Fathoms Below
Original Broadway Cast Lyrics
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SAILORS: An' it's hey to the starboard, heave ho!
Brave sailor, beware, 'cause a big 'uns a-brewin'
SAILORS: Mysterious fathoms below!
Heave ho!
PILOT & SAILORS: An' it's hey to the starboard, heave ho!
PILOT: The ruler of all of the oceans is he
SAILORS: In mysterious fathoms below!
Fathoms below, below!
From whence wayward westerlies blow!
Where Triton is king
And his merpeople sing
In mysterious fathoms below!
PRINCE ERIC: Isn't this perfection, Grimsby? Out on the open sea, surrounded by nothing but water
GRIMSBY: Oh, yes, it's simply... delightful...
PRINCE ERIC: The salt on your skin
And the wind in your hair
And the waves as they ebb and they flow!
We're miles from the shore
And guess what – I don't care!
GRIMSBY: As for me, I'm about to heave ho!
PILOT: Back to work!
SAILORS: I'll sing you a song of the king of the sea
An' it's hey to the starboard, heave ho!
The ruler of all of the oceans is he
In mysterious fathoms below!
GRIMSBY: King of the sea? Why, that's nautical nonsense – nothing but a superstition!
PILOT: The king of the ocean gets angry
An' when he gets angry, beware!
I'm tellin' ya, lad, when King Triton is mad
How the waves'll buck, rock to and fro!
PILOT & SAILORS: Hold on, good luck, as down you go!
PRINCE ERIC: What is that? Do you hear something?
GRIMSBY: Milord, please. Enough sea-faring! You've got to get back to court –
to honor your father's dying wish and
take up his crown!
PRINCE ERIC: That's not the life for me, Grimsby—
There it is again!
PILOT: We ought to head back to shore, your majesty.
GRIMSBY: Indeed, we should!
PRINCE ERIC: Not while I'm captain. Now follow that voice! To the ends of the earth if we have to!
PILOT: Aye-aye, Captain!
PILOT & SAILORS: There's mermaids out there in the bottomless blue
An' it's hey to the starboard, heave ho!
Watch out for ‘em, lad, or you'll go to your ruin
Mysterious fathoms below!
The song "Fathoms Below" from the Original Broadway Cast of "The Little Mermaid" sets the scene of the ocean and foreshadows the dangerous and mysterious elements that will come into play throughout the show. The pilot of Prince Eric's ship sings of the "bottomless blue" and tells of the king of the sea, King Triton. The sailors echo his warnings, cautioning that a dangerous storm is brewing in the depths, and that there is mystery and danger in the fathoms below.
The song then includes a conversation between Prince Eric and his advisor, Grimsby, as they enjoy being out on the open sea. Prince Eric celebrates the freedom of being away from the pressures of royal life and feeling the salt and wind on his skin. Grimsby, however, is anxious to return to shore and fulfill his duty to Prince Eric's father, who has passed away. The conversation is interrupted by a strange voice, which Prince Eric is eager to follow, even if it means risking his life to do so.
Overall, "Fathoms Below" is a catchy and thrilling opening number that sets the tone for the adventure and danger that will follow throughout the show.
Line by Line Meaning
I'll tell you a tale of the bottomless blue
I will narrate a story about the endless sea
An' it's hey to the starboard, heave ho!
Sailors, let's row on right side and pull hard!
Brave sailor, beware, 'cause a big 'uns a-brewin'
Be cautious, sailors; there's a great storm coming
Mysterious fathoms below!
Beneath the sea's surface, there are enigmatic and unknown depths
I'll sing you a song of the king of the sea
Let me sing you about the ocean's ruler
The ruler of all of the oceans is he
He's the one in charge of the world's oceans
From whence wayward westerlies blow!
Where the westerly winds blow aimlessly from
Where Triton is king
Triton rules in this part of the ocean
And his merpeople sing
His mermaid subjects sing under his command
Isn't this perfection, Grimsby? Out on the open sea, surrounded by nothing but water
Grimsby, isn't this wonderful? Out at sea, with endless water surrounding us
Oh, yes, it's simply... delightful...
Yes, it's quite splendid
As for me, I'm about to heave ho!
However, I'm starting to feel seasick
The king of the ocean gets angry
If Triton gets upset, trouble ensues
An' when he gets angry, beware!
And when he's mad, watch out!
I'm tellin' ya, lad, when King Triton is mad
Believe me when I say, when King Triton is mad
How the waves'll buck, rock to and fro!
The waves will toss and turn with great force
Hold on, good luck, as down you go!
Hang tight and good luck, because you're going down!
There's mermaids out there in the bottomless blue
Mermaids are lurking out in the endless ocean
Watch out for ‘em, lad, or you'll go to your ruin
Be cautious of them, young man, or you'll end up in danger
Mysterious fathoms below!
