Rogers was noted for his rich, baritone voice and his traditional-sounding songs which were frequently inspired by Canadian history and the daily lives of working people, especially those from the fishing villages of the Maritime provinces and, later, the farms of the Canadian prairies and Great Lakes. Rogers died in a fire aboard Air Canada Flight 797 on the ground at the Greater Cincinnati Airport at the age of 33.
Rogers was born in Hamilton, Ontario, the eldest son of Nathan Allison Rogers and Valerie (née Bushell) Rogers, two Maritimers who had relocated to Ontario in search of work shortly after their marriage in July 1948. Although Rogers was raised in Binbrook, Ontario, he often spent summers visiting family in Guysborough County, Nova Scotia.
It was there that he became familiar with the way of life in the Maritimes, an influence which was to have a profound impact on his subsequent musical development. He was interested in music from an early age, reportedly beginning to sing shortly after learning to speak. He received his first guitar, a miniature hand-built by his uncle Lee Bushell, when he was five years of age. He was exposed to a variety of music influences, but among the most lasting were the country and western tunes his uncles would sing during family get-togethers. Throughout his childhood, he would practice his singing and playing along with his brother Garnet, six years his junior.
While Rogers was attending Saltfleet High School, Stoney Creek, Ontario, he started to meet other young people interested in folk music, although at this time he was dabbling in rock and roll, singing and playing bass guitar in garage bands such as "Stanley and the Living Stones" and "The Hobbits". After high school, Rogers briefly attended both McMaster University and Trent University, where he performed in small venues with other student musicians, including Ian Tamblyn, Chris Ward and fellow Hobbit Nigel Russell. Russell wrote the song "White Collar Holler", which Rogers sang frequently on stage.
Rogers signed with RCA Records in 1970 and recorded two singles: "Here's to You Santa Claus" in 1970, and "The Fat Girl Rag" in 1971. In 1973, Rogers recorded three singles for Polygram: "Three Pennies", "Guysborough Train", and "Past Fifty."
In 1976, Rogers recorded his debut album, Fogarty's Cove, released in 1977 on Barnswallow Records. The album's subject matter dealt almost entirely with life in maritime Canada, and was an immediate success. Rogers then formed Fogarty's Cove Music, and bought Barnswallow during the production of Turnaround, allowing him to release his own albums. Posthumously, additional albums were released.[citation needed]
Rogers' songs often had a Celtic feel which was due, in part, to his frequent use of DADGAD guitar tuning. He regularly used his William 'Grit' Laskin built 12-string guitar in his performances. His best-known pieces include "Northwest Passage", "Barrett's Privateers", "The Mary Ellen Carter", "Make and Break Harbour", "The Idiot", "Fogarty's Cove", and "White Squall".
Rogers died alongside 22 other passengers most likely of smoke inhalation on June 2, 1983, while traveling on Air Canada Flight 797 (a McDonnell Douglas DC-9) after performing at the Kerrville Folk Festival. The airliner was flying from Dallas, Texas, to Toronto and Montreal when a fire of unknown ignition source within the vanity or toilet shroud of the aft washroom forced it to make an emergency landing at the Greater Cincinnati Airport in northern Kentucky.
There were initially no visible flames, and after attempts to extinguish the fire were unsuccessful, smoke filled the cabin. Upon landing, the plane's doors were opened, allowing the five crew and 18 of the passengers to escape, but approximately 60 to 90 seconds into the evacuation the oxygen rushing in from outside caused a flash fire. Rogers had initially been one of the passengers to escape, but he at some point re-entered the plane to assist in the effort to help others escape.
Rogers' legacy includes his recordings, songbook, and plays for which he was commissioned to write music. His songs are still frequently covered by other musicians, and are perennial favourites at Canadian campfires and song circles. Members of Rogers' band, including his brother Garnet Rogers, continue to be active performers and form a significant part of the fabric of contemporary Canadian folk music. Following his death, he was nominated for the 1984 Juno Awards in the category for Best Male Vocalist. That same year, he was posthumously awarded the Diplôme d’Honneur of the Canadian Conference of the Arts. In 1994, his posthumous live album Home in Halifax was likewise nominated for Best Roots and Traditional Album.
Stan's son, Nathan Rogers, is also an established Canadian folk artist with a voice and lyrical acumen similar to his father's. He has released two critically acclaimed solo discs and tours internationally as a solo act and in the trio Dry Bones.
