OK, we have an agreement on the song title, but are there any corrections on the lyrics? What's the meaning of the first line of the first verse - are those ships they're talking about, or towns, or what?

From the number of threads on this song, you'd think it would be one of the Spinners "greatest hits - but I can't find a Spinners recording of the song anywhere, other than the very nice YouTube recording that EnglishFolkFan linked to. In fact, I can't find a recording of the song in question at all. Most of the songs titled "Ellan Vannin" that I found were of "Ellen Vannin, dear Isle of Man" - which has a tune similar to the verses of "Blessed Quietness."

-Joe-

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Oh, and I did find this:

Ellan Vannin
(The Bishop of Buffalo/Rev Hammer)

We fire up the boiler (?), I'll be dreaming for days
On the smoke from Bally Sanna through that shimmering haze.
And we mend our way down the road to the sea
Looking west from Port Arran upon Ellan Vannin.

You in the sunlight on the Castletown Hill
Like she's waiting for angels to come down and help.
I said help put a frame around this firmament scene
Looking west from Port Arran upon Ellan Vannin.

Chorus:
I said I'd go there a while, go there a while
I must travel in dreams.
One moment to stand, one moment to stand
There on Ellan Vannin,
With the prettiest lady, the prettiest lady
That I, that I, that I've ever seen.
Looking west from Port Arran upon Ellan Vannin.

Well I can see us right now, my love, far ahead of our time
You quilting blankets and me I'm making rhyme, making rhyme, making rhyme.
Oh we ran with our blankets at where we always, always have been,
Looking west from Port Arran upon Ellan Vannin.

Chorus