Happy Holidays with Buccaneer Bells

One of my favorite Massachusetts families honored me by including me on their Christmas card. Thank you Julie, Tony, Laura, and Scott!

This merry and of course 'friendly' pirate has washed ashore on a Yule-Tide. It's that time of year when the temps drop like an anchor into the sea, and yer timbers are shivered. To warm and brighten things, we hang baby pirates' stockings (aka pirate booties) by the chimney with care. Then, when we put those itsy bitsy pirates to bed, we break out the Egg-Grog and have a nip with the Sugar-Rum Fairies. After a time, that guy that says "yo-ho-ho" arrives. That's right, Santa is a pirate.

Here's wishin' ye Happy Holidays me heartie! I hope yer family be healthy, yer chest filled with treasure, and yer heart filled with joy! I have written a non-denominational holiday chantey to celebrate the season. May the peal of Buccaneer Bells appeal to you!

Buccaneer Bells

by RRR Carter, © 2012 by RRR Carter

I woke up this morning and what did I see

a chest full of treasure under the tree

maybe there’s some for me mateys

maybe there’s some for me

Buccaneer Bells are ringing

ding-ding-ding-dong, ding-ding-ding-dong

the Captain and Crew, they are singing

sing - sing a song, sing - sing a song

a bounty of booty they’re bringing

bring it along

I went to the table and I took a seat

tankards with drink and treats there to eat

save room for some of the sweet things

save room for someone who’s sweet

Buccaneer Bells are ringing

ding-ding-ding-dong, ding-ding-ding-dong

the Captain and Crew, they are singing

sing - sing a song, sing - sing a song

a bounty of booty they’re bringing

bring it along

I walked down the lane under moonbeams

the town was a-glow with lights all a-gleam

don’t wake me up if I’m dreaming

don’t wake me up from this dream

Buccaneer Bells are ringing

ding-ding-ding-dong, ding-ding-ding-dong

the Captain and Crew, they are singing

sing - sing a song, sing - sing a song

a bounty of booty they’re bringing

bring it along

Buccaneer Bells are ringing

Friend Ship

What kind of vessel would a friendly pirate sail? It seemed obvious to me, but I know I'm not the first person to use the pun of Friend Ship and friendship. Not long after I recorded this song on my CD "Give Me an RRR!", my co-worker and nationally recognized ski instructor Glen Findholt told me his boat was called the Friend Ship.

My goal in writing this song was to unite the idea of a sailing with people you like, with the idea of what it means to be a friend. In both instances you are going on a journey. I also wanted to celebrate friendship in general. I believe that most everyone wants friendships, and meaningful ones at that.

Perhaps, I've been able to capture those ideas in my lyrics. You can see the hand written Chorus in my drawing above. Below are words from the verses:

friends are crew to help you through
and friends are near to lend a hand or lend an ear 
friends will be with you at sea
and friends will stay all through the night and through the day

I have some friends to thank for helping me make this song better. Outside of my immediate circle of family and friends, the first fan of this song was Hannah Beatty, and I appreciate her encouragement. Megan Miller suggested that "a special ship with our friends" might have the wrong connotation, so I changed it to "a happy ship with our friends", which I ultimately find more uplifting. Then the sister & brother team of Taylor & Alex Fabrega insisted that I arrange the song in a reggae style. To facilitate this musical recommendation, I recruited yet another friend, Rudy Dauth of the band Pulse Prophets, to play guitars and bass.

None of us live in a vacumn (unless you're the Hermit of Mink Hollow), and no one can do it alone. So, to quote a famous song on the same subject "I get by with a little help from my friends".

Submitted in friendship and in trust,
RRtFP

P.P.S. (Pirate post script). OK, in my heart of hearts I want this song to be my Pirate version of "Ebony and Ivory", even if my sweet sister (and friend) Melinda Maher finds McCartney's plea for racial unity to be trite, slight, and not quite right.

Don't be a Buccaneer Bully, part 1

Once upon a... ship... there were two pirates. One was friendly and the other was... lets just say that he was... cranky. Sometimes they got along fine, and sometimes they'd fight like cats and scurvy dogs... or like the crazy cousins that they were.

