When you scuba dive the whoosh of inhalation coupled with the rush of expanding bubbles muffles other sounds. Freediving brings a different perspective; the scraping from parrot fish browsing, the rattle of pebble disturbed by tide. And then, if you allow yourself to drift into the abyss, total silence.
Freedive in the vicinity of whales though and ‘sound’ isn’t the word to describe the sensory experience. Their high pitched trills may be a simple musical composition, but their deep powerful murmurings engulf your body with something that soaks into your very soul.
My freediving days are done, but singing songs about whaling has given me a different perspective. The ‘Right Whale’ is so named because whalers considered it to be the ‘right’ whale to hunt. A hideously cruel way to make a living? Maybe, but it was a very different and very tough world where a living had to be made somehow.
Modern science has given us a glimpse into the lives of these magnificent creatures. This song tells the whaling story from the victims perspective. It’s a difficult song to sing and a sure-fire way to kill the mood during a live gig…
O'Neill's Publishing 