Life at Sea
I’ll drink to you my lad
If you’ll drink to me (Ahoy!)
You’ll never find adventure
Like the life at sea
They say that luck’s a lady
But no ladies go to sea
So stack the deck and take a chance
Each time we go to leave
With the wind in your sails and the ship sailing free
Well I can tell you truly there’s no better place to be
And when my life is over
Just do this thing for me
Give my body over to the deep blue sea
I’ll drink to you my lad
If you’ll drink to me (Ahoy!)
You’ll never find adventure
Like the life at sea
With a heave and a ho
And a ho and heave
Hoist the sails and take the helm
And we’ll be set to leave
With the wind in your sails and the ship sailing free
Well I can tell you truly there’s no better place to be
And when my life is over
Just do this thing for me
Give my body over to the deep blue sea
I’ll drink to you my lad
If you’ll drink to me (Ahoy!)
You’ll never find adventure
Like the life at sea
A sailor needs a ship
Like a fish needs a fin
The day is bright, the tide is right
Let’s haul the anchor in
With the wind in your sails and the ship sailing free
Well I can tell you truly there’s no better place to be
And when my life is over
Just do this thing for me
Give my body over to the deep blue sea
Lyrics Tom & Rob Veater
The Wreckers
On a Westerly wind we sailed from
harbour
With the lamps out and a heavy fog
arising
Four score seasoned men
Would never be seen again
There were lights on the horizon
Calling us in
There were lights on the horizon
Calling us in
With lantern burning, cowbell
ringing
Leading us like siren singing
Wind was howling through the
rigging
Towards the lighthouse, crew were
singing
Ahhhhhh
We’ll make port tonight
Ahhhhhh
We’ll make port tonight
As we steered towards our great
salvation
The sea’s roar mocking our fools’
elation
Too late to see the waters break
‘Pon the rocks; the sealing of our
fate
There were lights on the horizon
Calling us in
There were lights on the horizon
Calling us in
Instead of sailing to safe water
Wreckers led us to our slaughter
Hull was broken
Water rising
Boards in splinters
We’re capsizing!
Ahhhhh
Won’t make port tonight
Ahhhhh
Won’t make port tonight
Down, down, down we go
Down, down, down we go
(Down, Down taken down into a
watery grave where there is no sound)
Lyrics Tom & Rob Veater
Washed Up
Spent my life out at sea
Now it’s ending with no family
But I figured lost was free
So I never looked for company
Now it’s me and only me
I can see my life is rat’s piss
And that’s a lonely place to be
Especially when I’m in a crisis
(like this)
I’m feeling, I’m feeling that I’m washed up
I’m feeling, I’m feeling that I’m washed up
Turned the heads of every girl in this old world that I did see
When you’re young the sex is free
But when you’re old it leaves you empty
(like me)
Tell the ladies what they want to hear
Til I get what I need
And when they’re feeling close to me
That’s exactly when I leave
And they see…
I’m feeling, I’m feeling that I’m washed up
I’m feeling, I’m feeling
that I’m washed up honey, got no money
instumental
With this bottle in my hand
I lost my grip on what right is
I realise that I never put my money where my mouth is
But if the cap fits…
When the ship goes down you better be ready (you better be ready)
When the ship goes down you better be ready (you better be ready)
I’m feeling, I’m feeling that I’m washed up
I’m feeling, I’m feeling
that I’m washed up honey, got no money
I’m feeling, I’m feeling that I’m washed up
I’m feeling, I’m feeling
That I’ve got nothing but my worries
Lyrics Tom & Rob Veater
The Lonesome Mariner
When I was young
Out in the fields kissed by the
sun
You caught my stare
‘Twas there in my eyes
My love lay bare
That summer we were wed
Man and wife in the conjugal bed
Joy flowed like wine
If only we’d known we’d so little
time
Rum pa pa pa
As Autumn leaves fell
The plague came around with a
funeral bell
It took you, but, alas, spared me
Your body cold, so I went to sea
Gone looking for the tide
Still stranded, left behind
Amongst those waves of glittering white
Your spirit haunts the night
And I cry
To be by your side
Seven years I’ve been at sea
But death never comes to take me
to thee
I scream into the waves
“Damn this world of darkness and
pain!”
Gone looking for the tide
Still stranded, left behind
Amongst those waves of glittering white
Your spirit haunts the night
And I cry
To be by your side
[spoken]
Just then an eerie calm descended
And the sea became still
[haunting wail]
A haunting wail drifted across the
water
that seemed to say
“You’ll be with me soon my love”
Suddenly on my blindside
A huge wall of water rose from the
ocean
“A rogue wave”
It took me down to a watery grave!