Rockin' Ron was the Friendly Pirate. He wore his patch above his eye. He didn't have a sword or a knife. He rolled liked a pirate... BUT he rolled real nice. He loved to write songs, and he'd dance a jig of joy when you said AHOY! He was always making corny jokes, like “How much did the pirate pay for his corn? A buccaneer! You know... a dollar for an ear of corn... a buck... an ear!”.

Silver Long Johns was the Cranky Pirate. He had fancy pants made of silver that kept his legs warm. He never cleaned his cabin, swabbed the deck, or did his other chores, not to mention minding his manners and sharing his toys. He thought he was El Cap-i-tan, the boss, the big cheese, big man on campus, and top dog... but Silver Long Johns was just a Buccaneer Bully.

The pirates cousins sailed on the... Friend Ship. On the bow, that's the front of the ship, there was a twinkling star. Both sides of the ship, portside on the left and starboard on the right, were decorated with moons and suns. The waves seemed to pick up the Friend Ship like gentle hands and carry it to its next port. Usually, it was a happy ship with angel wing sails soaking up the sunshine, and catching the western wind. That was until the Friendly Pirate and the Cranky Pirate got in an argument.

CP: Avast there Friendly Pirate! There's a ship off the fortside.

FP: I don't mean to be rude, but that would be the portside, not the fortside, Cranky Pirate.

CP: That's what I said... the fortside. The side of the ship that the fort is on as we leave the harbor, is called the fortside.

FP: Good try Cranky Pirate, but its portside. Portside is the left side of the ship as you are facing forward, towards the bow. I remember that because the word 'port' and the word 'left' both have four letters.

CP: Friendly Pirate are you a dumb land lubber? I'm Captain here and I say fortside.

FP: Hey, that's not nice. You should call me by my name Rockin’ Ron the Friendly Pirate, or Rockin’ Ron, or FP. Calling me a dumb land lubber is an insult.

CP: Of course its an insult. You don't deserve any better, you scabby scalliwag, you seaweed scroungin' scallop, you salt water son of a moldy misfit mermaid.

FP: Now you're insulting my mom. And by the way, she wasn't moldy.

CP: I'm not done. Your dad hisself was a bilge rat with a bad reputation, a pencil neck geek with a lousy physique, and a malcontent reprobate rabble rouser.

FP: Now you're insulting my dad... I think? What's a bilge rat?

CP: The bilge is where all the nasty water collects in the bottom of ship, and a rat is a rodent. Bilge Rats are rats that are found in the bilge.

FP: You did insult my dad... and my mom too!

CP: Alright, I'll leave them out of this. Lets talk about you, Mr. raider without a rudder, Mr. all-around nice guy, Mr. Friendly Pirate. You're not even a real pirate, you have two eyes.

FP: I may wear a patch above my two eyes, and I may NOT have a sword or a knife, but I AM a Pirate and a friendly one.  But that reminds me of a song I recently wrote called The Word Pirate...

the WORD pirate has one I
me mates I do not lie
take off your patch to see
its P-I-R-A-T-E
pirate - one who steals from others on the water

the word lubber has two B’s
“to be, or not to be”
said Shakespear from afar
its L-U-B-B-E-R
lubber - one who loves the land more than the sea

the word rudder has two D’s
don’t deny me please
it also has two R’s
its R-U-D-D-E-R
rudder - determines direction of a ship

you have to know your letters, lads and lasses

so you can pass through all of life’s classes

that’s what this is all about

but do I have to spell ‘it out’?

I-T, O-U-T

banana has three A’s
me mateys are amazed
you peel and chew and then you say,
B-A-N-A-N-A

CP: Can’t you do anything without breaking into a song? You're bananas, you're coconuts, you're just plain NUTS!!

FP: I may be crazy, but it keeps me from going insane. Hey, how come you keep insulting me? That's what bullies do.

CP: Would you get off your high horse, or your seahorse, or whatever you rode in on?

FP: Not until you give me an apology.

CP: OK Jose, I'm sorry.

FP: Mean it?

CP: Yes... I mean it. I apologize to your parents too.

FP: Gracias and thank you Senor Cranky Pirate. My dad Renaldo and my mother Penelope would approve of your apology. What happened to that ship you saw off the portside?

CP: (under his breath) Never mind you nitwit navigator, that ship has left the harbor.

FP: What did you say?

