The Bonny Ship Balclutha

Ken Campbell / Bridgegate Music

Built in 1886 on the River Clyde in our home city of Glasgow, Scotland

the ‘Balclutha’ was also known as the ‘Star of Alaska’ and ‘Pacific Queen.

She carried cargo all round the world for 44 years, with a crew of about 26 to handle her 25 sails and complex rigging, beffore being restored and moved to San Francisco Bay where she became an icon.

Nobody had ever written a song for this famous ship, so we wrote this one for her.

Please take it and sing it.

We were honoured to perform it for the first time in concert on board the Balclutha in San Francisco Bay.

………………………………….

CH - ACAPELLA

From Cape Horn to Alaska, San Francisco to Australia

Pride of the Clyde, we sail with the tide, the bonny ship Balclutha

V1

F5 Bbadd2/F F5 AmaddF C7no3

In eighteen hundred eighty six, the bonny ship Balclutha

F5 AmaddF Bbadd2 F5 AmaddF C7no3 F5 Bbadd2/F F5 AmaddF

Was built on the Clyde, then sailed away, bound for San Fra-n--cisco Bay

CH

Bbadd2 F5 AmaddF Bbadd2 AmaddF C7no3

From Cape Horn to Alaska, San Fran---cisco to Aus-----tr---alia

F5 AmaddF Bbadd2 F AmaddF C7no3 F5

Pride of the Clyde, we sail with the tide, The bonny ship Balclu------tha

+ tag line

F5 AmaddF Bbadd F AmaddF C7no3 F5

V2

Across the Atlantic she did go, full of whisky wine and coal

Her yards were square, her gear all new, a bonny ship, good and true

CH

V3

In the lumber trade she served her time, with timber for the Ozzy mines

Made her mark in the canning trade, then back home to the Golden gates

CH

INSTRUMENTAL - VERSE

CH

V4 A finer lass you never knew, this old ship, her gallant crew

We sail today at break of day, we sail for San Francisco Bay

CH x 2

+ in tempo tag line

F Am Bb F Am C7 F