JUST MET A GUY WHO DIDN’T KNOW STAN ROGERS’ BARRETT’S PRIVATEERS!
Naturally I assaulted him.—How I wish I was in Sherbrook now
This article appears in Oct 7-13, 2010.
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a 80’s ska band? 🙂
Nice try, kay, but nobody’s buying.
GOD that song’s fucking annoying! So glad to have not heard it for at least several months now. They always play it ad nauseam at the Split Crow.
Besides, who really wants to be in Sherbrooke that badly? It’s really not that exciting of a town.
what was that again, who the fuck did you say? is that some burnt out crackhead hasbeen too. might as well be, no one cares anymore about nearly everything. me either. fuck em’ all.
Did your cracked 4 pounders make an awful din?
God damn them all!
Who? What? I seriously have no idea. Do I have to Google this?
Folksinger and aviation enthusiast (Oooooh – even I’m offended) Stan Rogers did a song called Barrett’s Privateers and it’s chorus of “I’m a broken man on a Halifax pier” lends itself perfectly to hack”celtic” bar bands and hordes of braying frat boys. On a good night you will probably hear it in every pub you visit. It’s an integral part of Nova Scotia culture – like pogey, baked beans and incest.
And since I’ve no doubt already pissed off numerous folkies I might as well take it all the way with another in a series of “Unproud Moments From the Archives of Ivan”:
Back in Middle Bay, second year, a friend’s roommate was deemed to be visiting Mr. Roger’s neighborhood much too often. So, one evening, armed with scissors, glue sticks, a stack of Rolling Stones, a case of Schooner and way, way, too much spare time we set out to make the album sleeve a little more culturally relevant to the early 80s.
This future captain of industry was not terribly pleased couple of days later to discover that he was the proud owner of a very limited edition pressing of “@NarCHy In F*gArtY’$ CovE by $tAN RoTT#N” He was even less pleased to see Mr. Rogers sporting a mohawk, black eye, swastika T-shirt and giant safety pin through his head. And he was utterly unenthralled that Mr. Rogers appeared to be urinating on Queen Elizabeth whilst London burned around them. But the most indignation was reserved for the sensitive, artistic lass with long dark hair whose knickers he was studiously attempting to breach via their shared love of music.
Now, he’s filthy rich, so who really had the last laugh? >; )
Screeeeeeeee!
But Stanley isn’t from the east coast, he was a wana-be from Ont.
and yes, horribly over-played.
Dear god… laughing in my cubicle again. Not good. Though I must say you’ve brightened my Friday morning considerably! It must be the scent of the weekend getting you in your grove so early in the day.
I was told we’d sail the seas for american gold – we’d fire no guns, shed no tears!!!!
If anybody wants me, I’ll be in the scuppers, with the staggers and jags.
I suppose I’ll be flogged as well…
I can’t stand that folksy, overplayed, ‘everyone in the bar, sing along!’, contrived shit.
It’s like 6 years ago when I would be working karaoke night and they would always belt out ‘Man of Constant Sorrow’ … every week…. EVERY WEEK….
drive me friggin’ crazy.
Clarification on Sherbrooke location, this refers to a Sherbrooke in Lunenburg County that no longer exists, not the Sherbrooke of Sherbrooke Village fame. Like any song that is easy to sing when you are drunk, Barrett’s Privateers, when played makes me feel like someone is sticking pins in my ears and pouring cold water down my back, slowly. It just reinforced our ultra conservative, stuck in a rut backwater mentality. Now if I could only find my Rankin’s Greatest Hits for Thanksgiving with all my boozy relatives…
I only like this song loaded…as I’m sure was intended by the creator.
Moi aussi, RC, I like it when I’m all boozed up…. many things are more enjoyable in that state after all. Even lady gaga can be tolerated with just the right mixture of beer, wine, vodka….
The great Scottish folk duo “The Corries” did probably the best version I’ve heard. More wistful than triumphal, which is how it comes out when a crowd of drunks are bellowing the verses. Plus, props to them for replacing Sherbrooke with Edinburgh.