CP: Never mind you... nimble navigator, I don't harbor... any ill will. In fact, how can I be a well-behaved pirate?

FP: Try not to make yourself feel better by making others feel bad. You should check out the Seven C's.

CP: Is that on your DVD "LIGHTS...CAMERA...RRR!" and your CD "Give Me an RRR!"?

FP: Why yes, and thank you for the shameless plug.

CP: I'm trying to be nice. I want to stop being a Buccaneer Bully.

FP: That's the best news since the beginning of this blog. Till next time, avast ye pirates.

Pearl the Purple Pirate Princes

Pearl the Purple Pirate Princess (see my drawing of her above) is the fictional sister of Rockin' Ron the Friendly Pirate. Where RRtFP is friendly and jolly, PtPPP is "happy as can be".  Early in me pirate career, I discovered that girls like the world of pirates as much as boys. I wrote the song as a waltz to capture a royal yet playful feeling. It is one of the best loved of my songs. You will note that there are many boys who love this song as well. Take a moment to marvel at this PEARL of song.

Her name is an homage to my Aunt Pearl who lived in the town of Portage, Wisconsin. To the best of my knowledge, Portage is where Native Americans and French Fur Traders crossed the river carrying canoes above their heads. I honor my grandfather in the verse about listening to a seashell and hearing the ocean, because he had me do just that. So, I unwittingly included nautical allusions.

Pearl is mainly inspired by my friend Harley Johnson whose favorite color is purple (Oprah Winfrey likes The Color Purple too). There's an inside joke in the lyrics - "purple hue" as in "Purple Hugh", refers to her son Hugh B. Johnson III. You can see Harley, Hugh B, and husband Hugh in the video FP Rap (Pirates on Board Go RRR!).

At this juncture, I must give a shout out to Wendy Maquera - the singing voice of Pearl. Her dulcet tones can also be found ringing out on "Welcome Aboard" and "Friend Ship". All these songs RRR on me CD "Give Me an RRR!" 

I know alliteration is one of the easiest and over-used writing devices, but it is also very effective. For an extra example of extreme alliteration I ask people to say 'Pearl the Purple Pirate Princess plays with rubber baby buggy bumpers in a posh Parisian Parsnip Palace'. Then I move to many fewer syllables and have them say 'Irish wristwatch' or 'unique New York'. What those last two tongue twisters have to do with the cost of a Spanish Galleon, I know naught.

The last line of Pearl's song is "won't you sail the seas with me?". I ask you now "will you sail the Social Media Seas with me?" You must have, if yer reading this message in a bloggle. Set sail for me facebook page where I'll be having a contest through Raffle Copter for you to win one of 5 DVDs, or a grand prize package of a DVD, CD, a bag of Buccaneer Brew Coffee, and a tin of Pirate Boo-Tea. 

Good Luck! Fair Winds! Sea U soon!




a Rafflecopter giveaway

The Making of the DVD “Lights...Camera...RRR!”

 

There are lots of moving parts in making a moving picture, or for that matter, a collection of music videos. I found this out while making “Lights...Camera..RRR!” (a take-off on the Hollywood cliche “Lights, Camera, Action!”). Lets go behind the scenes, or below deck as it were, for the details.

What was the original concept? I wanted to show the interaction between myself as Rockin' Ron the Friendly Pirate and my audience, as well as demonstrating the movements in the songs. I reckoned the best way to do this would be in a concert setting.

Where to stage the concert? The Cambridge Elementary School Gym in Jeffersonville, Vermont was chosen for several reasons. This is a nearby port for me fanbase, it can accommodate a large crowd, but most importantly, it has a historic hand-painted town curtain depicting a castle, a ship, and waves. Perfect for a pirate backdrop!

Who would film and edit the videos? I chose Matt Richardson of Bear Pond Productions because of his work for Smugglers' Notch Resort and the Stowe Performing Arts Center. For the “shoot” Matt decided on having two hand-held cameras (Matt along with Nick Stephani), and one stationary camera (like at high school basketball games). We also shot some solo scenes of me before the crowd arrived.

Another decision was to use the recordings of the tracks as they appear on my CD “Give Me an RRR!”. This process would make editing much easier than recording the tracks live . Because I was miming the songs, I briefly considered calling the DVD “Loose Ships, Lip Sync” (a play on the war adage “loose lips, sink ships”).

