The Last Farewell - guitar chords and comments
Lyrics without distraction HERE
Roger Whittaker died 13th of September 2023, 87 years old. The Kenyan born man of British origin left a promising medical career for entertainment in the sixties, thanks Lord. The world lost a good teacher, but gained a fabulous folk singer, songwriter and artist. In 1971, Whittaker hosted a radio programme backed by an orchestra with arrangements by Zack Lawrence. In his own words: «One of the ideas I had was to invite listeners to send their poems or lyrics to me, and I would make songs out of them. We got a million replies, and I did one each week for 26 weeks.»One of these contributers was a silversmith from Birmingham, Ron A. Webster. The song about departing was recorded for Whittaker's 1971 RCA Victor album "A Special Kind of Man" same year, released as a single in 1975 and became one of the fifty all-time singles to have sold more than 10 million copies worldwide.
Ronald Arthur Webster(1943-1993) is not credited more songs, though being a local folk singer beside his trade as a silversmith. At least he wrote a golden poem. What is this about? The scene is obviously back to the time of the Napolean Wars; a sea warrior from the colonies gotten involved with both these pacific islands AND a woman, and forced to leave both to fight for his native country. If I'm wrong; it doesn't matter. The poem is perfectly melted with the composition of Whittaker's.
... D A D there's a ship lies rigged and ready in the harbor D D7 G tomorrow for old England she sails Em G far away from your land of endless sunshine Em E7 A ...A7 to my land full of rainy skies and gales D A D and I shall be aboard that ship tomorrow D D7 G ...Em though my heart is full of tears at this farewell Em A D Bm Em A7 for you are beautiful and I have loved you dearly G A A7 D more dearly than the spoken word can tell
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