The Maid on the Shore
Stan Rogers Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
She lived all a-lone on the shore-o
There's nothing she can find to comfort her mind
But to roam all a-lone on the shore, shore, shore
But to roam all a-lone on the shore
'Twas of the young Captain who sailed the salt sea
Let the wind blow high, blow low
If I don't have that maid on the shore, shore, shore ...
I have lots of silver, I have lots of gold
I have lots of costly ware-o
I'll divide, I'll divide, with my jolly ship's cres
If they row me that maid on the shore, shore, shore ...
After much persuasion, they got her aboard
Let the wind blow high, blow low
They replaced her away in his cabin below
Here's adieu to all sorrow and care, care, care ...
They replaced her away in his cabin below
Let the wind blow high, blow low
She's so pretty and neat, she's so sweet and complete
She's sung Captain and sailors to sleep, sleep, sleep ...
Then she robbed him of silver, she robbed him of gold
She robbed him of costly ware-o
Then took his broadsword instead of an oar
And paddled her way to the shore, shore, shore ...
Me men must be crazy, me men must be mad
Me men must be deep in despair-o
For to let you away from my cabin so gay
And to paddle your way to the shore, shore, shore ...
Your men was not crazy, your men was not mad
Your men was not deep in despair-o
I deluded your sailors as well as yourself
I'm a maiden again on the shore, shore, shore ...
"The Maid on the Shore" by Stan Rogers is a song that tells a story of a young maiden who lives alone by the shore. She is unable to find comfort in anything except wandering alone on the shore. The song then introduces the character of a young captain who sails the salt sea. The captain is so taken by the beauty of the maiden that he promises to die if he cannot have her. He offers her plenty of riches and convinces his jolly ship's crew to row him to shore to meet her.
The crew is finally able to persuade the maiden to come aboard but feels remorseful about parting her from the shore. The captain takes her to his cabin, where she sings them all to sleep. However, in the morning, the maiden robs the captain of all his wealth before stealing his broadsword as an alternate to the canoe and paddling herself back to shore. When the captain realizes the maiden has gone, he is convinced his crew must have let her escape. However, the maiden then reveals that she single-handedly deluded both the captain and his crew.
"The Maid on the Shore" is a fascinating ballad that demonstrates how clever and independent a woman can be, flipping the usual gender roles of such stories. It highlights the notion that women are capable of taking charge, not just men, as seen in most maritime stories. Additionally, it portrays the loneliness of those who live by the shore, as the maiden is depicted wandering alone with no visible companionship.
Line by Line Meaning
There is a young maiden, she lives all a-lone
There is a young woman who lives alone
She lived all a-lone on the shore-o
She lived alone on the shore
There's nothing she can find to comfort her mind
There's nothing to comfort her mind
But to roam all a-lone on the shore, shore, shore
Except for wandering lonely on the shore
'Twas of the young Captain who sailed the salt sea
It's about a young captain who sailed the sea
Let the wind blow high, blow low
Regardless of the weather
I will die, I will die, the young Captain did cry
The captain declared he'd die
If I don't have that maid on the shore, shore, shore ...
If he didn't have that maid on the shore
I have lots of silver, I have lots of gold
The captain had lots of silver and gold
I have lots of costly ware-o
He had lots of expensive things
I'll divide, I'll divide, with my jolly ship's cres
He promised to share with his crew
If they row me that maid on the shore, shore, shore ...
If they bring him the maid on the shore
After much persuasion, they got her aboard
After convincing her, they brought her on board
They replaced her away in his cabin below
They placed her in his cabin
Here's adieu to all sorrow and care, care, care ...
Farewell to all sorrow and care
She's so pretty and neat, she's so sweet and complete
The maid was pretty, neat, and complete
She's sung Captain and sailors to sleep, sleep, sleep ...
She sang the Captain and sailors to sleep
Then she robbed him of silver, she robbed him of gold
Then she robbed him of his silver and gold
She robbed him of costly ware-o
She took his expensive things
Then took his broadsword instead of an oar
She took his sword instead of an oar
And paddled her way to the shore, shore, shore ...
And paddled back to the shore
Me men must be crazy, me men must be mad
The captain believed his crew was crazy
Me men must be deep in despair-o
The captain thought his crew was in despair
For to let you away from my cabin so gay
For letting her escape from his cabin
And to paddle your way to the shore, shore, shore ...
And to paddle back to the shore
Your men was not crazy, your men was not mad
The maid reassured the captain his crew wasn't crazy or mad
Your men was not deep in despair-o
His crew wasn't in despair
I deluded your sailors as well as yourself
She tricked the captain and his crew
I'm a maiden again on the shore, shore, shore ...
