The Mudcat Café TM
Thread #105628   Message #2175501
Posted By: Ebbie
20-Oct-07 - 05:24 PM
Thread Name: Lyr Req: Desolation Island (Jed Marum)
Subject: Lyr Add: DESOLATION ISLAND (Jed Marum)
Bello, at the top of the page do a Lyrics Search under "d". There are a number of Mudcat threads on this song and subject. As Big Mick said, Jed Marum is a wonderful songwriter.

The lyrics to this song as given by Jed:

My name is Liam Devlin,
in Galway I was born
In eighteen hundred seven
to the English Crown I was sworn
I sailed with Captain Aubrey
in the prime of his bold career
A terror to all rival trade
was the English privateer

With Cockney, Moore and Irish lads
We made a handsome crew
Our ship was called the Leopard
And her officers brave and true
Our strength at sea was matched by few
And we made our way without fear
A terror to all rival trade
Was the English privateer

Chorus:
Low moans the wind, the cold Antarctic wind
Low moans the wind, the cold Antarctic wind

'Twas well below the Southern Cross
Bound for Botany bay
With a score of Irish prisoners
And the bounty sacked on the way
"Sail Ho, Sail Ho" the lookout called
three miles off to the larboard side
that's when I feared we'd met our match at last
the Dutchman Waakzaamheid

Chorus

We turned and ran before the wind
In a race straight toward the pole
The Waakzaamheid was thrice our size
And her captain bold as our own
For four longs days we ran from her
'til a mountainous sea rose high
that's when I feared we'd met our match at last
the Dutchman Waakzaamheid

Chorus -Instrumental

The Dutchman closed to a thousand yards
And let her cannon roar
We'd taken damage fore and aft
Captain Aubrey was wounded sore
But with one blessed shot her fore mast smashed
And the Dutchman rolled hard on her beam
And with all brave hands she sank beneath
The cold Antarctic sea.

Chorus

c Jed Marum 2001