…and some friends of the Rogers brothers did a parody tune ‘The Last of Garnett’s Home Made Beer.
Totally Ralmn…if I’m anywhere near a computer intoxicated…youtube watch the F out….I`m jamming to everything from Cheif Rocka to Strawberry wine to video killed the radio star.
Now I want to watch Empire Records.
zZz, it not as bad as Picture. LOL.
How many of you remember that Stan died in a plane crash in Cincinatti, helping other passengers to escape.
Which brings me to Part 2 of “Unproud Moments From the Archives of Ivan” Summer of 84, a certain future local radio personality was renting a room in the house I and some college mates were sharing on Watt St. He was auditioning for a local dinner theatre by preparing a version of the Rogers tune “Northwest Passage” on the guitar. This led to a discussion of the merits of Mr. Rogers and for some reason (Tourette’s maybe?) I mentioned that I liked his last hit. The one that went “Cough, Cough Cough – Aiiieeeeeeeee!”
He looked at me like I was a squashed bug on the windscreen of his existence (rightfully so) but after a couple of weeks living together he came to appreciate me for the leotard that I am. He still does a kickass version of “Northwest Passage” and I am still a tactless leotard. >: )
But a lovable leotard!
I’ve made all of my friends PROMISE that if I’m ever drunk in their company they keep me the fuck away from the computer. I’m allowed to make requests only. 🙂
SOCIABLE!!!
I was Cuba years ago and a bunch of Maritimers started singing that song one night by the bar. We were all drunked up and it made for a good time , they got a standing O for it. Good times…
Bro… I concur.
what’s worse than a person singing an annoying song?
an annoying duet… by far
Whoops , I was in Cuba …
Kirbul…..What happens at all exclusive resorts stays at all exclusive resorts.
Duly Noted RC, No more stories I promise.
You’re safe here if you want to tell stories Kirbul …that`s the great thing about anonymity. I love All exclusives….. everyone is there for a good time, not a long time….breaking out in songs….midnight sing-along’s. You always come home to find some fat guy from Massachusetts has snuck in the back of all your photos.
Really depends on your age. Up until the last 5-10 years at most you would only hear that in HRM. I am 34 and went out from time to time in Truro, Amherst, New Glasgow, Sydney and maybe heard it once in Sydney and never in the other places. I love the tune, it’s kindof iconic here, but it only got heavy or even moderate play in the HRM when I was 18 to say 26. But anyone coming here should give it a listen.
All the NS students play this or used to. I remember hearing it constantly in undergrad and the people playing it acted like they were the first ones to hear it. Every night some group drank in res they played this annoying tune.
You handled it wrong OP, you should have gotten him drunk and taught it to him. Just sing the chorus in any Halifax pub, at least 5 people are drunk enough to join in at any given time.
aviation enthusiast!!! lol omg thats a bad one…. i enjoy listening to the guysborough train and the idiot.
Athens Queen…now there’s a Stan tune worth singing…especially in the company of Napolean Brandy.
The great Scottish folk duo “The Corries”
Spiny Ivan: You know “The Corries” too.
I love their work. “Cam Ye O’er Frae France”,
“Wha Widna Fecht For Charlie.”
I don’t know a lot of fans of their work.
If none of you have been LOOOADED and belted this song, fuck you.
I’m sure we all have, Funk, but after one or two weekends of the hearing it on someone’s computer repeatedly (and some guitar playing dude leading a chorus of drunks) it gets old and tiresome. Like switch it up is all. Play some Journey or Buffy Ste. Marie even.
Och Aye iquit. I used to groove on Max Ferguson’s show on CBC back in the 90s and first heard them there. I love old Roy & Ronnie, “Twa’ Recruitin’ Sergeants”, “Flower O’ Scotland”, “Parcel O’ Rogues”,”Lowlands O’ Holland”, “Annie Laurie”. I have 7 of their CDs, but I’d love to get one of their work with Paddy Bell. She had an amazing voice. >: )
i *mouse ears* stompin tom, we used to listen to him while racing for the ferry, hoping the rcmp didn’t catch us…sudbury saturday night…screee
STOMPIN TOM!!!!!!!!!
