Peter Dawson recorded this to a tune by 'Mortimer', which sounds very like your tune, if my ears can be trusted (which they can'!). The lat folk singer Peter Bellamy set a lot of RK's poems to traditional tunes (he was a big fan). I've been meaning to learn A Smuggler's Song for donkey's years, and your tune is the one I remember from my folk club days long ago, Kate. We used to close out club with 'Mandalay' -- the silly music-hall version. later I learned the whole thing, and it deserves better: it's a lyrical story told by a not-very-romantic man. I perform it to 'Waltzing Matilda' -- actually a traditional tune -- with a slightly modified and slowed-down timing, which I think suits the narrative very well. You might like to try that out!
That really suits your voice Kate, excellent.
Peter Dawson recorded this to a tune by 'Mortimer', which sounds very like your tune, if my ears can be trusted (which they can'!). The lat folk singer Peter Bellamy set a lot of RK's poems to traditional tunes (he was a big fan). I've been meaning to learn A Smuggler's Song for donkey's years, and your tune is the one I remember from my folk club days long ago, Kate.
We used to close out club with 'Mandalay' -- the silly music-hall version. later I learned the whole thing, and it deserves better: it's a lyrical story told by a not-very-romantic man. I perform it to 'Waltzing Matilda' -- actually a traditional tune -- with a slightly modified and slowed-down timing, which I think suits the narrative very well. You might like to try that out!