The Mermaid
Molly Maguire Lyrics
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And we were not far from the land
When our captain, he spied a mermaid so fair
With a comb and a glass in her hand
And the ocean's waves do roll, And the stormy winds do blow
And we poor sailors are skipping at the top
While the landlubbers lie down below (below, below)
Then up spoke the captain of our gallant ship
And a well-spoken man was he
"This fishy mermaid has warned me of our doom
We shall sink to the bottom of the sea"
And the ocean's waves do roll, And the stormy winds do blow
And we poor sailors are skipping at the top
While the landlubbers lie down below (below, below)
While the landlubbers lie down below
And up spoke the cabin boy of our gallant ship
And a brave young lad was he
"I have a sweetheart in Salem by the sea
And tonight she'll be weeping over me"
And the ocean's waves do roll, And the stormy winds do blow
And we poor sailors are skipping at the top
While the landlubbers lie down below (below, below)
While the landlubbers lie down below
And up spoke the cook of our gallant ship
And a crazy old butcher was he
"I care much more for my pots and my pans
Than I do for the bottom of the sea"
And the ocean's waves do roll, And the stormy winds do blow
And we poor sailors are skipping at the top
While the landlubbers lie down below (below, below)
While the landlubbers lie down below
And three times around spun our gallant ship
And three times around spun she
And three times around spun our gallant ship
And she sank to the bottom of the sea
The lyrics of "The Mermaid" by Molly Maguire tell a story about a group of sailors on a ship who encounter a mermaid while sailing on the ocean. The captain of the ship, upon seeing the mermaid, becomes frightened as he believes it to be a bad omen for their voyage. Meanwhile, the sailors aboard the ship continue their work, skipping and moving around on the deck despite the stormy winds and waves of the ocean. The captain eventually warns the crew that the mermaid has foretold of their doom and that they will sink to the bottom of the ocean.
The song takes an interesting turn when the cabin boy of the ship speaks up, declaring that he has a sweetheart waiting for him in Salem who will be mourning his loss if the ship goes down. The cook of the ship, in contrast, seems unconcerned about the potential danger, instead expressing that he cares more about his pots and pans than the fate of the ship. The ship goes under, spinning around three times before sinking to the bottom of the ocean.
The song uses vivid, descriptive language to paint a picture of a doomed voyage, with the mermaid serving as an ominous warning of the troubles to come. The lyrics are haunting and melancholic, evoking a sense of loss and tragedy as the ship sinks to its watery grave.
Overall, "The Mermaid" is a powerful song that captures the mood and atmosphere of a doomed voyage at sea. It showcases the rich storytelling and evocative imagery that are the hallmark of traditional folk music.
Line by Line Meaning
It was Friday morn when we set sail
We embarked on our journey on a Friday morning
And we were not far from the land
We had not yet sailed far from the shore
When our captain, he spied a mermaid so fair
Our captain spotted a beautiful mermaid
With a comb and a glass in her hand
She was carrying a comb and a glass
And the ocean's waves do roll, And the stormy winds do blow
The sea was rough, with rolling waves and stormy winds
And we poor sailors are skipping at the top
We were bouncing up and down on the ship's deck
While the landlubbers lie down below (below, below)
The non-sailors on board were safe below deck
Then up spoke the captain of our gallant ship
Our brave leader spoke up
And a well-spoken man was he
He was eloquent and articulate
"This fishy mermaid has warned me of our doom
The mermaid has given a prophecy of our failure
We shall sink to the bottom of the sea"
Our ship will sink to the ocean floor
And up spoke the cabin boy of our gallant ship
The young sailor spoke up
And a brave young lad was he
He was courageous despite the situation
"I have a sweetheart in Salem by the sea
He had a lover waiting for him in Salem
And tonight she'll be weeping over me"
She will be crying over his presumed death
And up spoke the cook of our gallant ship
The ship's cook added his voice
And a crazy old butcher was he
He was eccentric and maybe not all there mentally
"I care much more for my pots and my pans
He valued his cooking equipment more than his own life
Than I do for the bottom of the sea"
He was not concerned with the ship's fate
And three times around spun our gallant ship
The ship spun around three times
And three times around spun she
The ship spun around three times
And three times around spun our gallant ship
The ship spun around three times
And she sank to the bottom of the sea
The ship ultimately met its demise and sunk to the ocean floor
Contributed by Hudson T. Suggest a correction in the comments below.