Ballad of John Rae

from Stirring Up Ghosts Vol 1&2 by Tiller's Folly

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All songs, music & lyrics by Bruce Coughlan (SOCAN) except: The Ballad of John Rae by Bruce Coughlan & Jim Smith (SOCAN)
All tracks produced by Laurence Knight except: Laurence Knight & Steven Drake (15, 23) Joby Baker (4, 21, 24) Bruce Coughlan (6, 14, 20) Mastered & re-mastered by Joby Baker Thank-you to our families, friends and fans for all your support and inspiration!!
Thanks to everyone who contributed to our Kickstarter Stirring Up Ghosts initiative. Special thanks to Rob Armstrong, Katharine Barrett, Bob Chenoweth and the Lexvolds. Special thanks again to Dave & Paula Reed who’s initial contribution made this project possible.

lyrics

THE BALLAD OF JOHN RAE

You may well have heard of Franklin’s fate, of Parry, Ross and McClure
Explorers brave who roamed the North, each gallant men of worth
Though, of all the bold adventurers to comb the Arctic range
The greatest of all was an Orkneyman from the Hall of Clestrain

Drawn to the North, was bold John Rae, shining star of the Hudson’s Bay

The whaling men were first to mark these Northwest Passage straights
A trade route to the Orient that merchants sought for freight
Many’s the banker tried his luck, Many’s the ship would go
And many’s the lad was led to die on the blinding ice and snow

Drawn to the North, was bold John Rae, shining star of the Hudson’s Bay
If was ever a man who could find his way
The name of that man is John Rae

He’d scarcely nigh a dozen men, he put them to the test
And learning from the Esquimeaux he sought the noble quest
12 thousand miles he roamed the North, by oar and sail and march
He made it look a morning stroll from the Ayre to Highland Park

Drawn to the North, was bold John Rae, shining star of the Hudson’s Bay
If was ever a man who could find his way
The name of that man is John Rae

Grave news had reached the Hudson’s Bay that Franklin’s men were lost
John Rae was sent to seek them out no matter what the cost
In learning from the Inuit, a true and honest source
How Franklin’s crew was driven to their desperate last recourse

Drawn to the North, was bold John Rae, shining star of the Hudson’s Bay
If was ever a man who could find his way
The name of that man is John Rae

Seething with ambition strove the ruthless Lady Jane
With wickedness & cunning, John Rae she would defame
She robbed him of the knighthood, so rightfully his due
For he’d found the Northwest Passage and the fate of Franklin’s crew

Now at St. Magnus’ holy ground, my thoughts to you do stray
The greatest man of all the North, the pride of Hudson’s Bay
Who solved the Arctic riddle, Let Scotsmen praise his name!
That truth and time cannot deny so great a man of fame

Raise your glass to bold John Rae, darling pride of the Hudson’s Bay
If was ever a man who could find his way
The name of that man is John Rae
The name of that man is John Rae

He made it look a morning stroll from the Ayre to Highland Park

Drawn to the North, was bold John Rae, shining star of the Hudson’s Bay
If was ever a man who could find his way
The name of that man is John Rae

Grave news had reached the Hudson’s Bay that Franklin’s men were lost
John Rae was sent to seek them out no matter what the cost
In learning from the Inuit, a true and honest source
How Franklin’s crew was driven to their desperate last recourse

Drawn to the North, was bold John Rae, shining star of the Hudson’s Bay
If was ever a man who could find his way
The name of that man is John Rae

Seething with ambition strove the ruthless Lady Jane
With wickedness & cunning, John Rae she would defame
She robbed him of the knighthood, so rightfully his due
For he’d found the Northwest Passage and the fate of Franklin’s crew

Now at St. Magnus’ holy ground, my thoughts to you do stray
The greatest man of all the North, the pride of Hudson’s Bay
Who solved the Arctic riddle, Let Scotsmen praise his name!
That truth and time cannot deny so great a man of fame

