Lady Franklin's Lament
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"Lady Franklin's Lament" (a.k.a. "Lord Franklin") is a traditional ballad commemorating the loss of Sir John Franklin's British Arctic Expedition of 1845. It is attested as early as 1855, allegedly written by Jane Griffin (Lady Franklin), Sir John's widow.
It has been recorded by numerous artists, including Martin Carthy, Pentangle, Sinéad O'Connor, and the Pearlfishers. The melody was also used for Bob Dylan's song "Bob Dylan's Dream", as well as David Wilcox's "Jamie's Secret". The 1981 song, "Northwest Passage" by Stan Rogers also recalls Franklin's expedition.
[edit] Lyrics
(Traditional)
(To the tune of "The Croppy Boy")
We were homeward bound one night on the deep
Swinging in my hammock I fell asleep
I dreamed a dream and I thought it true
Concerning Franklin and his gallant crew
With a hundred seamen he sailed away
To the frozen ocean in the month of May
To seek a passage around the pole
Where we poor sailors do sometimes go.
Through cruel hardships they vainly strove
Their ships on mountains of ice were drove
Only the Eskimo with his skin canoe
Was the only one that ever came through
In Baffin's Bay where the whale fish blow
The fate of Franklin no man may know
The fate of Franklin no tongue can tell
Lord Franklin with his sailors do dwell
And now my burden it gives me pain
For my long-lost Franklin I would cross the main
Ten thousand pounds I would freely give
To know on earth, that my Franklin do live.
(alternate: To know Lord Franklin and where he is.)
