Lyr ADD: Ship of Fools (John Renbourn)

Subject: Lyr Req: John Renbourn- Ship of Fools
From: GUEST,Renske
Date: 24 Sep 08 - 05:05 AM

Hi, I've been looking for the lyrics of the song "Ship of fools" by John Renbourn (album: Ship of Fools)for some time now, but they're nowhere to be found, not even here :P. I have some difficulty understanding Maggie Boyle in this song, so could someone please help me?
Thanks in advance :)

Subject: Lyr Add: SHIP OF FOOLS (John Cale)
From: masato sakurai
Date: 24 Sep 08 - 08:31 AM

From JOHN CALE Lyrics - SHIP OF FOOLS:

THE SHIP OF FOOLS
(John Cale)

The Ship of Fools is coming in
Take me off; I've got to eat
Same old stories, same old thing
Letting out and pulling in

Mister, there's a caravan parked out back
Restless hoping for a Christian rider
The black book, a grappling hook, A hangman's noose on a burnt-out tree
Guess we must be getting close to Tombstone

The last time we had eaten Was when the flies were going for free
You could count the hardships by the open doors
But sandwiched in between Were the fishermen who still
Wished they could sail from Tennessee to Arizona

So hold on, won't be long
The call is on the line
Hold on, Sister's gone
South to give the sign

We picked up Dracula in Memphis
It was just about the break of day
And then hastily prayed for our souls to be saved
There was something in the air that made us kind of weary

By the time we got to Swansea it was getting dark
Tumbles, jungles, bugles and the prize
The tides turned west at Amerforth As if they didn't know what to do
But Garnant stood its ground and asked for more

All the people seemed quite glad to see us
Shaking hands and smiling like the clock
Well we gave them all the message then
That the Ship of Fools was in
Make sure they get home for Christmas

So hold on, won't be long
The call is on the line
So hold on, Sister's gone
South to give the sign

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: John Renbourn- Ship of Fools
From: BB
Date: 24 Sep 08 - 11:44 AM

Renske, why don't you give us what you've got, and we'll see if we can fill in the gaps or correct as necessary?

Barbara

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: John Renbourn- Ship of Fools
From: michaelr
Date: 24 Sep 08 - 07:53 PM

Masato, I don't think that's the song requested.

"Ship of Fools" (Renbourn/Tilston/Boyle/Roberts) uses the tune of "Flower of Magherally" and contains these lines:

A stranger craft I'd ne'er beheld
In picture books or fancy-o
Rainbow colours that befell
From stem to strn entrances me-o
The sweetest voices drew me on
I lack the will to tarry-o
Charmed aboard the ship of fools
Away the wind did carry-o

Sorry, I don't have more than this; it's all that's printed on the sleeve, and my turntable isn't hooked up.

Cheers,
Michael

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: John Renbourn- Ship of Fools
From: michaelr
Date: 24 Sep 08 - 08:17 PM

From stem to stern entranced me-o

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: John Renbourn- Ship of Fools
From: Jim Dixon
Date: 26 Sep 08 - 07:52 AM

You're right; Maggie Boyle's singing is hard to decipher. I got this from a sound sample:

When first I saw the ocean-o,
It sparkled like a looking-glass.
...its mighty motion-o
The tall ships lined along the quay
A breeze danced through the rigging-o.
...it chanced to catch my eye,
And I heard the sweetest singing-o.

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: John Renbourn- Ship of Fools
From: magb
Date: 26 Sep 08 - 08:37 AM

Oh dear, sorry you can't understand it...I thought my diction was usually pretty good.
I've not sung (or listened to) it since 1989, so give me a little time to dig out the recording - and I'll get back to you with all the verses.
Maggiex

Subject: Lyr Add: SHIP OF FOOLS (John Renbourn)
From: magb
Date: 26 Sep 08 - 11:21 AM

Hello
Guess what? I can't find a recording of this song! Steve T. has probably borrowed it - that's what usually happens to my last remaining copy of our joint recordings!! And he's away for a few days.
In the meantime, Renske, if you fancy posting the bits you can decipher then I should be able to fill in the rest.
Otherwise it's going to take a bit more time than I thought.
Below are the first two verses, including (tiny) corrections to above.
By the way, the song was written by Steve & John. (Though credited to all 4 of us, I wrote very little of it, ditto tony)
Maggie

The sun shone on the morning
When first I saw the ocean-o,
It sparkled like a looking-glass.
At bay its mighty motion-o
The tall ships lined along the quay
A breeze danced through the rigging-o.
But one ship chanced to catch my eye,
And I heard the sweetest singing-o.

