Story Behind The Song

one of my Celti,c Scottish folk songs

Song Description

Departing for a long whaling trip... be gone a year or more for those men and the missing of home.

Lyrics

Farewell To Tarwathie

Farewell to Tarwathie, adieu Mormond Hill
and the dear land of Crimmond, He'll bid ye farewell.
He is bound out for Greenland and ready to sail,
in hopes to find riches in hunting the whale.

Adieu to his comrades, for awhile he must part
and likewise the dear lass what fair won his heart.
The cold ice of Greenland his love will not chill,
and the longer his absence more loving she'll feel.

His ship is well rigged and she's ready to sail,
her crew they are anxious to follow the whale.
There the icebergs do float and the stormy winds blow
There the land and the ocean are covered with snow

The cold coast of Greenland is barren and bare,
No seed-time or harvest is ever known there
and the birds here sing sweetly on mountain and glen.
But there isna a birdie to sing to the whale.

There is no habitation for a man to live there,
and the king of that country is the fierce Greenland bear;
and there'll be no temptation to tarry long there,
With his ship bumper full he will homeward repair

Farewell to Tarwathie, adieu, Mormond Hill
and the dear land of Crimmond, He'll bid ye farewell;
He is bound out for Greenland and ready to sail,
in hopes to find riches in hunting the whale.

Traditional
Lead vocal Delta Burnett Reed
Back up vocal Joe Podlesney
Composer Joe Podlesney
Musical arranger Joe Podlesney
Guitar Joe Podlesney
Keyboard Joe Podlesney