Heave Away, Boys

Lyrics

[Verse 1] We cast off past the harbor bell With tar on every sleeve The captain marked the northern swell And gave the word to heave A silver back cut through the foam Beyond the gulls’ white cry We left the warmth of hearth and home To follow where she’d fly [Chorus] Heave away, boys, heave away The great one’s running wide Pull the rope and mind the spray We’ll chase her with the tide Hoist the sail and clear the bay Let every heart beat true Heave away, boys, heave away The sea has work to do [Verse 2] By noon she breached off Thunder Cape And shook the water green Her tail rose high as a chapel gate The finest sight we’d seen The harpooner held his breath The deckhands took their strain She vanished like a stolen breath Then surfaced far again [Chorus] Heave away, boys, heave away The great one’s running wide Pull the rope and mind the spray We’ll chase her with the tide Hoist the sail and clear the bay Let every heart beat true Heave away, boys, heave away The sea has work to do [Bridge] The wind came hard from the western shelf The mast began to groan But no one prayed to save himself We prayed to bring her home Not for gold or a captain’s fame Not for a crown or ring We sailed to meet the ocean’s queen And hear the deep sea sing [Verse 3] At dusk she turned beneath the moon And slowed beside the skiff The captain lowered down the line And steadied every drift We watched her eye, dark, calm, and wise No fear beneath the foam Then struck our oars and let her rise And carried safely on [Final Chorus] Heave away, boys, heave away The great one’s running free Pull the rope and mind the spray Then loose her to the sea Hoist the sail and clear the bay Tell every port we knew Heave away, boys, heave away The ocean carried through [Outro] The ocean carried through The ocean carried through