A stranger craft I'd ne'er beheld
In picture book or fancy-o
Rainbow colours that befell
From stem to stern entranced me-o
The sweetest voices drew me on
I lacked the will to tarry-o
Charmed aboard the ship of fools
Away the wind did carry-o

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: John Renbourn- Ship of Fools
From: Charley Noble
Date: 27 Sep 08 - 11:23 AM

Maggie-

This does look like an intriguing song.

I thirst for more verses!

Cheerily,
Charley Noble

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Ship of Fools (John Renbourn)
From: GUEST,Renske
Date: 29 Sep 08 - 11:03 AM

Thanks for helping me out! I'm not sure it's all Maggie's fault I can't decipher everything: my English vocabulary just isn't what it should be...
Here's what I could make of the other verses:

I called out for the captain
Inquiring of our journey-o
And there beheld a lady fair
She set my heart a-yearning-o
"I am your captain, sir" she said,
"I go where no man dared to go"
And you will serve me up aloft,
And likewise serve me....below

Upon my hand she placed a ring
With...jewels a-fine o
"This token sir" she said to me
"'t will bind your heart to mine-o
....will keep you ever young,
safe from the toll of time-o
And keep you on the ship of fools,
Long as the stars do shine-o

She took me to her cabin ...
She kept me to the matin-o
I searched to find my sea legs bold
Between the sheets of satin-o
Aloft upon the empty deck
No seamen could I find-o
But cold waves...our lonely bows
And seabirds flew behind-o

We plow the .... in sight of(?) land
But never touch the shore-o
And we did roam for seven years
'til I did yearn no more-o
in ......... I was intwined
reluctant to release me-o
the ship of fools bids no ...
until the last wave seizes-o
the ship of fools bids no ...
until the last wave seizes-o

Cheers,
Renske

Subject: ADD: Ship of Fools(Renbourn/Tilston/Boyle/Roberts)
From: magb
Date: 30 Sep 08 - 09:53 AM

Hi Renske (and Charley)
Steve can't find the CD either!
Anyway, you more or less had it - and I'm sure the rest I have added here is correct. The only niggling doubt is at the beginning of last verse - which I think will now be clear when you listen again.
All the best
Maggie

I called out for the captain
Enquiring of our journey-o
And there beheld a lady fair
She set my heart a-yearning-o
"I am your captain, sir" she said,
"I go where no man dares to go
And you will serve me up aloft
And likewise serve me there below

Upon my hand she placed a ring
With rarest jewels so-fine o
"This token sir" she said to me
"'T'will bind your heart to mine-o
This ring shall keep you ever young,
Safe from the toll of time-o
And keep you on the ship of fools,
Long as the stars do shine-o"

She took me to her cabin and
She kept me to the matin-o
I searched to find my sea legs bold
Between the sheets of satin-o
Aloft upon the empty deck
No seamen could I find-o
But cold waves lapped our lonely bows
And seabirds flew behind-o

We ploughed the foam (waves? seas?) and sighted land
But never touched the shore-o
And we did roam for seven years
'til I did yearn no more-o
In captive arms I was entwined
Reluctant to release me-o
The ship of fools bids no adieus
Until the last wave ceases-o
The ship of fools bids no adieus
Until the last wave ceases-o

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Ship of Fools (John Renbourn)
From: GUEST,Renske
Date: 01 Oct 08 - 05:54 AM

Thanks again, Maggie! It's a lovely song, and a great cd anyway ;)

cheers, Renske

P.S. I think it's foam

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Ship of Fools (John Renbourn)
From: GUEST,Antonia Monson
Date: 17 Nov 18 - 04:51 PM

Such a magical song. Great to find the lyrics here from Maggie herself. The theme reminds me of "La belle dame sans merci" - this time a fairy ship with a temptress captain! Or a ship of the dead that witches mortals from this world. There's also a similar theme in "the House Carpenter" (Fairport Convention). This whole album is exquisite...especially the "Traveller's Prayer". Its beauty ends shivers through me. Thank you John, and Maggie. I miss the days in which such music was being made.

