Some years ago, a friend built a radio-controlled version of the battleship Hood. then he built a larger model of a U. S. destroyer. He was testing the new ship, and had let another friend sail the Hood....well, the friend got rather cheeky with his sailing, and after a couple warnings, the first friend wheeled the destroyer around, and plowed in to the Hood.
The Hood heeled over mightily, and sucked in lots of water. Then, as we all watched open mouthed, she gracefully raised her bow into the air, and slipped beneth the waves. What happened then? well....we sorta paid somebody to go in and get her!
anyway, later that day we started putting the tale to the well-known Gord tune, and so...
The Wreck of the H. M. S. Hood
Lyrics by Gary S.
with apologies to Gordon Lghtfoot
The legend lives on, from the island on down
to the dock at the edge of the water
the lake it is said, never gave up its dead
'till the H. M. S. Hood went under.
When launched from the shore, she weighed in at no more
than the fly as compared to the swatter
That good ship and true, was about to get chewed
by the wrath of a ship that was bigger.
The ship was the pride of Kevin Klines' side
the first of her type on the water.
As the newer ships go, she was smaller than most
with only one engine inside her.
Concluding some turns in the midst of the lake
they set out a course for the far shore.
The captain, he spied a large ship alongside
and said "let's set a course straight for her".
The ship that was in the Hood's way
finally saw what was going to happen
And the Hood's plotted path, it then raised the great wrath
of the Sullivan's wary old captain.
He said to the crew "this is what we will do
when that pipsqueak gets a bit closer:
we'll turn hard about, and then give her a clout
with our bow, and that surely will sink her".
About that time, the Hood's cook came on deck
sayin' "Fellas, I think we're in trouble"
And when Sullivan's nose from the distance arose
he said "Men to the boats, on the double!"
The crew left their chores, and picked up their oars
and paddled as fast as they could.
And what they did see is etched in memory:
the wreck of the H. M. S. Hood.
The legend lives on, from the island on down
to the dock at the edge of the water.
The lake, it was said, never gave up its dead
'till the H. M. S. Hood went under.
The story, it's told, concerns someone quite bold
the unknown hero without fear.
Who swam in and saved the Hood from her grave -
inspired by a case of beer!
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