Gone looking for the tide
Still stranded, left behind
Amongst those waves of glittering white
Your spirit haunts the night
God by your will!
Rum pa pa pa
Lyrics Tom & Rob Veater
Sailor's Song
I wish I were a Cornish fisherman
The tide would bring me in
To feel your hand like a soft white petal
‘Pon my cold and calloused skin
When the nets are full and heaving
And the morning’s catch brought in
Well I wish I were a Cornish fisherman
I will feel no fear
I will feel no fear
When your light is beckoning
And I draw near
I will feel no fear
I will feel no fear
When your light is beckoning
And I draw near
I wish I were a lighthouse keeper
‘Pon the rocks of Cantick Head
When the walls of waves are rising
And the sailors filled with dread
And although I’m far away
I know my love will never stray
I wish I were a lighthouse keeper
I will ease their fears
I will ease their fears
When the waves are breaking
And the night draws near
I will ease your fears
I will ease your fears
When the waves are breaking
And the night draws near
I wish I were a lifeboat captain
On a mission trying to save
A fishing crew in peril
Before they sink beneath the waves
When lives are on the line you’re my North Star
Guide me home to fairer shores
When the morning sun is rising
I will be with you once more
I will feel no fear
I will feel no fear
When the day is breaking
And I draw near
I will feel no fear
I will feel no fear
When the day is breaking
And I draw near
Lyrics Rob & Tom Veater
50 Fathom Grave Yard
In the night I’m sinking, with no hope of swimming, away from here.
And as the end draws nearer, I see clearer, I lost my love to fear.
I never did God’s bidding, but I kept my vows with willing, though I never let you near.
And as I shake and quiver, my fight for life gets thinner, I scream your name.
A fifty-fathom graveyard, no flowers laid, no name marked, in the deep dark, that’s where I’ll be.
A fifty fathom graveyard, no tears shed, no prayers chant, in the deep dark, that’s where I’ll be.
And as my lungs are filling, I see demons swimming, down with me.
And the waters chilling, feel my senses dimming, I see how every minute of my life led me here!
And my thoughts are fleeting, was my life worth living.
Did I become a villain, will my wife be forgiving of me?
A fifty-fathom graveyard, no flowers laid, no name marked, in the deep dark, that’s where I’ll be.
A fifty fathom graveyard, no tears shed, no prayers chant, in the deep dark, that’s where I’ll be.
I watch the bubbles rising, my last breath flying, away from me,
And as my soul is leaving, at your bed I’m kneeling, do you feel me?
Then a light is calling, and I start falling and the way is clear.
Oh oh……I’m ready, ready let them take my soul x 4 repeat and fade out.
(day will come aah aah)
See it coming to lead me back home…
Lyrics Tom Veater
Siren's Song
Out on the waves
Four score and three days
When I heard your voice and
I first saw your face
And over the sea
You called out to me
And I was entwined
In your melody
To touch your pale skin
Is suffering
Is suffering for me
You take my breath from me
Its’ agony and excstacy
Your beauty burns in me
Devouring me
Deliciously
And your melody
Is binding me
I’ll never be free…
Now as the light fades
I stare at your face
And try to remember
The light that once played
Through the agony of drowning at sea
These final moments are defining me.
Lyrics Richard Fewings
Mutiny on the Bounty
The storm off Cape Horn left us living in an island paradise
Five months on shore and we’re taking savages for wives
Fill the hold and we set sail in three nights
Travel half the world to feed mouths of slaves with no rights
As I lay awake I think about our plight
We don’t wear chains but orders fill our lives
If we disobey the nine tails sets us right!
Born slaves to wage and what gentlemen decide
We could break away and live this simple life
No curse of class and bonds that hold so tight
We’ve never known such freedom
Not going back to sea!
You can taste the dissention
And smell a mutiny
And what would history remember?
Our defeat or our surrender?
Or would they say men stood together
Against the crown and bonds that tethered?
How we overthrew a tyrant
Took him down without bloody violence
Gave him mercy upon the sea
When we made our mutiny!
Despite such dreams we’re heading back to sea
Kissed my girl goodbye set sail to West Indies
Still the crew seem different to me
There’s a fire in their eyes and whispers are reaching me
I know the captain feels it, I know he’s uneasy
I know he thinks the cat lick will bring us back to heel
(Back to heel, and as good Christians we’ll kneel!)
And what will history remember
A captain cruel and harsh with pressure
And the pain that he delivered
When discipline had withered
How a man became a tyrant
Cured all with bloody violence
And gave no mercy on the sea
Before we made our mutiny
Captain said he’ll make an example of me
As lieutenant all the crew should see
Said he’ll whip the native out of me
Like a blood red back will make me who I used to be!