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Ship of Fools (John Renbourn)
From: AllisonA(Animaterra)
Date: 19 Nov 18 - 06:51 AM

I was just listening to this cd the other day. What a great album, what a great song. And what a delight to hear from magb herself!

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Ship of Fools (John Renbourn)
From: GUEST
Date: 24 Jan 21 - 09:28 AM

Thank you Thank you to all!

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Ship of Fools (John Renbourn)
From: GUEST,beth
Date: 20 May 22 - 02:08 PM

was so delighted to find the lyrics to this utterly hauntingly beautiful song.

many thanks!!

Subject: ADD:Ship of Fools (Renbourn/Tilston/Boyle/Roberts)
From: Joe Offer
Date: 20 May 22 - 03:14 PM

The late Maggie Boyle was the vocalist on this John Renbourn recording;

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GWjDUEsD6lU

Maggie posted the lyrics above, but in pieces. Let me see if I can put all the pieces together. She says that Steve Tilston and John Renbourn wrote most of the song, but Tony Roberts and Maggie Boyle were also given songwriting credit.

SHIP OF FOOLS
(Renbourn/Tilston/Boyle/Roberts)

The sun shone on the morning
When first I saw the ocean-o,
It sparkled like a looking-glass.
At bay its mighty motion-o
The tall ships lined along the quay
A breeze danced through the rigging-o.
But one ship chanced to catch my eye,
And I heard the sweetest singing-o.

A stranger craft I'd ne'er beheld
In picture book or fancy-o
Rainbow colours that befell
From stem to stern entranced me-o
The sweetest voices drew me on
I lacked the will to tarry-o
Charmed aboard the ship of fools
Away the wind did carry-o

I called out for the captain
Enquiring of our journey-o
And there beheld a lady fair
She set my heart a-yearning-o
"I am your captain, sir" she said,
"I go where no man dares to go
And you will serve me up aloft
And likewise serve me there below

Upon my hand she placed a ring
With rarest jewels so-fine o
"This token sir" she said to me
"'T'will bind your heart to mine-o
This ring shall keep you ever young,
Safe from the toll of time-o
And keep you on the ship of fools,
Long as the stars do shine-o"

She took me to her cabin and
She kept me to the matin-o
I searched to find my sea legs bold
Between the sheets of satin-o
Aloft upon the empty deck
No seamen could I find-o
But cold waves lapped our lonely bows
And seabirds flew behind-o

We ploughed the foam (waves? seas?) and sighted land
But never touched the shore-o
And we did roam for seven years
'til I did yearn no more-o
In captive arms I was entwined
Reluctant to release me-o
The ship of fools bids no adieus
Until the last wave ceases-o
The ship of fools bids no adieus
Until the last wave ceases-o

Subject: RE: Lyr ADD: Ship of Fools (John Renbourn)
From: Reinhard
Date: 20 May 22 - 04:12 PM

A few small corrections:

Verse 1:
*The* breeze danced through the rigging-o.

Verse 2:
In picture *books* or fancy-o

Verse 3:
"I go where no man *dare* to go
...
And likewise serve me there below*"*

Verse 4:
With rarest jewels *so fine* o

Verse 6:
We ploughed the *foam* and sighted land
...
*'Til* I did yearn no more-o
...
The ship of fools *bid* no adieus
...
The ship of fools *bid* no adieus

Subject: RE: Lyr ADD: Ship of Fools (John Renbourn)
From: Joe Offer
Date: 20 May 22 - 05:15 PM

Hi, Reinhard. I agree with most of your corrections; but grammatically it has to be "the ship (singular) of fools bids (singular) no adieus."

But since the lyrics were posted by the singer herself, I won't make any corrections.

-Joe-

Subject: RE: Lyr ADD: Ship of Fools (John Renbourn)
From: Charley Noble
Date: 24 May 22 - 09:37 PM

Thanks for the work pulling this song back together.