Rum, Eigg and Muck
I guess the theme of this one is stories that “sail away” or get forgotten. I got a bit carried away on the presentation, hanging a sheet over the curtain pole and making a sort of green screen and then putting three minutes of film of the Trent shoreline behind me. Its a long way to the sea from where I live!
Dad was a navy man
Back in the war
His whole life was shaped
By the things that he saw
A strong man a bright man
So often reserved
He’d explode on a short fuse
When I got on his nerves
Just now and then
He’d tell me stories
Of places he’d been to
Things that he’d seen
“Have I told you the one about?”
His opening line
But I barely listened
In my teens at the time
I left home at eighteen
And rarely went back
Frustrated relations
The generation gap
He died in the nineties
We could have done more
But so much of both of us
Was shaped by the war
Now I’m much older
Those stories are gone
Most of them sailed away
But a few still live on
Take me to Freetown
Take me to Stornaway
Take me to Malta and “Gib”
Those stories are gone now
But some of them stuck
Sail me past islands
Called Rum, Eigg and Muck
© Mark Spruce 07/04/2023
Love the tone of your guitar, and some nice picking. Another story well done.
A very light and skipping sort of feel which is very effective – guitar sound adds to that. It feels very honest too.
A super story, well played and sung.
Nice story song. Lovely guitar tone and very nice picking in between the verses etc
Great story Mark. A fitting tribute and well played😁👍
Enjoyed that Mark, really well written.
Hi Mark, I can really relate to this as my dad was also in the Royal Nacy during the war and, like you, I never listened to anything he said, and I now regret it. Some nice guitar playing too – good sound. Cheers.
I´m a sucker for a story song so this is my sort of song. That guitar sound is nice (Chorus?). I think we all regret not asking more questions, listened to the stories more closely.
Great story telling and beautiful chiming guitar sound. Hang the sheet was worth it. The flowing water adds to the performance nicely. 👍
Loved the guitar part and the way the song moved through subtle shifts keeping the attention. But most of all love that it’s a song about your dad.
Such a well composed lyric, I felt so sad listening to your story. The melody fitted so well and set the mood. Lovely guitar work.
A tale really well told that will no doubt resonate to many. Nice melancholy melody.
Nice storytelling, and nice guitar riff.
Really like this Mark
Thank you everyone for your positive and encouraging comments
That’s a fine story, well told, Mark. I really like the way you change the verse structure around. You drew me into the song and engaged my heart. Very nicely done 👏👏