would be guestless
Her cargo for Buffalo, State of New York
was loaded with bushels of barley
to deliver its freight till the end of November
a journey to carry her farly
19 sailors on board where a young crew for sure
not one was older than twenty
And when the captain fell ill, his first mate stepped in
But experience he got was plenty
The crossing they´ll make, he has already made
a numerous time on his duty
This voyage, he thought, will not last very long
will only be remembered just fluky
As the winds blowing in and the course being set
the ship slowly left Duluth Harbor
The engine starts swallowing the coal from the men
and the smoke starts to pull them ‘way farther
as the steamer grows small in the eyes of them all
their ship`s heading into rough waters
the men at the railing with their eyes getting wet
greet farewell to their wives, sons and daughters
farewell to their wives, sons and daughters
little did they know what was lying ahead
the ship made good speed, winds were breezy
but when they reached the Apostles and looked up to the sky
the weather was about getting uneasy
the ships bell chimed softly, no one striking her though
an omen that frightens all sailors
when the storm grew stronger, tall waves hit midship
the crewmen started their wailers
The men in the engine room fought hard for their lives
to keep their boiler under fire
the steamer starts rollin’ from starboard and back
as the ice waves climbed higher and higher
they would struggle and fight against icy winds bite
when the ship was taking in water
the captain and crew knew what’s coming to them
greet farewell to their wives, sons and daughters
a last farewell to their wives, sons and daughters
The hurricane struck them with full force by now
The ice winds kept coming straight
their captain not only the master of their ship
soon became the master of their fate
the Mataafa Blow on that November day
without mercy, without even caring
she capsized in seconds dragged down by the witch
unheard where the screams they were sharing
she lies 300 feet down in the darkness below
surrounded by dark and cold waters
her white men still guarding the last precious load
remembered by their wives, sons and daughters
only by their wives, sons and daughters Hmmhmmhmm
She may be the first but tragedy struck hard
on that fateful cold November day
30 ships and more where wrecked in that night
but she lays unknown far Outer Island Bay
she may not be called the queen of the lake
but her fate came to tragic fame
her final voyage is now lost in time
but the Ira H. Owen was her name
the Ira H. Owen is her name
Hmm hmhmm hmhm hmhmhm
Comments
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Very nice! I like the story, and the music
It's good to have the chorus in there for variation given that it's a reasonably long song (much beloved of folk singers!!)
And I like the repeat on the last line in the chorus. Gives it more weight.
I'm going to call out quite a few things below as suggestions, but largely they are grammatical. As I said I like your song!
- "carry her farly". I'm afraid "farly" isn't a word. You might try "fairly" and live with the non-rhyme, but you have used "fair" already earlier in the verse
- "19 sailors on board" feels a bit rushed. Maybe "19 on board"?
- "where a young crew for sure" should be "were a young crew for sure"
- "But experience he got was plenty" doesn't read quite right. Maybe "He had experience a-plenty"?
- "a numerous time on his duty" should be "numerous times on his duty"
- "greet farewell" > "bid farewell" Greet is only for meeting people not leaving them
- "the weather was about getting uneasy" > "the weather was getting uneasy"
- "the ships bell chimed softly, no one striking her though" -- this feels way too rushed
- "the crewmen started their wailers". Not sure what this means. Is "wailers" a nautical term? If you mean "started wailing" then this doesn't work. Maybe "the crewman turned to the bailers" instead?
- "unheard where the screams" > "unheard were the screams"
- "she lies 300 feet down in the darkness below" again too rushed. How about "300 feet down in the darkness below"
- "her white men still guarding" why describe them as white?
- "30 ships and more where wrecked in that night" > "30 ships and more were wrecked in that night"
- "but her fate came to tragic fame" I think it might match the rhythm of the previous line better if it was "but her fate came to the same tragic fame"
And feel free to ignore any or all of that if it doesn't feel right to you!
-Owen
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Thank you so much for your time, Owen! That's the problem with a non-native speaker...:-)
Appreciate you took the time to help me with this. I always mix up were and where...damn.
I changed everything you mentioned but I have two questions and one explanation:
- What do you mean by "the ships bell chimed softly, no one striking her though" -- this feels way too rushed. Is it too early in the story or is the line somehow odd or too long?
- "wailers" was given to me by my translator in the meaning of lament. I sucks, but I will change the whole part to have a better match/rhyme. :-)
- her white men still guarding" why describe them as white? White men is a reference to "Old Whitey". The nickname was given to a deceased crewman of the SS Kamloops, which sank in Lake Superior in 1927. The decedent's body has remained underwater in the wreckage of the vessel since the foundering on December 7, 1927 and his corpse is incredibly white. But lets be realistic; if this gives a wrong imagination, I would change it. What do you think?
Cheers, Stefan
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Re this line: "the ships bell chimed softly, no one striking her though" I meant in terms of the number of syllables there. To me it feels like a squeeze to fit them all in. But you needn't agree! Anything from me should be read as: have you thought about X? If you have and you like it as is then that is fine.
Re "Old Whitey", I think few people will know or understand the reference. If you are hoping to market the song commercially, then I think there is some risk of people taking it as a racial reference and being upset about it. It could make it less appealing to a publisher for example. If the song is for your personal enjoyment, to share with friends etc. then that won't matter as you'll have every chance to explain it, if asked, as you kindly did for me.
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Thx Owen, you're right, the reference is not vital to the song, so I'll change that too
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Re this line: "the ships bell chimed softly, no one striking her though" I meant in terms of the number of syllables there. To me it feels like a squeeze to fit them all in. But you needn't agree! Anything from me should be read as: have you thought about X? If you have and you like it as is then that is fine. sad dp
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Nice story and nice song!!
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Howdy, Stranger!