Formed in 2006 over pints of cheap beer at East Vancouver’s notoriously violent Ivanhoe Hotel, The Dreadnoughts cut their teeth in the roughest dive bars in the city. They started by opening for (and earning the praise of) celtic-punk grandfathers The Real McKenzies, and since then have never looked back. Hauling a fiddle, an accordion, a mandolin, a tin whistle, guitars and drums into every venue that would have them, they quickly became known for their powerful, chaotic live performances. In three short years they have slowly but surely joined the ranks of Canada’s punk rock heroes.
Roll Northumbria
The Dreadnoughts Lyrics
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She was commissioned to haul the black tar
Built the Northumbria there on the bar
Roll Northumbria, roll
For when the Egyptians they closed the Red Sea
The call came on high from the powers that be
To build a royal monster right down the quay
Roll Northumbria, roll
Carpathia, Vengeance, Celestial Call
She was the tanker to outsize 'em all
From the banks of the Mersey To the port of Hulal
Roll Northumbria, roll
And fair princess Anne threw a bottle of wine
And watched as the giant set down in the Tyne
What lay ahead could no mortal divine
Roll Northumbria roll, me boys
Roll Northumbria, roll
And it's one for the hot sun above
Two for the empire we love
And it's three for the fire that burns down below
Roll on Northumbria
Roll Northumbria, roll
And it's one for the hot sun above
Two for the empire we love
And it's three for the fire that burns down below
Roll on Northumbria
Roll Northumbria, roll
So come all you good workers
Beware the command
That comes down on high from the desk of a man
Who's never held steel or torch in his hands
Roll Northumbria, roll
For atop a wild breaker the cracks in her frame
Spilled her black guts all across the wild main
And she limped away through an ocean of flame
Roll Northumbria roll, me boys
Roll Northumbria, roll
And it's one for the hot sun above
Two for the empire we love
And it's three for the fire that burns down below
Roll on Northumbria
Roll Northumbria, roll, my boys
Roll on Northumbria
Roll Northumbria, roll
The lyrics to The Dreadnoughts' song "Roll Northumbria" tell the story of the construction and eventual demise of the ship Northumbria. The song begins by recounting how the ship was commissioned in late 1965 at the old Wallsea Yard to haul black tar. It highlights the importance of the ship's construction, referring to it as a "royal monster" that was built on the bar at Northumbria. The repeated refrain, "Roll Northumbria, roll," emphasizes the ship's movement and the pride associated with its construction.
The song then mentions other notable tankers, such as Carpathia, Vengeance, and Celestial Call, and suggests that Northumbria was built to outsize them all. It describes how the princess Anne christened the ship by throwing a bottle of wine, and witnesses its arrival at the Tyne. However, the lyrics foreshadow a tragic event, as they mention that what lay ahead could not be divined by mortals.
The final verse takes a more critical tone, cautioning workers to be wary of commands from those who have never experienced manual labor. The cracks in the ship's frame, symbolized by "the wild breaker," lead to a catastrophe where the ship spills its "black guts" across the ocean amidst flames. The song ends with another call to "roll on Northumbria," but it now carries a more mournful tone, acknowledging the tragic fate of the ship.
Line by Line Meaning
Twas late '65 at the old Wallsea Yard
It was in the late year of 1965 at the historical Wallsea Yard
She was commissioned to haul the black tar
The ship was assigned to transport the dark, viscous substance known as tar
Built the Northumbria there on the bar
Constructed the vessel called Northumbria at that location
Roll Northumbria, roll
Move forward, Northumbria, move with determination
For when the Egyptians they closed the Red Sea
Because when the Egyptians obstructed the passage through the Red Sea
The call came on high from the powers that be
There was a directive given from those in authority
To build a royal monster right down the quay
To construct a majestic and colossal vessel near the dock
Roll Northumbria, roll, me boys
Advance, Northumbria, advance with vigor, my friends
Carpathia, Vengeance, Celestial Call
Named after Carpathia, Vengeance, and Celestial Call, other notable ships
She was the tanker to outsize 'em all
Northumbria was the largest tanker of them all
From the banks of the Mersey To the port of Hulal
From the shores of the Mersey River to the harbor of Hulal
And fair princess Anne threw a bottle of wine
Princess Anne gracefully tossed a bottle of wine
And watched as the giant set down in the Tyne
And observed as the enormous ship gently settled in the Tyne River
What lay ahead could no mortal divine
No human could accurately predict what challenges awaited
Roll Northumbria roll, me boys
Move forward, Northumbria, move with determination, my friends
And it's one for the hot sun above
One tribute for the scorching sun shining from the sky
Two for the empire we love
Two acknowledgments for the empire we hold dear
And it's three for the fire that burns down below
And three salutations for the fiery passion beneath
Roll on Northumbria
Keep progressing, Northumbria
So come all you good workers
Therefore, gather all you diligent workers
Beware the command
Be cautious of the order
That comes down on high from the desk of a man
Which originates from a superior's office
Who's never held steel or torch in his hands
A person who has never wielded steel or a torch with their own hands
For atop a wild breaker the cracks in her frame
Because on a fierce wave, the fractures in her structure
Spilled her black guts all across the wild main
Caused her dark, internal contents to spread across the roaring sea
And she limped away through an ocean of flame
And she moved forward with difficulty through a sea ablaze
Roll Northumbria roll, me boys
Move forward, Northumbria, move with determination, my friends
Roll on Northumbria
Keep progressing, Northumbria
Roll Northumbria, roll
Move forward, Northumbria, move with determination
Lyrics © DistroKid
Written by: Nicholas Smyth
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind