The Clever Grey Whales in Sitka

5 days ago by @timfatchenMod

Liner Notes

Ah, the things one learns on an early-season #alaskan #cruise. Not just the joy of almost empty White Pass trains, snow still close down to shore, locals including sea-otters not yet careworn or #touristblighted, and only moderate daily crowds, but also the defense mechanisms of the inhabitants. Still and all, denizens of the #tropics appear to cope without fleeing the high season... #whales

I am not going to be able to record this before I vanish and 5090 ends, so it's an archive effort, for the record.

I only just posted this when @billwhite51 commented suggesting I change the person of the narrative and the idea is so good and I'm not yet tired enough so I've done it. There are TWO versions: Human's and Whale's

Lyrics

THE CLEVER GREY WHALES IN SITKA
Words & Music Copyright © 2024 TJ Fatchen All Rights Reserved APRA-AMCOS

VERSION 1--HUMAN VOICE

The clever grey whales in Sitka
Stop and feast for a while in Spring
Spout at the little boats watching them
Ev'ry now and then wave a fin

It's only the start of the tourist time
Half a dozen cruise ships about
But the clever grey whales know all too well
That come summer, all the cruise ships come out.
That come summer, all the cruise ships come out.

So by then, having cleaned their ghost shrimp plates,
They've headed to the northern shores
Where there's only the occasional cruising ship
'cos cruise ships are such a bore.
'cos cruise ships are such a bore.

Now in contrast, the humpbacks of Moorea
Enjoy their tropic romance
And don't mind at all the watching boats,
WHich they lead on a merry dance

And it's especially fun when a cruise ship comes
And lighters its loads to the shore
For a whale can cause havoc with the timetables
By holding up the traffic, and more.

(They make the) lifeboats stop and start
And go round and back abaht
Dodging those who are blocking the way
They confuse the crews
and I'm sure they enjoy the views
Of seasick cruisers trapped by the whales at play.

VERSION 2: WHALE VOICE
[Grey Whale soloist (baritone) and chorus]
We clever grey whales, in Sitka,
Stop and feast for a while in Spring
Spout at the little boats watching us
Ev'ry now and then wave a fin

It's only the start of the tourist time
Half a dozen cruise ships about
But we clever grey whales know all too well
[ALL] That come summer, all the cruise ships come out.
That come summer, all the cruise ships come out.

[SOLO] So by then, having cleaned our ghost shrimp plates,
We've headed to the northern shores
Where there's only the occasional cruising ship
[ALL] 'cos cruise ships are such a bore.
'cos cruise ships are such a bore.

[Humpback Whale Soloist (tenor) & chorus
But we, the humpbacks of Moorea,
We enjoy our tropic romance
And we don't mind at all the watching boats,
Which we lead on a merry dance

And it's especially fun when a cruise ship comes
And lighters its loads to the shore
For a whale can cause havoc with the timetables
By holding up the traffic, and more.

(We make the) lifeboats stop and start
And go round and back abaht
Dodging us who keep blocking their way
We confuse the crews
and and spout as we enjoy the views
Of seasick cruisers trapped by us Humpbacks at play.

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