How our fire grew from embers
Made us band together
We’ll no longer take in silence
Captain’s orders and his violence
So in the night we bind him
And every loyalist behind him
Gave them mercy on the sea
When we made our mutiny
Old England will try to find us
Send men to reprimand us
And to bloody hell they’ll try to damn us
When they catch the chance to hang us
Still we take our chances
And in moonlight we’ll be dancing
And as the goat skin drums are beating
We’ll truly live this freedom
And live happy in our reasons
On why we made this treason!
They’ll hang us now
That’s why we live each day
Lyrics Tom Veater
Salty Dog
Coz I really, really want you (yeah), won’t stop until I got you! (yeah)
And what I’m going to show you, is the lengths that I would go to!
but I’m never, never gonna dry out, never spit the wine out,
and what your gonna find out, I’m the crease you can’t iron out.
And I don’t tend to waste no time, your friends were right I’m out my mind,
My words are slurred and rarely kind,
Only care at closing time, when they lock me out, and I’m to find
The streets are cold in the winter time,
I know it’s me but I don’t know why? Where does a salty dog lie?
And I drink to numb my mind down, topple my divine crown
When I’m in town, flash my smile but I see frowns.
And I always shit the shine out, rant with a dry mouth
And the words that I spout, are a poets gold then a vile louts.
And I don’t tend to waste no time, your friends were right I’m out my mind,
My words are slurred and rarely kind,
Only care at closing time, when they lock me out, am I’m to find
The streets are cold in the winter time,
I know it’s me but I don’t know why? Where does a salty dog lie?
I’ve no, nowhere to go, I need the sea, don’t need no roads
Lyrics Tom Veater
Hell or High Water
Lo, they told me of angry oceans
And storms that will bring you to your knees
When the sky turns black
And the thunder claps
But in my folly I never paid them heed
And I lied when I joined crew
Told them that I knew the fear
And the fury of the sea
But five days from first port
I learnt and I saw
For myself the fury of the sea
The storm did howl
And the seas turned foul
As the ocean churned in valleys between the waves
Then the wind took the moonraker
Ripped out the skyscraper
And the masts did crack against the strain
Come hell or high water
We live for the dawn
Our fears may run high
We sing through the storm
Hey, Hey
Like three galleons of gunnage
The sound split the sky
The waves danced below
The sea was alive!
And a mast crashed down
Breaking through the bow
Through the deck and everything beneath
As the waves washed through
Taking cargo and crew
Overboard into the briny deep
And right then I ran to
the lifeboat to help crew to launch
The vessel ‘pon the sea
And I prayed that I’d be
a sailor, who’d seen and survived the fury of the sea
And the storm gave way
And we drifted for days
Seven men whose souls could take no more
As the ocean’s slave
We begged and we prayed
Til the day our boat came ashore
Now I tell the same tale of hell
To those young men who ask
of the fury of the sea
And in my dreams I still hear those men scream
As they’re taken down by the fury of the sea
Lyrics Tom & Rob Veater
Ghost Ship
I see it coming
I see it coming
I see it coming
I see it coming
Well listen here sinners, so long astray
Where the blood runs deep
And it’s too late to pray
There’s a ghost ship coming
To take you away
No Heaven’s rest, no angel song
In an endless torment of all our wrongs
On a ghost ship coming
To take us away
On a moonlit night you’ll see it replayed
When the crew took their knives
To the throats of the slaves
And their blood
Was one with the waves
Taken from my home
with my hands bound in chains
I died at the sea
You won’t dance on my grave
And my home
Is now upon the waves
As the sun rose up on a
On a New Year’s day
Fifty-five souls had their lives stripped away
Lives stripped away
Lives stripped away
Lyrics Tom & Rob Veater
Journey's End
Drop down the main sail
Your journey’s over
Among the green vales
You’ll find your peace at last
Take heart you stowaways
A new life finds you
The wind will blow away
The storms that cloud your heart
For all men come to know
Their days are numbered
And though it pains me so
I will sail no more
She lies in wait for me
In those far off valleys
Her smiling face i’ll see
As I walk in through the door
She said i’ll love you
For all your days
And I will be with you
If you’ll but stay
The seagull sings a last goodbye
The waves a final lullaby
(The days of daring deeds are done
Of waters lit by foreign suns,
So far away
For now I dream of hearth and home
A place we both may call our own
And stay)
Drop down the main sail
Your journey’s over
Among the green vales
You’ll find your peace at last
Take heart you stowaways
A new life finds you
The wind will blow away
The storms that cloud your heart
Lyrics Rob Veater