I choose Sunday, April 22nd, 2012 at 1pm for the concert. A multitude of mateys, a bevy of buccaneers, and a crew of pirate-crazed kids and adults came aboard for the fun and filming. It didn't hurt that it was an overcast and rainy day, so an indoor kids activity was welcomed.

What about the DVD packaging? I wanted a professional, and Steph Campbell of sbc design came highly recommended. I asked her to come up with a logo and a font as part of the packaging design process. These elements would be integrated into the videos. We went through various logos and cover designs until we came up with the existing package.

When Matt finished editing and Steph completed the design, these components were sent to Disc Makers in New Jersey. About three weeks later a boat load of boxes washed ashore. I originally planned on coming out with the DVD in the summer of 2012, but as we got to August, I decided that I would celebrate International Talk Like a Pirate Day on September 19th by having a Release PaRRRty. Cap'n Slappy and Chumbucket did not attend, but 4 score of me mateys did!

Why did I want to make a DVD of music videos, is this a vanity project? Well, yes, I am an artist after all, and I want people to appreciate my creations. Is it commerce? Of course, I spent money to make it and I'd like to make it back and then some (I am a pirate, and pirates like most people... like treasure). I wanted videos for YouTube to market meself. I wanted an 'audition tape' for those who bring entertainment to schools, libraries, and other venues. This collection of videos could also serve as the basis for a future TV show... so,stay tuned, me hearties!

What do Pirates drink?

Blackbeard liked to add gunpowder to what he was guzzlin'. He may have liked the taste, but I bet his real motive was to intimidate his fellow Brethren of the Coast. Bartholomew Roberts (aka Black Bart) was a tee-totaler and drank tea. But, his last drink was probably a tankard of salt water with Davey Jones. Sir Francis Drake and Queen Elizabeth might have raised a glass of Spanish Wine to celebrate the defeat of the Spanish Armada. However, the average pirate consumed what is called grog. The water on board ships in the olden days often went bad, so thirsty pirates added any combination of beer and rum to make it drinkable, and the result was referred to as grog.

Well, these are the modern days and we have civilized bevvies for ye scurvies. I am pleased to announce Rockin' Ron the Friendly Pirate's Buccaneer Brew - a coconut rum flavored coffee from Sailin' Sandy and the crew at Brown & Jenkins. This is for java-lovin adult pirates.

For the tea-tastin' mateys amongst ye, there will soon be Rockin' Ron's Friendly Pirate's Pirate Boo-Tea from Jolly John at Vermont Liberty Tea. His concoction will make a playful, fruity cup o' goodness fer Pirates of all ages that can be served hot or cold.
 
So forget about Ho-hum Rum and Hair of the Scurvy Dog, have a mug of Buccaneer Brew or Pirate Boo-Tea. RRR!

Seven C's

Wikkipedia says "The phrase "Seven Seas" (as in the idiom "sail the Seven Seas") can refer either to a particular set of seven seas or be used as an expression for all the world's oceans in general."

My singer-songwriter friend Ben Sage had another idea - words that begin with the letter C and highlight good values. He was inspired by my Rockin' Ron the Friendly Pirate character (and Captain Kangaroo) and he gave me a song idea. He sent along what would become the chorus and first verse of Seven C's. I changed some words here and there, added an intro and second verse, and I wrote the music. Let's let the lyrics do the talking...


VERSE:
Oh, to be a Friendly Pirate
You must know the Seven C’s
Seven words that we can live by
These seven, if you please

CHORUS:
There’s COURTESY, COMPASSION
And a bit of COURAGE too
With CLEANLINESS (swab), and CLEVERNESS
They’re good for me and you
Plus CHEERFULNESS and CHARITY,
Now that makes Seven C’s
They’ll never fail to help you sail
Through life quite merrily


But, I know how literal kids can be so I included seven bodies of water in the introduction, all of which are refered to as seas. They were chosen mainly for their poetic quality. They are: Caspian, Caribbean, Baltic and North, and, Black, Red and Dead.

So many seas, so little time. Its time for me to sail... SEA U LATER!

