Hey does anyone know whether Nick Cave wrote the lyrics for this or not?
There supposed to be covers right?
But the only other version of this song I can find as a sea shanty is completely different lyrically and musically.
Any help would be great.
You're right that the "Rogue's Gallery" songs are all covers. As with other traditional tunes, the original songwriter for 'Fire Down Below' is likely unknown, the song was recorded only by memory, and there are probably many different variations on the lyrics. While Nick Cave didn't write the lyrics, it's quite possible that he modified/adapted them from whatever version he heard.
You're right that the "Rogue's Gallery" songs are all covers. As with other traditional tunes, the original songwriter for 'Fire Down Below' is likely unknown, the song was recorded only by memory, and there are probably many different variations on the lyrics. While Nick Cave didn't write the lyrics, it's quite possible that he modified/adapted them from whatever version he heard.
Following are the liner notes from the Rogue's Gallery CD:
Following are the liner notes from the Rogue's Gallery CD:
"A popular pumping chantey, this was actually the last chantey sung aboard a commercial British square-rigger, by Stan Hugill in 1929, as the barque was pumped...
"A popular pumping chantey, this was actually the last chantey sung aboard a commercial British square-rigger, by Stan Hugill in 1929, as the barque was pumped out for the last time. There are a number of versions, and in some the 'fire down below' is more explicitly a reference to venereal disease.'"
Hey does anyone know whether Nick Cave wrote the lyrics for this or not? There supposed to be covers right? But the only other version of this song I can find as a sea shanty is completely different lyrically and musically. Any help would be great.
You're right that the "Rogue's Gallery" songs are all covers. As with other traditional tunes, the original songwriter for 'Fire Down Below' is likely unknown, the song was recorded only by memory, and there are probably many different variations on the lyrics. While Nick Cave didn't write the lyrics, it's quite possible that he modified/adapted them from whatever version he heard.
You're right that the "Rogue's Gallery" songs are all covers. As with other traditional tunes, the original songwriter for 'Fire Down Below' is likely unknown, the song was recorded only by memory, and there are probably many different variations on the lyrics. While Nick Cave didn't write the lyrics, it's quite possible that he modified/adapted them from whatever version he heard.
Following are the liner notes from the Rogue's Gallery CD:
Following are the liner notes from the Rogue's Gallery CD:
"A popular pumping chantey, this was actually the last chantey sung aboard a commercial British square-rigger, by Stan Hugill in 1929, as the barque was pumped...
"A popular pumping chantey, this was actually the last chantey sung aboard a commercial British square-rigger, by Stan Hugill in 1929, as the barque was pumped out for the last time. There are a number of versions, and in some the 'fire down below' is more explicitly a reference to venereal disease.'"