First day of our honeymoon SOBova and I were headed for CB and stopped for a late lunch at a diner near Antigonish. Stompin Tom and his roadies were at a table in the corner. And the next morning, Rollie Thornhill was holding court with a bunch of old rustics at the little Baddeck greasy spoon where we had breakfast.
Aw, Rollie – I remember him from my government daze back in the late ’80s. Back when Bucky Buchanan’s lobster suppers and all-you-can-drink shindigs reigned at the Shore Club. All I can remember about those lazy nights were the drunken sing-a-longs (to this day I can’t listen to fucking Stan Rogers) and my stint as a ventriloquist with a disembowled lobster body on my fist.
That is a mental image I’m going to cherish to my dying day, TTFN. I hope they were good tippers.
Yeah, they tipped over pretty good after a couple of bottles of straight scotch and copious amounts of tamale sitting as the bottom of their bulbous bureaucratic bellies. I was a young(er) staffer, just started with the government and was able to witness the inner workings of government during and after hours. I was invited to these mini-Caligulias and got swept up in the excitement, as well as the liquor and many tasty crustaceans. It was only ‘a brief shining moment’ because the government came tumbling down big time within a year and subsequent Premiers and ministers were more discreet about their party-hardy adventures in secretary’s-panties-land.
You gots to write a book, dollin. >; )
Oh, the things I’ve seen, the gutters I’ve crawled in – hey, that would make a pretty good title. 😉
TTFN, remember the El Srtado? (sp?) Bet LS does.
Now THAT’S a honeymoon Ivan!
On Gottingen St. I used to work for a plumbing company that’s now an empty space next to where the old Misty Moon used to be. Sometimes after work on Friday, I’d go over to the El and order a rum and Coke. The waitress would come out with three cola glasses on her tray – one with a couple of shots of rum, one with a half glass of Coke and then she’d pour the them into the empty third glass. Class act, man.
I haven’t heard this song either…from the descriptions of drunken pub goers singing it and loving it, I already have an idea of what it sounds like.
For the un-initiated.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=G-PQbdmQRwc
Kitchen party.
No great puddles of urine on the floor so it can’t be the “Sore Arse”
yes hugo, as a matter of fact i do remember that shithole. ho city back in the day. we used to play there sometmes, but the owner was too fucking cheap for the full group. so we chopped it down to 4, and made him pay for 6. but it was a learning experience for all the would be ho’s in the night.
LOL – I was the skinny rent a cop at the door.
Stan The Man? WTF.
I think the only thing worst that hearing Barretts Privateers is watching someone who knows all of the ‘hand movements’ that were created to accompany the song.
True Story: I was sitting at the Loose Cannon having a beer one warm evening and they were playing it. It was heard outside on the patio. I didn’t mind, it is a ‘scots’ bar and it is the tail end of tourist season,afterall. But anyway, a couple of CFA 1st year chicks were stumbling by and one of them was so cute…she was “Oh wait…. I think I recognize this… oh what is it….hmmm hmm” and then she starts hummng it and bouncing up and down in time. It was just so cute. I’m sure by X-Mas she’ll know it by heart.
I had nothing to do with this, fat. That’s twice.
Shut the fuck up, kay. That’s 100 or more.
you’re such a fucking ASSHOLE. I hope even half the shit you’ve wished on me happens to you. Karma’s funny like that.
Karma’s not a revenge tool you idiot. And don’t act like you’re the victim all the time, kay. If I’m an asshole you’re a straight up loser and a textbook hypocrite.
I don’t know that song … you gonna assault me? Jeez.
No worries Boad. You can take him. “The main truck carried off both his legs” and now he’s “a broken man on a Halifax pier”. Just push him in the harbor if he gives you any agro.
There are many people I’d like to push into the harbor while this tune blares in the background.