RRR vs. Arrgh

I consider three consecutive capital R’s to be one of my trademarks. It appears in several of my songs including the title track of my “Give Me an RRR!” CD. I was initially inspired by the pirate joke that I’ve heard more than any other: “why couldn’t the young pirate go to the movie… because it was rated… R (or arrgh as the phonetic equivalent)”. With my spelling, I wanted to set myself apart from other pirates, while at the same time opening up possibilities for usage of words with the ‘R’ sound in an educational and entertaining way. For instance: "Pirates navigate by the North... ?", "Pirates drink their grog from an old fruit... ?", "Pirates in a fight often get a... ?", and "Pirates like their feathers mixed with... ?".

If you would RRRgue for the traditional Arrgh, you would do well to refer to The Pirate Primer – Mastering the Language of Swashbucklers and Rogues , where George Choundas dedicates a whole chapter to Arrgh.  He says the pronunciation of “arrgh” is “arrr” not “arg”. He also credits Robert Newton, famous for his depiction of Long John Silver in the 1950 version the Treasure Island, with popularizing the expression. In one movie, Newton said “arrgh” 50 times!

Which side RRR you on?

Scurvy Dog and Scaredy Cat

I'd like to ruminnate, to cogitate, to fathom (oooo... good pirate word) and to reckon on this oft-overlooked (even by me) song from my CD "Give Me an  RRR!"

In normal pirate lingo, Scurvy Dog can either be an insult or a term of endearment about a person. In this instance I have taken Dog to literally mean a canine, and I mean Scurvy in the nicest possible way. After all, I am a Friendly Pirate.

The image of Scurvy Dog in my drawing above, is inspired by our neighbor's dog Oliver who is an amiable terrier-mix. Scaredy is my depiction of our black cat Pookah, who used to jump at her own shadow, but now rules the house with an iron paw.

In the Colonial era many animals rode on pirate ships and ships in general. Parrots and monkeys came from lands considered exotic to Europeans. Common domesticated animals such as horses, cows, chickens (prized for their cackle fruit) and dogs made the journey to the New World to assist their humans in a new life. Our friend the cat must have been especially helpful when it came to an unwanted stow-away... the rat.

In a fit of anthropomorphism (how often does one get to use that word?) I have given my Dog & Cat some human traits. Although, one could argue that humans have adapted animal traits. Anywho, Scurvy wears (Carmen) Miranda's bananas and Scaredy wears the cat's pajamas, among other activities.

My friend Betty informs me that her friend, who is a children's nutritionist, is using this as a teaching song (as well as Hungry Pirate).  It must be in reference to Scurvy Dog's scurvy. Most folks will know that vitamin C found in oranges, lemons, limes, and even apples, prevents this seafaring affliction.

Musically, this was one of the easiest songs for me to write, and is one of the most enjoyable to play. Despite his kids' disagreement and perhaps embrassment, this is my friend Jay's favorite song from the CD.

When singing the chorus it goes like this:
DOG: Bow-wow
CAT: Me-ow
JAMES BROWN: OooooowwwWWW!

That's it for now, I gotta get on the good foot (or is that the good paw?).

Lake Champlain Maritime Festival August 9th-12th

I met last night with Mike, Jerry, and Lisa of the Lake Champlain Maritime Festival and I am pleased to announce that yours truly, Rockin' Ron the Friendly Pirate, will be the face and voice of this year's Festival! The best part is that our ships are on parallel courses. I try to impart friendly, entertaining, and educational messages with my music and performances, and the LCMF folks are promoting the aesthetic, recreational, and environmental aspects of Lake Champlain.

On Saturday, August 11th starting at 9am, there will be a Pirate 5K. Dress in yer best Buccaneer Gear and run like yer being chased by a cannonball. You'll be able to get a photo with me after yer photo finish.

I am so proud to be on board with this crew!

More missives about this great event in the near future.

Gloucester, Massachussetts

The Eastern Point Crew gathers for a freindly photo op.

Gloucester has several claims to fame including being the oldest seaport in the US,

 and as the setting for book and the film of the Perfect Storm.

I recently performed in the historic city of Gloucester. I was at the Eastern Point Day School which is located near a beach where you can see Boston in the distance. The school itself is in a fabulous old house situated above a huge rock formation. I wish I could have gone to school in such a setting. The kids, parents, and teachers were maRRRvelous. Special Seafarin' Salutations to Michelle, and especailly Tami!

