10000 Miles Away
Bellowhead Lyrics


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My true love she was beautiful
My true love she was fair
Her eyes were like the diamonds bright
And golden was her hair
And golden was her hair my lads
As the big ship left the bay
She said will you remember me
Ten thousand miles away

And sing blow the winds high-o
A-roving I will go
I'll stay no more on England's shore
For to hear the music play
For I'm off on the morning train
And I won't be back again
For I'm taking a trip on a Government ship
Ten thousand miles away

Oh dark and dismal was the day
When last I saw my Meg
She'd a Government band around each hand
And another one around the leg
And another one around the leg my lads
As the big ship sailed away
I said that I'd be true to her
Ten thousand miles away

Oh the sun may shine through a London fog
And the river run quite clear
And the ocean's wine turn into brine
And I'll forget my beer
and I'll forget my beer my lads
And the landlord's cannot pay




Before I'll forget my own dear Meg
Ten thousand miles away

Overall Meaning

The song "10,000 Miles Away" is a traditional folk song which is one of the most popular sea songs. The lyrics of the song tell the story of a sailor's journey and his feelings towards his true love, Meg. The song describes their farewell moment before the big ship leaves the bay. The sailor describes how his true love was beautiful with bright diamond-like eyes and golden hair. He promises to remember her even after ten thousand miles away and stays loyal to her. The sailor is roving and does not want to stay on the shore to hear the music play. He boards a government ship and says he will not be back again. He describes his heartbreak when he last cried his beloved Meg, a government band around each of her hand and another one around her leg as the big ship sailed away.


The song portrays the journey of a sailor, his emotions and memories of his past. The song also describes the hardship and loneliness of sailors who are away from their loved ones. The song shows how sailors use music, singing, and storytelling to deal with loneliness and separation from their loved ones. The sailors in the song are determined to remain loyal even in the face of adversity.


Line by Line Meaning

My true love she was beautiful
The singer is emphasizing the beauty of his true love


My true love she was fair
The singer is admiring the fairness of his true love


Her eyes were like the diamonds bright
The singer is comparing the brightness of his true love's eyes with that of diamonds


And golden was her hair
The artist is praising the golden coloring of his true love's hair


And golden was her hair my lads
The artist is repeating his previous statement about the beauty of his true love's hair


As the big ship left the bay
The singer is setting the scene for his true love's departure


She said will you remember me
The singer's true love is asking if he will remember her


Ten thousand miles away
The distance of ten thousand miles emphasizes the length of time that the artist's true love will be away


And sing blow the winds high-o
The artist is singing and expressing his sense of adventure


A-roving I will go
The artist intends to travel and not remain stagnant


I'll stay no more on England's shore
The singer is indicating he has no desire to stay in England, but instead wants travel elsewhere


For to hear the music play
The artist believes there is music elsewhere in the world he wants to hear


For I'm off on the morning train
The singer plans on taking a morning train to leave


And I won't be back again
The singer is not coming back to England again


For I'm taking a trip on a Government ship
The singer plans on leaving England on a Government ship


Ten thousand miles away
The distance is reiterated as emphasizing the length of time that the artist will be gone


Oh dark and dismal was the day
The day of departure was dark and dismal, implying sadness and regret for leaving


When last I saw my Meg
The singer is referring to his true love as 'Meg'


She'd a Government band around each hand
The singer is expressing how Meg is unable to leave England because of government enforced restrictions


And another one around the leg
Meg is doubly restricted from leaving as she has a band around her leg too


And another one around the leg my lads
This is the second time the artist mentioned Meg's bands around her leg, indicating the severity of the situation


As the big ship sailed away
Meg is seen to be stuck in England as the artist leaves on the ship without her


I said that I'd be true to her
The singer promises to be true to Meg while he is gone


Ten thousand miles away
The distance is repeated again as the artist emphasises the length of time he is away from Meg


Oh the sun may shine through a London fog
The singer is reminiscing on memories of England's weather and climate as he imagines it after he has left


And the river run quite clear
The singer is hoping that the river has become more clear since his departure


And the ocean's wine turn into brine
The singer hopes that the ocean hasn't turned sour and is still good to drink like wine


And I'll forget my beer
The artist is saying that he will forget about his favorite drink while he is away from his true love


and I'll forget my beer my lads
The artist is repeating that he will not drink beer while he is away from Meg


And the landlord's cannot pay
This line is a continuation of the previous statement and juxtaposes the frivolity of drinking beer with the seriousness of money troubles


Before I'll forget my own dear Meg
The singer is indicating that he will not forget about Meg, no matter how long he is gone


Ten thousand miles away
The song ends by reiterating the long distance between Meg and the artist, emphasizing their separation and the sense that the artist will always miss Meg




Lyrics © Faber Music
Written by: Jon Boden

Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
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Comments from YouTube:

Imo Smith

Bellowhead deserve way more Radio time than they're getting because they have imagination and are all really talented! Well, they have to be talented they were in the last 3 nominees for Britains best live act and they've won it before!

fibbafox

Couldn't disagree more. They are a fantastic live band and they deserve every bit of 'mainstream' exposure they get, and much more. I don't get it...even if you don't like this kind of music, how can you decry them and seek to deny them exposure when the 'mainstream' consists mainly of manufactured pap and soul-less, talentless wannabees? There are lots of performers I don't really like, but if they play their own instruments and write or arrange their own music, they get my vote.

PuissantAlgernon

I saw them too! They were incredible, weren't they? Watching more and more of the crowd bouncing up and down with every song they sung was wonderful.

Douglas Mota

Best band ever! Been listening Bellowhead almost every day since I saw them at Glastonbury 2011.

bagsofbeans

Magic. As always. Cant wait for the CD or the tour. Only got tickets for 4 of the gigs. Is that overkill?

Gary Loveday

Cannot wait to see them live again. Tickets already booked. Not seen them live yet? Go! It is a fantastic night.

gardiner1967

Brilliant song...very catchy....oldy world sound...love it!!

Amy Louise Mason

I can't wait for the album to come out either! Also can't wait to see Bellowhead again in November... soooo excited!! :D

Degu Ratface

Also heard this on Radio 2, loved it! Love the sound of these guys. :)

grace w

They must have had so much fun making this video :) I'd love to dress up as a pirate, go on a picnic and play some tunes with Bellowhead! haha :)

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