Neil and Roger had been singing together as a duo in West Yorkshire since 1966 whilst John burst upon the folk scene a little later in 1972 as a member of Hebric. John, who has a voice similar to Paul Robeson also sings with the local operatic society in Halifax and is a member of The Bradshaw Mummers who can be seen in quaint outfits throughout most summers at various festivals acting out the important chapters of English history. John sang lead bass with Northern Ballet at Leeds Playhouse for the winter season of Mozart’s Requiem. Meanwhile Joe Stead had begun a professional career in London in 1966 which eventually took him to various parts of the world and more recently the first Valparaiso Festival of the Sea in Chile. Joe has performed in concert in America with Pete Seeger twice and also sung at a garden party with Paul Robeson in London in 1958. Neil also sang in concert with Pete Seeger when he and Joe crossed the Atlantic with Paul Downes to perform in a concert in New Jersey to raise funds for the Delaware Valley River Project.
There are now two new members in the group. David Buckley joined Kimber's Men at the end of April 2006. David is an actor and a singer who has performed in musicals and with the Halifax Operatic Society. They found him playing the part of Captain Smith in 'Titanic the Musical'. David sings tenor harmony. He has recently written a song called 'I will always be there' which may become as popular as 'Don't take the heroes'.
In June 2007 Kimber's Men increased their number to 5 when 'Gaz' joined the quartet.
Northwest Passage
Kimber's Men Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
To find the hand of Franklin reaching for the Beaufort Sea;
Tracing one warm line through a land so wild and savage
And make a Northwest Passage to the sea.
Westward from the Davis Strait 'tis there 'twas said to lie
The sea route to the Orient for which so many died;
Seeking gold and glory, leaving weathered, broken bones
Three centuries thereafter, I take passage overland
Ah, for just one time I would take the Northwest Passage
To find the hand of Franklin reaching for the Beaufort Sea;
Tracing one warm line through a land so wild and savage
And make a Northwest Passage to the sea.
Three centuries thereafter, I take passage overland
In the footsteps of brave Kelso, where his "sea of flowers" began
Watching cities rise before me, then behind me sink again
This tardiest explorer, driving hard across the plain.
Ah, for just one time I would take the Northwest Passage
To find the hand of Franklin reaching for the Beaufort Sea;
Tracing one warm line through a land so wild and savage
And make a Northwest Passage to the sea.
And through the night, behind the wheel, the mileage clicking west
I think upon Mackenzie, David Thompson and the rest
Who cracked the mountain ramparts and did show a path for me
To race the roaring Fraser to the sea.
Ah, for just one time I would take the Northwest Passage
To find the hand of Franklin reaching for the Beaufort Sea;
Tracing one warm line through a land so wild and savage
And make a Northwest Passage to the sea.
How then am I so different from the first men through this way?
Like them, I left a settled life, I threw it all away.
To seek a Northwest Passage at the call of many men
To find there but the road back home again.
Ah, for just one time I would take the Northwest Passage
To find the hand of Franklin reaching for the Beaufort Sea;
Tracing one warm line through a land so wild and savage
And make a Northwest Passage to the sea.
The song "Northwest Passage" by Kimber's Men is an evocative tribute to the daring explorers who sought to find a sea route to the Orient through the Northwest Passage, a treacherous route through the Arctic Ocean. In the first verse, the singer expresses his longing to take this journey and find the hand of Franklin reaching for the Beaufort Sea. He imagines tracing one warm line through a land so wild and savage, and finally making a breakthrough to the sea.
The second and third verses look back on the history of exploration in the region. The Davis Strait, to the west, was believed to be the site of the sea route for the Orient, which so many explorers sought but few found. The singer notes that many died in their quest for gold and glory, leaving behind weathered, broken bones and forgotten cairns of stones. However, the singer also notes that three centuries later, he seeks to take passage overland, following in the footsteps of brave explorers like Kelso and leaving the settled life behind to brave the wilds of the Canadian wilderness.
Throughout the song, we get a sense of the singer's awe and reverence for the explorers who came before him, and his desire to take on this challenge himself. The repeated refrain of "Ah, for just one time I would take the Northwest Passage" emphasizes the singer's desire to make this journey, even though he knows it may be impossible.
Line by Line Meaning
Ah, for just one time I would take the Northwest Passage
Expressing desire to take the legendary Northwest Passage at least once
To find the hand of Franklin reaching for the Beaufort Sea
To reach the waters discovered by Franklin in his journey to the Beaufort Sea
Tracing one warm line through a land so wild and savage
Drawing a path that crosses a harsh, untamed terrain
And make a Northwest Passage to the sea.
Establishing a new route to the ocean through the Northwest Passage
Westward from the Davis Strait 'tis there 'twas said to lie
According to rumor, the Northwest Passage is located to the west of the Davis Strait
The sea route to the Orient for which so many died;
The dangerous journey many undertook to find a route to the Orient by sea
Seeking gold and glory, leaving weathered, broken bones
Their goal to gain riches and fame led to their deaths and remains in desolate places
And a long-forgotten lonely cairn of stones.
A stone-made marker serving as a tombstone for those who perished in the quest
Three centuries thereafter, I take passage overland
After three hundred years, the artist travels over land instead of sea
In the footsteps of brave Kelso, where his 'sea of flowers' began
Following Kelso's path who started his journey in an area now covered in blooming plants
Watching cities rise before me, then behind me sink again
Observing urban centers growing at his arrival and disappearing as he moves past them
This tardiest explorer, driving hard across the plain.
As the last explorer to journey through the area, he crosses the flat terrain in haste
And through the night, behind the wheel, the mileage clicking west
Driving a vehicle, moving towards the western direction during the nighttime
I think upon Mackenzie, David Thompson and the rest
Reflecting on the pioneers who opened a way that he can now follow
Who cracked the mountain ramparts and did show a path for me
Breaking through the mountain ranges, uncovering a passage that he can take
To race the roaring Fraser to the sea.
Speeding down the mighty Fraser River until it reaches the ocean
How then am I so different from the first men through this way?
Questioning if he is unlike the first explorers who went through the same journey
Like them, I left a settled life, I threw it all away.
Similar to them, he abandoned his comfortable existence to embark on a risky adventure
To seek a Northwest Passage at the call of many men
Answering the call of many people to find an alternate route to the northwest
To find there but the road back home again.
To realize that the journey brings him back to where he started
Ah, for just one time I would take the Northwest Passage
Expressing the desire to fulfill his dream of traveling through the Northwest Passage
To find the hand of Franklin reaching for the Beaufort Sea;
To locate the spot where Franklin pointed towards the Beaufort Sea
Tracing one warm line through a land so wild and savage
Drawing a line that cuts through an untamed and harsh environment
And make a Northwest Passage to the sea.
Establishing a new way to connect to the ocean through the Northwest Passage
Contributed by Carson F. Suggest a correction in the comments below.