I was able to tour the city (actually I was lost). While naviagting my way to Eastern Point, I observed that Gloucester is a working seaport... with plenty of  places to get fried calms. There are mansions beside the sea, Cape-style houses, and Colonial-era buildings - all along winding lanes - which makes it it chock full o' charm.

If you haven't been to this Cape Ann city on the North Shore, I would highly suggest you visit. I know I shall return, and dock the Friend Ship in this friendly port.   

Lobster cages by the shore.





Whirly Wind & Whirly Gigs

Twas a whirly wind that took the Friend Ship sailin' 'round the Northeastern United States. Off the starborad of the seaboard, if you will.

Me first port-o-call was the Pearl Rhodes School (perfect for the brother of Pearl the Purple Pirate Princess) in the Pioneer Valley of Massachussetts. It was Dress Like a Pirate Day and nearly all the students and teachers were sporting their seafarin' fashions and in some cases fake facial hair. Of course we sang, jigged, and joked like pirates - RRR! It was also a fundraiser for the Leyden Library, which I'm told, made its gold.

Then I followed the south bound currents to NYC (Enn Why Sea, the Big Apple, Gotham City, the City that never sleeps) for my Broadway Debut. Well, it wasn't exactly 'on Broaway', but an anchor's throw away - the Upper West Side between West End Ave. and Broadway. It was a party for Jolly Josh the Birthday Buccaneer. My back-up singers Talia and Valli were on board too. All the attendees received a treasure box with cookies, doubloons, and a "Give Me an RRR!" CD.

Finally I docked at Fields Elementary School in Connecticut for two rousing shows. The audience was Pre-K to 5th Grade. The older kids were initally sceptical but I eventually won them over. This was further proof that my pirate show works GREAT in schools, even with those unfamilar with me music. Don't tell anybody that me songs are educational and deal with language usage, values, and history, among other subjects. 

So, I'm pleased to tell ye the first (peg) leg of me World Tour was a smashing success. I even broke even - what are the 'odds' on that - haRRRdy haRRR. Special thanks to Stephanie, Betty, Andy, Jessica, Jocelyn, Karla, and Jeff!

Clear the gangplank - more Whirly Gigs are on the way!

April 26th, 1717

295 years ago today, the pirate ship the Whydah encountered a fierce storm, and sunk off the coast of Cape Cod. 28 years ago, Barry Clifford salvaged that same ship from its sandy and briney resting place. 2 years ago, Jim Cunningham, the docent of the Whydah Pirate Museum, decided to sell a CD called "Give Me an RRR!" by Rockin' Ron the Friendly Pirate. In honor of these events I have written a song (mostly accurate) about the ship and its captain. To paraphrase what they say in the biz... "read it, and weep".

1717 (Black Sam Bellamy)

Spoken: come with me to the Golden Age of Pirates…

born in Old England, was Sam Bellamy

he came to Cape Cod across the sea

to see the New World and make a new start

then he saw her face and he lost his heart

to win her hand he went sailing for gold

southward to Florida, he was so bold

but having no luck he went on Account

for pirate treasure stolen or found

These tales they tell-a-me of Black Sam Bellamy

and 1717, hey-ho, 1717

his crew came from countries all over the world

but they had one cause when Roger unfurled

with John Julian, a Honduran man

from Wales, Thomas Davis, hammer in hand

with Hendrick Quintor, African Dutch

of sailing and ships he knew so much

and Little John King - eleven years old

left Mama’s side for pirates and gold

            These tales they tell-a-me of Black Sam Bellamy

and 1717, hey-ho, 1717

the crew had a vote and the Captain was fair

‘cause they signed the Articles, all who were there

when in the Bahamas they spied with their eyes

the galley the Whydah and she was a prize

she was a ship in the Triangle Trade

transporting humans to sell them as slaves

they captured the Whydah, and loot, it was seized

but her crew and her passengers, all were released

           These tales they tell-a-me of Black Sam Bellamy

and 1717, hey-ho, 1717

back to New England for unfinished deeds

the Captain and Whydah they went with such speed

her name was Maria and Sam loved her so

he longed to see her but naught did he know

a wicked nor’easter on April Two Six

took all but a few, turned timber to sticks

went down with his ship – Captain Sam Bellamy

Prince of the Pirates, Robin Hood of the Sea

          These tales they tell-a-me of Black Sam Bellamy

          and 1717, hey-ho, 1717

By RRR Carter © 2012

Pictured below - Whydah Pirate Museum, next to the Whale Watch, Provincetown, MA.

