MacGregorSailors.com

Friends,

My father passed away this week.
Dad bought his first sailboat when I was 12 and taught me everything I know about sailing and boats. Actually before that he took us out on a little Sea Snark on the lake. Sailing and boating was his passion and his life. It was the thing he lived for. His email tagline was "There is nothing--absolutely nothing - half so much worth doing as simply messing about in boats." That was him. Perfectly.

So now I am tasked and honored with coordinating a tribute to him in January with a slide show presentation. I'm looking for some music to run under the photos. So I turn to you for suggestions.

I just came across a song by Lyle Lovett - If I had a boat. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PLm1Jvu-ARY



--Russ

I'm sorry for your loss, Russ... my dad passed in 2005 and it was a very sad time. Like you and your dad, he and I often sailed together. After he passed I renamed the Boston Whaler Harpoon which he and I bought together to "Bobby's Boys" in his honour.

I don't know if I can help you with the music, but here's a portion of what I wrote for my own dad... I used it to close my eulogy. You might perhaps recite it during the slide show. It's a quote from Henry Van Dyke, with a bit added on the end from me to my own dad.

I am standing upon the seashore.
A ship, at my side, spreads her white sails to the moving breeze
and starts for the blue ocean.
She is an object of beauty and strength.

I stand and watch her until, at length, she hangs
like a speck of white cloud
just where the sea and sky come to mingle with each other.

Then, someone at my side says, "There, she is gone"

Gone where?

Gone from my sight.
That is all.
She is just as large in mast, hull and spar as she was when she left my side.
And, she is just as able to bear her load of living freight to her destined port.

Her diminished size is in me -- not in her.
And, just at the moment when someone says, "There, she is gone,"
there are other eyes watching her coming,
and other voices ready to take up the glad shout,
"Here she comes!"

I know you'll be there at the dock, Dad,
when someday my boat also reaches those gentle shores,
standing ready to tie her up fast and secure,
and to greet me with your open arms.

Actually, on second thought, I may be able to help you with the music.

My son played the guitar and I sang this tribute to my father at the funeral. Russ, perhaps it may mean as much to you as it did to me. Even to this day, I have never been able to listen to this without tearing up.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OVSHdwWzLo4

When I was young, my Dad would say
Come on Son let's go out and play
Sometimes it seems like yesterday

And I'd climb up the closet shelf
When I was all by my-self
Grab his hat and fix the brim
Pretending I was him

No matter how hard I try
No matter how many tears I cry
No matter how many years go by
I still can't say good-bye

He always took care of Mom and me.
We all cut down a Christmas tree
He always had some time for me

Wind blows through the trees
Street lights, they still shine bright
Most things are the same
but I miss my Dad to-night

I walked by a Salvation Army store
Saw a hat like my daddy wore
Tried it on when I walked in
Still trying to be like him

No matter how hard I try
No matter how many years go by
No matter how many tears I cry
I still can't say good-bye

Dad and me....



Reminder to all you dads... spend more time saying "Come on, son (or daughter), let's go out and play".
It all passes by too quickly.

Russ,

I am so very sorry for your loss. You have my deepest sympathy.

My Dad died in 1989, I can't believe how long it has been and how recent it feels like,

as for the song as common as it may be I still like Christopher Cross "Sailing", makes me smile and cry when I hear it,

Sincerely,

francis joshua

Kevin,

Thank you! That is awesome and so fitting for my dad.


--Russ

I'm glad it was helpful, Russ.

Listen to the Chet Atkins number, too... it comes from Chet's heart, and reflects mine as well.

kmclemore wrote:I'm glad it was helpful, Russ.

Listen to the Chet Atkins number, too... it comes from Chet's heart, and reflects mine as well.

Wow! That's a great song. I may use it. A great poem.
Thank you again Kevin. I really needed this today. Really helps. Understand the tearing up. Yup.

