The Mudcat Café TM
Thread #65456   Message #1079166
Posted By: Charley Noble
24-Dec-03 - 09:17 AM
Thread Name: Song Challenge: Barbie Lobster Tale
Subject: RE: SONG CHALLENGE: Barbie Lobster Tale
Thanks, Amos! I didn't have a clue how to start this one till you boldly showed the way. I do hope Alaska Mike offers some more advice. Here's where we are now after some more tinkering, primarily with verses 4 and 7:

Amos ©2003
As adapted by Charlie Ipcar
Apologies to Robert Service

The Tale of Lobster Barbie

Many tales are told of the waters cold, in the waves off Mount Desert Isle,
Where the ocean roar meets the rock-bound shore, and the weather's somethin' vile;
Where the lobsters grow, in the depths below, and men meet their fate with ennui-
But there's no tale told, by those shores so cold, like the tale of Lobster Barbie.

Now them lobster boats in them lands remote, they're manned by a special breed,
Men as hard of eye as a winter's sky, who march to their own good speed,
And their words are few, and if one but knew, their thoughts are few as well,
'Til the day that their haul brought a Barbie Doll, from the ocean's icy swell.

It was old Jim Bright, on a dark cold night, with his sternman loyal and strong,
Throttled down to a muffled sound, slipped out past the bell-buoy's gong,
They swung her bow right toward Baker's Light, while their neighbors slept and snored
But down in the hold, like pirate's gold, was a bag from an Ellsworth store.

Now they've never told, them lobstermen bold, what in that bag did lay,
They just snuck it aboard, like a smuggler's horde, and quietly sailed away,
And it's hard to prove, when they made their move, and down the Sound did prowl,
But the gossips say that their cargo that day was clothes for a Barbie doll!

There was an apron neat, a blue blouse sweet, and a checkered gingham skirt,
And to go with the deal some pink high heels, for a classic Barbie flirt!
They grinned at them wraps as they hauled their traps, and passed the jug impatient,
And by the end of day, on the deck boards lay, a svelte female crustacean!

"Now see here," said Bright, "we'll do this right! You hold her legs and claws,
And we'll slip on them shoes, and this skirt so blue, with nary a hitch or a pause!"
So his mate grabbed a-holt, and Jim slipped on them clothes, and she sure looked wicked sha'p,
Then they latched onto a buoy of their good buddy Louie, and dropped "Barbie" into his trap.

Now early next morn, they was just cruisin' along, with their VHF tuned for chatter,
When with much mirth they heard Louie curse, and his sternman ask "Wassa matter?";
And for a month or more, as they cruised that shore, their VHF would explode in glee,
As a new lobsterman was swept up in their plan, hauled in a bedraggled Lobster Barbie.

Now as winter begins, and the cold north wind, sweeps down on the Deer Isle shore,
As the nights grow long, there's rum and song, and no one ships out any more;
Jim and his friend, their jug upend, and grin at the drifting snow,
For as soon as it's spring there'll be a new fling, for "Barbie's spring fashions are ready to go!"

I think I'll give it a go at the Roll & Go party next week.

If I send a copy into the Portland Press Herald, Amos, how would you like to be credited? You probably should PM me.

Charley Noble