Lights, Camera, RRR!

Hear Ye! Hear Ye! Pirates & Princesses!! You RRR invited to be in

Music Videos with Rockin’ Ron the Friendly Pirate!!!

Matt Richardson of  Bear Pond Productions (photo above), assisted by Nick Stefani will be directing this production with 3 cameras filming 9 songs performed by 100 pirates (and 2 ballerinas). Matt and Nick recently produced a wonderful piece with Itzak Pearlman at the Stowe Performing Arts Center. A historic hand-painted curatin depicting a castle by a bay with a sailing ship, will serve as a visual buccaneer backdrop. I plan to post all of the songs on YouTube and produce a DVD. Because I'll be miming to the songs, I'm thinking of calling the collection "Loose Ships Lip Sync"!  

If ye be on board, pirate costumes, props and signs are not required, but encouraged, and Pirate attitude is mandatory! If you are a Princess -  put on PURPLE... please, oh pretty please with pears, peaches, pumpkins, parsnip, pickles, and peanut butter on top. This is an all ages show 1 - 101 yrs old (that means Buccaneer Babies like Anastasia). Kids bring your parents.  

Songs from the "Give Me an RRR!" CD to be filmed include: I’m the Friendly Pirate, Pearl the Purple Pirate Princess, Aweigh and a Hey, Buccaneer Bounce, Seven C’s, Twinkle Twinkle Little StaRRR, Cranky Pirate, Give Me an RRR!, and FP Dance.

WHEN: Sunday, April 22^nd from 1:00 – 4:00 pm

WHERE: Cambridge Elementary School Gym, Jeffersonville, VT

CONTACT: RockinRonCarter@gmail.com 

The Beatles as buccaneers sailing the sea... or, just naviagting middle C

I know it sounds far-fetched that the fab four would fly the Jolly Roger, but, its true me Buccaneer Beatle Freaks! Well, at least in my mind. The Beatles came from the seaport city of Liverpool, which is mentioned in many maritime songs. The seaport influence on the Beatles is pointed out  in the liner notes of the Rogue's Gallery CD - a collection put together by Gore Verbinski and Johnny Depp, and featuring Bono, Bryan Ferry, Sting, Lou Reed, Nick Cave, and others (note: this is not a kids CD).

The notes intimate that John Lennon in particular betrayed this buccaneer influence, at least melodically and harmonically. I they're refering to Norwegian Wood with its dorain scale chord progression, and Working Class Hero in the minor key. Try to think of these songs being sung in a dockside tavern with a mug o' grog at hand.

Then there's Macca. Paul McCartney recorded with a guitarist named Mick Green, who originally played with a band called Johnny Kidd and the Pirates. OK, me hearties, I know that's pretty skimpy evidence. So, I ask you to consider the song Morse Moose and the Grey Goose written with Denny Laine, from the London Town album. Here is one of the verses:

     she flew into the stormy
     Davy Jones was callin' me
     but headin for tranquility
     the Grey Goose flew away

Also, Paul's Beatle classic Blackbird is begging for a 'Blackbeard' parody. Alright, I've already written one. More about that in a future blog.

What about the Quiet Beatle? George Harrison, as it turns out, was not so quiet. He recorded a silly chantey with Monty Python called The Pirate Song with these lines "I have a Jolly Roger, its black and wide and vast" and "I sail the BBC". You can find it on YouTube.

Last, but not least, we have Ringo. Octopus's Garden! Need I say more? Octopus collect shiny objects and put them outside their caves. In an anthropormorphic sense, they are making a sculpture garden. Ringo brought forth a sunken treasure with that gem of a song.

Hey, I gotta go and "rest my head on a sea bed".