Russ,
Sorry for your loss. My wife gave me two CDs with classic and not-so-classic sailing music for Father’s day:
1. If I had a boat. Lyle Lovett
2. Come sail away. Styx
3. What do you do with a drunken sailor? The seadogs
4. Changes in latitudes, changes in attitudes. Jimmy Buffett
5. Sailor’s prayers. Keith Sykes
6. Sittin’ on the dock of the bay. Otis Redding
7. Sail Away. Neil Young
8. The Irish Rover. The Pogues
9. Blue Sky. The Allman brothers
10. Son of a son of a sailor. Jimmy Buffett
11. Six months in leaky boat. Split Enz
12. Sail away sweet sister. Queen
13. Sea of heartbreak. Johnny Cash
14. I’ll sail my ship alone. Moon Mullican
15. Fog of the tyne. Lindisfame
16. Ship of fools. Robert Plant
17. Blow of man down. Rant & roar
18. Wreck of Edmund Fitzgerald. Gordon Lightfoot
CD2:
1. Southern Cross. Crosby Still & Nash
2. Where the boat leaves from. Zac Brown Band
3. Working on my boat. Eileen Quinn
4. Swimming in the sunshine. Billy Currington.
5. Who needs sleep? Barenaked ladies.
6. Sail on, sailor. The Beach Boys.
7. Fisherman’s blues. The Waterboys
8. The day of the clipper. Tommy Maken & Liam Clancy
9. Don’t rock my boat. Bob Marley
10. Boats. Kenny Chesney
11. Sloop John B. Beach Boys
12. Big Ship. Freddie Mcgregor
13. A’ sailin’ on the ocean. Oh! California
14. Whiskey in the jar. Metallica
15. Captain Sad and his ship of fools. The Cowsills.
16. The river. Brooks Starsgarth
17. Somos el barco. Oh! California
18. The Perfect Sailor. Eileen Quinn
19. Beyond the sea. Bobby Darin

Hope this helps,
Pedro

I'm very sorry to hear about your loss Russ. I lost my father when I was 22, and I've always felt a bit adrift since then. My only song recommendation would be Sailing (takes me away) by Christopher Cross or maybe Son of a Son of a Sailor if Jimmy Buffet was your Dad's style.

Very sorry for your loss but Ya Missed Grand Funk Railroad - I'm your Captain, closer to home, I love this song any bad day on the water and it runs through my mind.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fyF5J7au1jE

We all cut down a Christmas tree

Just got back from cutting down a Christmas tree with my sons and wife.
20th consecutive year. Same farm. Memories.

Hope you're coping OK, Russ. Remember the good times.

My condolences Russ.

Ive managed to locate my parents 3 doors down from us in NY, where they are watching my girls grow up, and I hope this will take them the rest of the way home from the late age 80s....

kmclemore wrote:I am standing upon the seashore.
A ship, at my side, spreads her white sails to the moving breeze
and starts for the blue ocean.
She is an object of beauty and strength.

I stand and watch her until, at length, she hangs
like a speck of white cloud
just where the sea and sky come to mingle with each other.

Then, someone at my side says, "There, she is gone"

Gone where?

Gone from my sight.
That is all.
She is just as large in mast, hull and spar as she was when she left my side.
And, she is just as able to bear her load of living freight to her destined port.

Her diminished size is in me -- not in her.
And, just at the moment when someone says, "There, she is gone,"
there are other eyes watching her coming,
and other voices ready to take up the glad shout,
"Here she comes!"

Back from NJ and the memorial for my dad. Kevin, I stole this poem. It was great and I read it. Perfect for my dad. Just perfect.
Thank you so much for it and thank you all for your comments. This forum is great.

We held an event at the Keyport yacht club and hundreds came out for it. The celebration was an emotional overload of all the people my father touched in life.

My brother is keeping dad's boat (Hunter 35). Not sure that's a good idea for him. It may end up in my hands eventually because my bro is seasonal and works all summer. But dad's boat will stay in the family no matter what.

Here is a slide show of my dad's life. Hard for me to watch it and not tear up. Dad was highly involved in the Power Squadron. They will miss him.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aIQxZF6BfBs

--Russ

Thanks, Russ, and I'm so glad it was helpful to you and your family. I can't take credit for the words, of course, but they mean a lot to me as well. And that was a lovely slideshow/movie tribute to your dad... especially enjoyed the scenes and clips from the 'early days' on the water. I can only assume the young'un was you.

Kind regards,
Kevin

Russ...going through some career change stress at the moment, but that 15 minutes put the sacrifices of the Greatest Generation back in its proper place...

....and don't forget, you have done him proud, Sir.