| Manfred Mann – Singing the Dolphin Through Lyrics | 4 years ago |
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@[BrainSewage:38399] Being that "Plymouth" is mentioned in the first line, I believe the entirety of this song is in reference to the Mayflower which set sail from Plymouth, for William Bradford & his Mayflower Pilgrims to make their settlement, the Plymouth Colony, in the New Land, America in December 1620. The Plymouth Colony made a pact with the Wampanoag Indian tribe, both out of desperation for survival, to trade & help each other. One of the Indians showed the settlers how to plant corn & the two groups continued to provide safe haven for the other, especially against other warrior tribes. In a single paragraph from one of the Plymouth Colony's journals, it spoke of a feast - - this became the origin of the Thanksgiving Feast, celebrated to this day in the United States. The spotting of the dolphin & the finding of the shoreline after a treacherous journey across the Atlantic, may be poetic hyperbole, but it all fits with the hope of finding a better world - - that was the reason why the Pilgrims set sail, to establish a colony according to God's Law as they perceived in the Bible - - free from religious persecution from the King of England. I think that's why the name "Joseph" appears. Joseph is a biblical name. Also the reference to "no hostile flag," meaning the hostile flag of England, whose laws made it illegal to be a Separatist from the Roman Catholic Church. The Pilgrims were all Separatists, seeking to establish their own government to practice their faith. It's a beautiful song that has always captivated me from my first hearing it decades ago. I just watched a documentary on the Pilgrims on PBS & I remembered "Plymouth" was in the lyric to this song, which is what brought me here. The lyrics allude to a number of things but I think one association is the Mayflower voyage & it can be interpreted as part of the Plymouth Colony's story. |
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