A BUCCANEER’S BACK STORY

Why do I call myself Rockin’ Ron the Friendly Pirate? Let’s break it down: Rockin’ is about music, attitude, and a ship’s motion on the sea; Ron is the name given to me by my mother; Friendly means thoughtful and nice; and finally, Pirate is a daring, fun-loving, and costume wearing purveyor of nautical-themed mischief. But why do I wear the patch above my eye? It is non-threatening to little children, it is less cliché than wearing it on me eye, I get dizzy when I wear it over me eye for an extended period of time, and it looks silly on my nose.

Isn’t the name Friendly Pirate an oxymoron, like the term Jumbo Shrimp? Yes, it is an oxymoron (just don’t call me a moron, unless you want ‘MORE Ron’ – haha). Generally, pirates are defined as thieves on a body of water. There have been pirates as long as people have been sailing. The pirates we are most familiar with in Western Culture are those from the Golden Age of Piracy when the European Powers were dividing up the spoils of the New World. Listen to my song "Pirates and Privateers" to hear about some of the Golden Age Pirates. Anyway, I talk and sing like a Pirate (no bad words of course), and I also dress and dance like a Pirate, but the only thing I want to steal is your heart! 

What about me family, you ask? Me pappy Renaldo makes locks for Treasure Chests. His locks are so fancy and so expensive, he has to give away the keys at no extra charge. So, they call him the "Free-key Pirate". Me mum Penelope loves tropical fruit such as oranges, bananas, and pineapple (her favorite). So ,they call her the "Fruity Pirate". The union of “Free-key” and “Fruity” produced “Friendly”, and my sister Pearl the Purple Pirate Princess (huh?). Other family includes my cousin named Silver Long Johns, who is known as the Cranky Pirate. I have pets - Polly Esther Pants, Scurvy Dog, and Scaredy Cat.

How did we end up in Vermont? Well, it is close to the St. Lawrence Seaway, but the real reason is that me mum, the "Fruity Pirate", heard that Vermont has pineapple trees. At first, she was disappointed that there were no pineapple trees... but there are pine trees and apple tress. So, we docked the Friend Ship and dropped anchor.

One last question. Am I the famous jazz bassist Ron Carter? No, but he did release an album called Peg Leg – haha!

Maiden Voyage & First Review

Unfurl the sails and unleash the adjectives! Its time for the first Avast Ye Pirates Blog from yours truly, Rockin' Ron the Friendly Pirate. As I say in my song 'FP Rap (Pirates on Board Go RRR!)', "I don't have a sword and I don't have a knife, I roll like a Pirate but I roll real nice". What I mean is that I am family-freindly fellow, but by jove, I'm also a Pirate. On this Blog I will explore various topics related to the world of Pirates. Below is my first review, which I posted on Amazon. Until next time... Fair Winds & Following Seas.  

Roger McGuinn's CCD gets an A!, February 24, 2012

By Rockin' Ron the Friendly Pirate

This review is from: Ccd (Audio CD)

As a singing pirate, the first buccaneer ballad that inspired me was Roger McGuinn's `Jolly Roger'. I then discovered sea-faring songs buried like treasure on Byrds' albums. Soon, `John Riley' and Jack Tarr the Sailor (which closely resembles `Go to Sea Once More' from CCD) also became favorites.

Therefore, me timbers shivered with excitement when I read in Mojo magazine that the legendary Mr. McGuinn was releasing an album of sea chanteys. I alternately like and dislike the title CCD. The pun of sea and `c' is nifty, but referring to a transitory format is naught. That is my only quibble.

McGuinn has created a sumptuous sounding group of songs. Acoustic guitar is to the fore (foci's) and he uses what sounds like electric guitar for texture on several tracks. Banjo is also prominent, but it is never overbearing and it fits the material perfectly. He sings the songs with a sailor's knowing and his trademark harmony vocals are the breezes that fill the sails.

Most of the songs will be familiar to maritime music buffs. `Drunken Sailor', `Let the Bullgine Run', and `Spanish Ladies' are among the 23 traditional songs on board. Two of the songs have new music and lyrics by McGuinn. My favorite song is `Back to Sea' with the rousing line, "her topsail's blowing free".

A reason to buy the CD of CCD is the sleek and classy package. Along with ship images and a picture of the artist, there are annotations for all the songs.

If you are a fan of sea chanteys, folk music, the Byrds, and of course, McGuinn's solo work, you will love CCD! Jolly GREAT Roger!!!