The Bluenose By Stan Rogers Sacha901 February, 2010

Stan Rogers  Born the 29 of November 1949 to Nathan Allison Rogers and Valerie Rogers, Stan Rogers was a folk singer and songwriter.  Born and raised in Ontario, he spent many summers in Guysborough County, where he learned about the way of life in the Maritimes.

Biography (Continued)  By high school Stan was becoming very interested in music, especially Rock and Roll, and was playing in a few garage bands.  He had a successful career in folk music, writing many songs about Canada, from the Maritimes, to the prairies, to the Great Lakes.

Biography (Continued)  His life tragically ended the 2 nd of June, 1983 when he was caught in a plane fire. He was later cremated and his ashes spread in the Atlantic Ocean.  He was awarded the Diplôme d’Honneur post-humously for his contribution to Canadian music and culture.

The Bluenose  The song is about the Nova Scotian tallship noted as the “Queen of the Grand Banks Schooners,” the Grand Banks Schooners being a group of ships used for fishing, racing, and carrying cargo that sailed the waters around Newfoundland.

The Bluenose  The ship is a symbol of Nova Scotian and Canadian culture.  Many Maritimers have a deep connection to this famous tallship. The song captures that with lines like “what every schoolboy remembers,” and “knew hard work in her time.” There a good number of people who are descendants of sailors of the Bluenose.

Once again with the tide she slips her lines Turns her head and comes awake Once again with the tide she slips her lines Turns her head and comes awake

Where she lay so still there at Privateer's Wharf Now she quickly gathers way

She will range far south from the harbour mouth And rejoice with every wave

Who will know the Bluenose in the sun

 Feel her bow rise free of Mother Sea In a sunburst cloud of spray

That stings the cheek while the rigging will speak Of sea-miles gone away

She is always best under full press Hard over as she'll lay

And who will know the Bluenose in the sun?

That proud, fast Queen of the Grand Banks Fleet Portrayed on every dime

Knew hard work in her time...hard work in every line

The rich men's toys of the Gloucester boys With their token bit of cod They snapped their spars and strained to pass her by

But she left them all behind

Now her namesake daughter remains to show what she has been What every schoolboy remembers and will not come again

To think she's the last of the Grand Banks Schooners That fed so many men

And who will know the Bluenose in the sun?

So does she not take wing like a living thing Child of the moving tide

See her pass with grace on the water's face With clean and quiet pride

Our own tall ship of great renown still lifts unto the sky

Who will know the Bluenose in the sun?

The End