Al Stewart, Old Admirals (1973) The opening track from Past, Present and Future

https://www.naval-history.net/WW1Book-Adm_Fisher-Memories.htm

Past, Present and Future (1973)

Past, Present and Future is the fifth album from Scotsman Al Stewart (1945- ), who on this album demonstrated his ability to write good, solid music in the soft folk rock genre. Especially his lyrics eas way over the mediocre standard of many of his contemporaries.

The way of turning historical themes into music is not an easy task, but Al Stewart is in that process “top of the pop”. This not about hard facts, education and searching for mistakes and historical distortion. It is all about understanding other peoples lives and experiences, getting the “Zeitgeist” right and setting your ego aside. Hermeneutics, pre-understanding and historical empathy, call it what you want. But this is the way to enhance the historical narrative from more than the naked, bare facts. Fact is a strange word to use these days, but Mother Earth is not a pan cake, just to a start.

The fascination of lord Fisher

Al Stewarts inspiration to both Manuscript and Old Admirals was the reading of Lord Fishers Memoires (https://www.naval-history.net/WW1Book-Adm_Fisher-Memories.htm), rather unusual source for a rock anthem, I must admit, but the song is not just about an old man looking back, but about the disillusions and regrets from a man that was not allowed to contribute in the defense of his country.

Al Stewart sets the stage in the two first verses. The old sailor sitting in the shadow of a world war

I can well recall the first time I ever put to sea
It was on the old 'Calcutta' in 1853
I was just a lad of fourteen years, a midshipman to be
To make my way in sailing ships of the Royal Navy

By the time that I was twenty-one I'd sailed the world around
Weathered storms in the China seas with the hatches battened down
And made my way by starlight off the coast of Newfoundland
And dined on beer and herrings while the waves blew all around

I live in retirement now
And through my window comes the sound of seagulls
And sets my mind remembering
The evening stars like memories sail far beyond the distant trees
Way out across the open seas
I hear them sing

(https://alstewart.com/songs)

The Royal Navy and WWI

The old war ships changed to ironclad machines, Queen Victoria (1819-1901) died and the sailor rose in the ranks and at last were called to the admiralty. In the beginning of the new century the German fleet was expanding and threatening Great Britain and her allies. Germany lost the “competition” in Africa, where the imperialist nations conquered new land to strengthen their industries at home. The African homeland was (is) rich of raw materials, and especially the UK knew how to exploit their colonies. Germany became first a federation in 1871, dominated by Prussia, the strongest of the states in the new coalition.

The Prussian leader, Otto von Bismarck (1815-98), took the initiative to the Berlin-conference in 1884-85, where the European states formally divided Africa. But the Germans only got, what was left (Namibia, the Tanzanian mainland, Burundi, Rwanda and a small part of Mozambique. All was lost after WWI.

The core in the British Empire was no doubt The Royal Navy, that controlled most of the world´s oceans. Al Stewart got his inspiration from the reading of Lord John Arbuthnot Fishers (1841-1920) Memories and Records, published in 1919 (https://www.naval-history.net/WW1Book-Adm_Fisher-Memories.htm). Admiral Fisher, born in Ceylon/Sri Lanka) started his career in 1854, ending in 1915 after the fatal British attack In Turkey, where the navy should pass through the Dardanelles and land a force, destined to conquer Istanbul. That was a disaster and against the will of Fisher, who resigned in opposition to Churchills dispositions.

But the war it ran its course, they could find no use for me
And I live in the country now, grandchildren on my knee
And sometimes think in all this world the saddest thing to be
Old admirals who feel the wind, and never put to sea

Fisher was no doubt a bitter man. After defeating the Germans In the battle of the Falkland Islands in December 1914, his dispute with the stubborn Churchill resulted with his dimissal; “they could find no use for me”. Six years later he died in England.