Raise your glass to bold John Rae, darling pride of the Hudson’s Bay
If was ever a man who could find his way
The name of that man is John Rae
The name of that man is John Rae

credits

from Stirring Up Ghosts Vol 1&2, released June 1, 2015
Bruce Coughlan – vocals (all tracks) acoustic guitar (2, 4, 6, 8, 9, 11, 12, 14, 15, 16, 19, 20, 21, 23, 24) wood flute (1, 5, 10, 13, 14) whistles (1, 5, 14, 20, 24)
Laurence Knight – electric bass (all tracks) vocals (7, 12, 16, 18, 19, 22, 23)
Nolan Murray – fiddle (5, 14, 15, 16, 18, 19, 20, 21, 24) mandolin (4, 5, 6, 15, 18, 19, 20, 21, 23, 24) 5-string banjo (5, 14, 22, 23)
Joby Baker – drums (4, 20, 21, 24) Whurlitzer piano (4) vocals (20)
Ian Cameron – fiddle (1, 11) mandolin (1)
Noel Chalmers – military drum (20)
Aaron Chapman – vocals (14)
John Cowan – vocals (15)
Doug Cox – dobro (21)
Jack Duncan – percussion (1)
Colleen Eccleston – vocals (21)
Bear Erickson – elec. guitar (20) vocals (20)
Geoff Eyre – drums (2, 8, 17)
Tatiana Hancheroff – vocals (17)
Daryl Havers – accordion (3)
Dave Keogh – vocals (14)
Larry Knechtel – Hammond (15)
Craig McGregor – acoustic guitar (7, 10, 13, 17) elec. guitar (3, 17) octave mandolin (8) mandolin (9)
Jim McWilliams – bagpipes (20)
Sandy Marshall – bagpipes (20)
Chris Nordquist – drums (14, 15, 19, 23)
Gord Maxwell – vocals (2, 3, 11, 18, 22)
Aiden O’Brien – uillean pipes & whistles (4) vocals (4)
Paul O’Brien – vocals (4)
Peter Padden – vocals (2)
Eric Reed – elec. guitar (23) mandolin (6, 16) vocals (16)
Phil Robertson – drums (5, 12, 18, 22)
Mike Sanyshyn – fiddle (3, 7, 8, 9, 10, 12, 13, 17, 22) mandolin (8, 12, 22)
David Sinclair – elec. guitar (4)
Victor Smith – fiddle (9) whistles (3, 7, 8, 9, 10, 13) silver flute (17)
Shawn Soucy – drums (3, 9, 10, 13) percussion (8, 9, 10, 13)
Robbie Steininger – acoustic guitar (1, 5, 22) elec. guitar (18) dobro (18, 22)
Chris Stevens – 5-string banjo (7, 9, 12)
Ed Wagstaff – bagpipes (20)
Valdy – vocals (24)

All songs, music & lyrics by Bruce Coughlan (SOCAN) except: The Ballad of John Rae by Bruce Coughlan & Jim Smith (SOCAN)
All tracks produced by Laurence Knight except: Laurence Knight & Steven Drake (15, 23) Joby Baker (4, 21, 24) Bruce Coughlan (6, 14, 20) Mastered & re-mastered by Joby Baker Thank-you to our families, friends and fans for all your support and inspiration!!
Thanks to everyone who contributed to our Kickstarter Stirring Up Ghosts initiative. Special thanks to Rob Armstrong, Katharine Barrett, Bob Chenoweth and the Lexvolds. Special thanks again to Dave & Paula Reed whose initial contribution made this project possible.

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Bruce Coughlan Maple Ridge, British Columbia

Pacific Canadian-based recording & performing artist, Bruce Coughlan has spent decades making Acoustic Roots Music Music of all descriptions. An expressive singer and rock-solid guitarist, Bruce is driven by one guiding principle: It's all about the Song. ... more

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