From Andyroberts

The Last Nail Videos

Loughton Folk Club April 2012 http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xW6QMR2U5gI

Haverfolk January 2012 http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pVEV__myESc

Ustream Mar 16, 2010 http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CNbHGHPbju8 The Last Nail

Jan 29, 2011 http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Kho9xs5s4jM Podcast 25

4 Seasons Folk Club Feb 23, 2011 http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zaj72Eh8tsk

Havering Folk Club Aug 19, 2010 http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xifiedRHdDI

Havering Folk Club Mar 18, 2010 http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=o4ZJ7mlBQC0 http://www.facebook.com/andyrobertsfolkmusic

Podcast 3 Jul 26, 2010 http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BHV0eKBwCbg http://andyrobertsmusic.blogspot.com/2010/03/last-nail.html

Romford Folk Club Oct 13, 2010 http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8lrOLIpv7vI http://andyroberts.me/tag/the-last-nail

The Last Nail - Lyrics

Above the stone walled harbour, down the winding hill
That's where they built the boatyard, and the structure stands there still.
Not much boat building happens now, just repairs and fitting out
but when the wind rattles the boatmasts, you can hear the old boatbuilders shout:
Will you pass the last nail over and I'll knock it into place,
Then with four more coats of varnish, she'll be ready for the race.

Our grandfathers put up the boatyard, to build the fishing fleet,
more than fifty boats in the harbour, and shops all down the main street
then the steam age brought in the drifters,
and boatmen became engineers
Now the wind blows straight through the boatyard,
there'll be no more boat building here
Will you pass the last nail over and I'll knock it into place,
Then with four more coats of varnish, she'll be ready for the race.

With a keen eye for staying in business, we switched over to build leisure craft
And the weekend yachtsmen bought them, no expense spared fore or aft
Then wooden hulls went out of fashion, the order book emptied last year
So the bankers foreclosed on the boatyard,
and there'll be no more boatbuilding here
Will you pass the last nail over and I'll knock it into place,
Then with four more coats of varnish, she'll be ready for the race.

The Vikings invented the clinker for strength in shallow seas
and the herring boats followed the coastline, until the canning ships found the key
There's a regatta here every August, and the whole village turns out again
But the Sea Queen's no competition, and it's guaranteed to rain
Will you pass the last nail over and I'll knock it into place,
Then with four more coats of varnish, she'll be ready for the race.

Above the stone walled harbour, or down the winding hill
that's where they built the boatyard, and the skeleton stands there still.
No more boat building happens now, not even fitting out
but when the wind rattles the boatmasts, you can still hear the old boys shout:
Will you pass the last nail over, we'll knock it into place,
Then with four more coats of varnish, she'll be ready for the race.