An Islander's Progress; being a song concerned with empire and imperialism, and their consequences, and reincarnation.

". . . false accounts of the role Britain played regarding colonisation not only misleads students but supplies them with a false sense of pride. This filter on reality may then be applied to view topics concerning race, discrimination and equality in their adulthood . . . (as a result) . . . racism is embedded in Britain’s history and society."
― Martin Greenwood: The Impact of the Past: How British Colonialism Affects the Modern World: May 4, 2021

Lyrics:
Over the seas and far away (and far away)
When I was young, I joined the ships leaving from the harbour
“Fair winds and following seas” went cries to each and every boat
We hastened down to Africa, then caught the Trade Winds west
With foul holds full of sad lost souls to toil in lands remote
But I drowned off the Florida coast in a raging hurricane
My body lost forever, but my soul it did remain

Proud Islander I was my friend, one of our doughty sailors
Whose cargo to America brought us wealth and God’s good favors
Proud Islander I was my friend
Though hard these days to comprehend
Proud Islander was I . . . Proud Islander was I

Over the seas and far away (and far away)
When I grew up, I yearned to be a brave strong soldier lad
So, I upped and joined the army, and sailed east to India
When the sepoys rose against us, we strapped them to our cannons
And blew them all to Hell and back in the name of Queen Victoria
But cholera came to claim me in a ravaging blue death
My body gone forever, but my soul it would not rest

Proud Islander I was my friend, proud of our mighty regiments
That did our people all inspire by seizing lands and continents
Proud Islander I was my friend
Though hard these days to comprehend
Proud Islander was I . . . Proud Islander was I

Over the seas and far away (and far away)
When good Queen Liz attained the throne, I joined the colony police
And fought the Mau-Mau brutally, with torture and fell murder
Yet in truth I’ll willingly admit to a conscience slightly stricken
When I forced a poor young Kenyan girl to couple with her father
Years later they avenged her fate, strung me up by a noose
My body left for animals, but my soul it still was loose

Proud Islander I was my friend, proud of our glorious history
That encompassed many centuries, albeit often bloodily
Proud Islander I was my friend
You may find it hard to comprehend,
Proud Islander was I … Proud Islander was I

My friend I’ve lived for centuries, seen the rise and fall of nations
I’ve seen bright mornings shining while a dark night duly lengthens
For all my sins it is my fate to be reborn again
I’ve not atoned! Proud Islander, I still am my friend!

Proud Islander I am my friend
Though I find it hard to comprehend,
I’m never going to die . . . I’m never going to die
I’m never going to die

Vocabulary:
Sepoys: The term sepoy referred to all native soldiers in the service of the British East India Company's army. For a number of reasons, many sepoys were involved in the Indian Rebellion of 1857 against British rule. It's fair to say both sides committed atrocities during the Rebellion. It was repressed by the British and quite a few sepoys were executed as described in the song.

Mau-Mau: militant African nationalist movement that originated in the 1950s among the Kikuyu people of Kenya. The Mau Mau advocated violent resistance to British domination in Kenya. The British suppressed their rebellion by means of war with the Mau-Mau fighters and the use of detention camps for large swathes of the population.

Music: Michael Sellers; Sergio Aguilar
Lyrics: Michael Sellers; Gerry Verdier
Vocals: Michael Sellers
Guitars & bass, keyboards, & musical arrangement: Sergio Aguilar
Drums: Sergio Aguilar
Sound engineering & production: Sergio Aguilar
Album Cover photo: Image originally from cottonbro studio on Pexels
Cover design: Michael Sellers; Loretta Sellers Fortuny

One Singer Left to Mourn

An Islander's Progress

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Michael Sellers is a guitar playing singer-songwriter from England, now living and recording songs in Merida, Mexico. 

Landing page: https://linktr.ee/michaelfirthsellers

New tracks tagged #British folk music