Brickflick: A British Man of War

In this blog post, I'm shamelessly promoting one of my own videos, a short based on Gavin Davenport's "A British Man of War". There are several versions of this song available, most notably by Peter Bellamy and Walter Pardon, but Gavin Davenport's version struck a chord with me when it popped up on my spotify, and inspired my own visualisation.

The song tells a moving story of a young British seaman, named William saying farewell to his beloved Susan. It all seems rather sudden that he declares "I soon must leave the shore, to cross the briney ocean on a British Man of War", she gets a bit upset and tells him not to go, then he essentially tells her he's going anyway, tears his hanky in two and gives her half to remember him by, and then gets rowed from the shore over to the ship. In the full version of the song, he is actually off to China to fight in the First Opium War of 1839 - 1842, so a few decades after the Napoleonic Wars, but for my short retelling of the opening, I decided base it on the Napoleonic Wars - hence his sailor dress. 

The ship is a significant Mecabricks/Blender modification of HMS Leopard by Rockyjw2004. Rocky made his ship a 50 gun ship, and I was impressed with the Bow, Stern and Tumblehome. I extended her length to add the extra guns to make her a 74 gun ship of the line, and remade most of her upper works in terms of the decking planks, cannons on the forecastle and quarterdeck, sides, anchor, wheel and sails. I'll post more thorough screenshots of the ship soon - this post is about the film/song!

As for Young William's sailor rig, I did a simple re-colour of the blue Pirate torso from the 2009 line, and then did some slicing in Blender of a LEGO Bowler Hat for the lower part of his hat, and the LEGO Top Hat for the upper part. I'm not convinced it would work with real LEGO, but I was pleased with the result!

You might also notice that the opening scene of an 1800's British street is a recolour/modification of Diagon Alley, which I felt wasn't a million miles off a street from the period - once you removed all the wands and other give-aways!

I hope you enjoyed the video - here's the full lyrics to the song, if you're interested!

As I roved out one morning, right careless I did stray,
I overheard a sailor bold say to his lady gay:
“Oh, Susan, lovely Susan, I soon must leave the shore
To cross the briney ocean on a British man-o'-war.”

Pretty Susan fell a-weeping when this she heard him say:
“How can you be so venturesome but to throw your life away?
For when that I am twenty-one I shall receive my store,
Jolly sailor, do not venture on no British man-o'-war.”

“Oh, Susan, lovely Susan, the truth to you I'll tell:
For the British flag insulted is; Old England knows it well.
I may be crowned with laurels but, like a jolly tar,
I will face the wars of China on a British man-o'-war.”

“Oh, Susan, lovely Susan, the time will quickly pass,
Let's go down to the ferry house and share a parting glass,
For my shipmates they are waiting there to row me from the shore,
It's for old England's glory on a British man-o'-war.”

He's then took out his handkerchief and torn it clean in two;
Said he, “One half you keep for me; the same I'll do for you.
Though the bullets may surround me love, the cannons loudly roar,
I'll fight for fame and Susan on this British man-o'-war.”

Well a few more words were spoken, then her love let go her hand;
And the jovial crew they launched the boat so merrily from land.
Young William waved his handkerchief, while far away on shore,
Pretty Susan blessed her sailor on a British man-o'-war.