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I'D LIKE TO FIND THE GUY WHO NAMED THE COAST
GUARD
The melody to this classic lament has long since been lost, but the song is too good to let die. Other than "Semper Paratus," it is the only song written about and for the Coast Guard. The song was first played and sung by the Coast Guard Band on a radio show in New Orleans followed soon afterward by performances in New York. Eleanor Roosevelt wrote about it in her December 15, 1945 "My Day" column: "Many a Coast Guardsman, staring from the deck of his ship at the soft hills of Ireland or the coral and palm of some far Pacific atoll, has wondered what coast "they" had in mind when they named his service. The question occurred to Lieutenant Scott Wilson, USCGR, veteran of the invasion of Saipan one day in the spring of 1943 and he began to hum some words. He talked it over with Chris Yacich, SP1c who had some song writing experience and the latter wrote the song." After New York, it seems to have disappeared until a few years ago when the words surfaced on Fred's Place with the wrong spelling of the composer's name.
If anyone knows the original melody, please get in touch with me! I would enjoy being able to have the song brought back the way it was recorded over 60 years ago. You're welcome to send additional verses, which I'll post on my web site. The only requirement is that they not be profane or slanderous. I look forward to seeing what you come up with. The new version was launched at Coast Guard Festival in Grand Haven on August 2 and is now available! Contact Mike to purchase a CD. CD Credits New Version For more of Alison's great music, please visit her web site. |
Alison Freeman and I joined forces to revive this classic lament
about the Coast Guard and add new verses to bring it up to date. | Copyright 2007 Mike Walling |