She's a maiden on the shore once again
Contributed by Ellie G. Suggest a correction in the comments below.
@Sibrien
Lyrics:
There is a young maiden, she lives all a-lone
She lived all a-lone on the shore-o
There's nothing she can find to comfort her mind
But to roam all a-lone on the shore, shore, shore
But to roam all a-lone on the shore
'Twas of the young Captain who sailed the salt sea
Let the wind blow high, blow low
I will die, I will die, the young Captain did cry
If I don't have that maid on the shore, shore, shore ...
I have lots of silver, I have lots of gold
I have lots of costly ware-o
I'll divide, I'll divide, with my jolly ship's cres
If they row me that maid on the shore, shore, shore ...
After much persuasion, they got her aboard
Let the wind blow high, blow low
They replaced her away in his cabin below
Here's adieu to all sorrow and care, care, care ...
They replaced her away in his cabin below
Let the wind blow high, blow low
She's so pretty and neat, she's so sweet and complete
She's sung Captain and sailors to sleep, sleep, sleep ...
Then she robbed him of silver, she robbed him of gold
She robbed him of costly ware-o
Then took his broadsword instead of an oar
And paddled her way to the shore, shore, shore ...
Me men must be crazy, me men must be mad
Me men must be deep in despair-o
For to let you away from my cabin so gay
And to paddle your way to the shore, shore, shore ...
Your men was not crazy, your men was not mad
Your men was not deep in despair-o
I deluded your sailors as well as yourself
I'm a maiden again on the shore, shore, shore ...
@toompyfloyd4074
Verse 1]
There is a young maiden who lives all alone
She lives all alone on the shore-o
There's nothin' she can find to comfort her mind
But to roam all alone on the shore shore shore
But to roam all alone on the shore
[Verse 2]
T'was of the young captain who sailed the salt sea
Let the wind blow high blow loow
"I will die, I will die" the young captain did cry
If I don't have that maid on the shore shore shore
If I don't have that maid on the shore
[Verse 3]
Well I have lots of silver I have lots of gold
I have lots of costly ware-o
I'll divide I'll divide with my jolly ship's crew
If they row me that maid on the shore shore shore
If they row me that maid on the shore
[Verse 4]
After much persuasion they got her aboard
Let the wind blow high blow loow
They replaced her away in his cabin below
Here's adieu to all sorrow and care care care
Here's adieu to all sorrow and care
[Verse 5]
They replaced her away in his cabin below
Let the wind blow high blow loow
She's so pretty and neat she's so sweet and complete
She sung captain and sailors to sleep sleep sleep
She sung captain and sailors to sleep
[Verse 6]
Then she robbed him o' silver she robbed him o' gold
She robbed him o' costly ware-o
Then took his broadsword instead of an oar
And paddled her way to the shore shore shore
And paddled her way to the shore
[Verse 7]
"Well me men must be crazy me men must be mad
Me men must be deep in despair-o
For to let you away from my cabin so gay
And to paddle your way to the shore shore shore
And to paddle your way to the shore"
[Verse 8]
"Well your men was not crazy your men was not mad
Your men was not deep in despair-o
I deluded your sailors as well as yourself
I'm a maiden again on the shore shore shore
I'm a maiden again on the shore"
[Verse 1]
Well, there is a young maiden she lives all alone
She lives all alone on the shore-o
There's nothin' she can find to comfort her mind
But to roam all alone on the shore shore shore
But to roam all alone on the shore
@j.b.9581
It's been 38 years since you left us, dear Stan. Yet I listen to your irreplaceable voice with a fresh heart and warm tears . . .
@edt5615
I have just discovered stan rogers. Rainy sunday night, alone, six pints deep at the local... this is an auspicious occasion
@justindosser8148
Just discovered him a couple weeks ago. Come to find out, June 2nd is not just my birthday anymore. I’ll celebrate that day with him for every year to come
@CurriedBat
Welcome to the water boys!
@GiuseppeGrasso89
this guy should have lived a hundred years.
@schnauzerhead
I agree, Lord Krishna savours the company of gifted bards in his eternal court of splendour. Freed from the cycle of rebirth, Stan no doubt serenades Svayam Bhagavan in eternity.
@dodge2362
That just means it's up to those of us still living to keep his memory bright and clear.
@seand.g423
Fucking minimum!
@Ebrill_Owen
ZenfireTheWizard Stan was a true gift! He definitely deserved a longer life than he got
@Ebrill_Owen
Gibson Chase such a beautiful thing to say! Wherever Stan is, I bet he’s being cherished and loved