26th July 2020
I hadn't written a new song for a couple of weeks which is about my longest barren spell since I started recording the Torquay Pageant songs. I think it is partly due to work which is a bit tedious and complicated at the moment. Also with the new albums nearing completion I have been spending lots of time trying to deal with all the things that need to be done for a new release. I have had a couple of ideas in my head that I wanted to write a song about but I couldn't seem to find the spare time or inspiration to sit down and write some lyrics. Also whenever I have picked up the guitar over the last few weeks I haven't found any new melody ideas, although I must admit I hadn't tried very hard. Anyway last night I had some spare time to kill while I was trying to send a file of mp3's to Phil Swann. I tried several different methods to send the file which meant that I spent lots of time waiting for the file to be uploaded which until about the third attempt had been unsuccessful. During this time, waiting for the computer to do something, I started to write some new lyrics and I think I have got the composition of the a new song pretty much finished.
When I started writing songs about Torbay I made a list of as many things that I could think of that might be good ideas for songs. Something about the Spanish barn at Torre Abbey was one of those and there is a good account of the Nuestra Senora del Rosario in a book I have just finished reading about Torre Abbey which I referred to so that I could write the lyrics.
The Armada was sighted from St Michaels Mount
Then out of Plymouth the English ships sailed out
Commanded by Lord Howard and Sir Francis Drake
The odds were stacked against them with so much at stake
During the first skirmishes in late July
Two Spanish ships would disastrously collide
One lost two sails and was crippled in the sea
And from Sir Francis Drake that vessel could not flee
Captain Whiddon on the Roebuck into Torbay to tow
The Nuestra Senora Del Rosario
Drake hoped that he could loot the stricken vessel
With the ship at his mercy he was so successful
The Spanish surrendered their gold coins and their swords
Drake taking fifty nobles so history records
Captain Whiddon on the Roebuck into Torbay to tow
The Nuestra Senora Del Rosario
From the Revenge Don Pedro saw the campaign
The cunning English sailors against the might of Spain
At Calais the fireships burning so bright
The Armada in disarray for a him a painful sight
Captain Whiddon on the Roebuck into Torbay to tow
The Nuestra Senora Del Rosario
Our lady of the rosary a flagship of the sea
Don Pedro her captain for a ransom would be free
Back in Torbay the Rosario remained
And the hopes of the Spanish crew would surely be in vain
For they were held as prisoners in Torre Abbey's barn
For the history of Torquay this is such a thrilling yarn
Captain Whiddon on the Roebuck into Torbay to tow
The Nuestra Senora Del Rosario