> Peter Bellamy > Songs > Frankie’s Trade
Frankie’s Trade
[ Roud - ; Mudcat 11594 ; words Rudyard Kipling, music Peter Bellamy; notes on Frankie’s Trade at the Kipling Society]
Frankie’s Trade is a poem about Sir Francis Drake from Rudyard Kipling’s book Rewards and Fairies. Peter Bellamy sang it in 1970 on his first album of songs set to Kipling’s poems, Oak, Ash & Thorn. His former Young Tradition band mates Royston Wood and Heather Wood plus Robin Dransfield joined in on the chorus lines. Peter Bellamy noted:
This song comes from the story Simple Simon which describes the early adventures of Sir Francis Drake as related by Simon Cheyneys, a 16th Century shipbuilder and burgess of the town of Rye. The tune is based on the first line of the well-known sea-shanty Go Down Ye Blood Red Roses.
Dave Webber sang Frankie’s Trade in 1993 on his and Anni Fentiman’s album Together Solo. They noted:
Sir Francis Drake has long been one of the jewels in the crown of English seafaring history, which seldom sees fit to mention his early life as a Privateer and indulgence in near piracy. This song portrays a discussion between three of the worlds oceans trying to decide which one of them taught him his trade. The words are by Rudyard Kipling and the tune and setting are by the late and great Peter Bellamy.
Jon Boden sang Frankie’s Trade as the 8 August 2010 entry of his project A Folk Song a Day and in 2011 on Folk Police Recordings’ tribute CD Oak Ash Thorn. He first recorded the song onto wax cylinder, then sang overtop that recording, giving this song more historical feel.
Lyrics
Frankie’s Trade
Old Horn to All Atlantic said:
(A-hay O! To me O!)
“Now where did Frankie learn his trade?
For he ran me down with a three-reef mains’le.”
(All round the Horn!)
Atlantic answered: “Not from me!
(A-hay O! To me O!)
You’d better ask the cold North Sea,
For he ran me down under all plain canvas.”
(All round the Horn!)
The North Sea answered: “He’s my man,
(A-hay O! To me O!)
For he came to me when he began--
It’s Frankie Drake in an open coaster.
(All round the Sands!)
“I caught him young and I used him sore,
(A-hay O! To me O!)
So you never shall startle Frankie more,
Without capsizing Earth and her waters.
(All round the Sands!)
“I did not favour him at all,
(A-hay O! To me O!)
I made him pull and I made him haul--
And stand his trick with the common sailors.
(All round the Sands!)
“I froze him stiff and I fogged him blind,
(A-hay O! To me O!)
And kicked him home with his road to find
By what he could see of a three-day snow-storm.
(All round the Sands!)
“I learned him his trade o’ winter nights,
(A-hay O! To me O!)
’Twixt Mardyk Fort and Dunkirk lights
On a five-knot tide with the forts a-firing.
(All round the Sands!)
“Before his beard began to shoot,
(A-hay O! To me O!)
I showed him the length of the Spaniard’s foot--
And I reckon he clapped the boot on it later.
(All round the Sands!)
“If there’s a risk which you can make
(A-hay O! To me O!)
That’s worse than he was used to take
Nigh every week in the way of his business;
(All round the Sands!)
“If there’s a trick that you can try
(A-hay O! To me O!)
Which he hasn’t met in time gone by,
Not once or twice, but ten times over;
(All round the Sands!)
“If you can teach him aught that’s new,
(A-hay O! To me O!)
I’ll give you Bruges and Niewport too,
And the ten tall churches that stand between ’em.”
(All round the Sands!)
So storm along, my gallant Captains!
(All round the Horn!)