After reading the discussion thread about Ron Hynes, I went looking for MY favorite Ron Hynes song, Atlantic Blue, and was amazed (well, almost amazed) to find that we didn't have it, so here it is.

ATLANTIC BLUE
Ron Hynes
as sung by Cindy Church

What colour is a heartache from a love lost at sea?
What shade of memory never fades but lingers to eternity?
And how dark is the light of day
that sleepless eyes of mine survey?
Is that you, Atlantic Blue? My heart is as cold as you.

How is one heart chosen to never lie at peace?
How many moments remain? Is there not one sweet release?
And who's the stranger at my door,
To taunt my dreams forever more?
Is that you, Atlantic Blue? My heart is as cold as you.

I lie awake in the morning, as waves wash on the sand,
I hold my hurt at bay, I hold the lives of his children in my hands.
And whose plea will receive no answer? Whose cry is lost upon the wind?
Who's the voice so familiar, Whispers my name as night comes in?

And whose wish never fails to find
my vacant heart on Valentine's?
Is that you Atlantic Blue? My heart is as cold,
My heart is as cold, my heart is as cold as you.


Now I have not heard Ron's version, but I have heard two which are both excellent, the one by Cindy Church of course, and one I like nearly as well by The Cottars. Their lyrics are essentially identical except for haunt instead of taunt. Both words work equally well there, I think.

The story is a sad one, Ron wrote it as a memorial to the sinking of the oil rig, Ocean Ranger which went down in a storm in February of 1982.

There is a great deal of information on the sinking online so you can find as little or as much as you like. Here is one written by students at Clarenville High School in Newfoundland.
http://www.chs.k12.nf.ca/socstud/ssgrassroots/oceanranger/OceanRangerIntro.htm