Unknown depths lay hidden beneath the water's surface
Writer(s): Glenn Evan Slater, Howard Elliott Ashman, Alan Menken
Contributed by Alexandra E. Suggest a correction in the comments below.
MusicTreePiano
PILOT
I'll tell you a tale of the bottomless blue
SAILORS
An' it's hey to the starboard, heave ho!
Brave sailor, beware, 'cause a big 'uns a-brewin'
SAILORS
Mysterious fathoms below!
Heave ho!
PILOT
I'll sing you a song of the king of the sea
PILOT & SAILORS
An' it's hey to the starboard, heave ho!
PILOT
The ruler of all of the oceans is he
SAILORS
In mysterious fathoms below!
Fathoms below, below!
From whence wayward westerlies blow!
Where Triton is king
And his merpeople sing
In mysterious fathoms below!
PRINCE ERIC
Isn't this perfection, Grimsby? Out on the open sea, surrounded by nothing but water
GRIMSBY
Oh, yes, it’s simply...delightful...
PRINCE ERIC
The salt on your skin
And the wind in your hair
And the waves as they ebb and they flow!
We’re miles from the shore
And guess what – I don’t care!
GRIMSBY
As for me, I’m about to heave ho!
PILOT
Back to work!
SAILORS
I’ll sing you a song of the king of the sea
An’ it’s hey to the starboard, heave ho!
The ruler of all of the oceans is he
In mysterious fathoms below!
GRIMSBY
King of the sea? Why, that’s nautical nonsense – nothing but a superstition!
PILOT
The king of the ocean gets angry
An’ when he gets angry, beware!
I’m tellin’ ya, lad, when King Triton is mad
How the waves’ll buck, rock to and fro!
PILOT & SAILORS
Hold on, good luck, as down you go!
PRINCE ERIC
What is that? Do you hear something?
GRIMSBY
Milord, please. Enough sea-faring! You’ve got to get back to court –
to honor your father’s dying wish and
take up his crown!
PRINCE ERIC
That’s not the life for me, Grimsby—
There it is again!
PILOT
We ought to head back to shore, your majesty.
GRIMSBY
Indeed, we should!
PRINCE ERIC
Not while I’m captain. Now follow that voice! To the ends of the earth if we have to!
PILOT
Aye-aye, Captain!
PILOT & SAILORS
There’s mermaids out there in the bottomless blue
An’ it’s hey to the starboard, heave ho!
Watch out for ‘em, lad, or you’ll go to your ruin
Mysterious fathoms below!
Andrea Dahle
I really wish that this song had been longer with this words:
Heave ho! Heave ho!
Anchors away!
I'll tell you a tale of the bottomless blue
An' it's hey to the starboard, heave ho!
Brave sailor beware, 'cause a big-un's a-brewin'
Mysterious fathoms below!
Heave ho! Heave ho!
I'll sing you a song of the king of the sea
An' it's hey to the starboard, heave ho!
The ruler of all of the oceans is he
In mysterious fathoms below!
Fathoms below, below!
From whence wayward westerlies blow!
Where Triton is king
And his merpeople sing
In mysterious fathoms below!
Eric:
That topsail, open her wide
Break the bounds quickly! Starboard side
Isn't this perfection, Grimsby? Out on the open sea, surrounded by nothing but water.
Grimsby:
Oh yes, it's simply... delightful!
Eric:
The salt on your skin
And the wind in your hair
And the waves as they ebb and they flow!
We're miles from the shore
And guess what – I don't care!
Grimsby:
As for me, I'm about to heave ho!
Pilot:
Back to work!
Sailors:
I'll sing you a song of the king of the sea
An' it's hey to the starboard, heave ho!
The ruler of all of the oceans is he
In mysterious fathoms below!
Fathoms below, below!
From whence wayward westerlies blow!
Where Triton is king
And his merpeople sing
In mysterious fathoms below!
Grimsby:
King of the sea?! Why, that's nautical nonsense – nothing but a superstition!
Sailors:
I once knew a man met a mermaid,
She stole first his heart, then his mind,
And once it was got,
She just left him to rot,
And she wasn't the worst of her kind...
The king of the ocean gets angry
An' when he gets angry, beware!
I'm tellin' ya, lad, when King Triton is mad
How the waves'll buck, rock to and fro!
Hold on, good luck, as down you go!
For Triton is king of the bottomless blue,
and it's hey to the starboard heave ho!
Beware of the magic his merpeople do,
in mysterious fathoms below!
Eric:
What is that, do you hear something?!
Grimsby:
Milord, please. Enough sea-faring! You've got to get back to court, to honor your father's dying wish and take up his crown!
Eric:
That's not the life for me, Grimsby!
This is where I belong,
Everything seems more real here,
Strange how at home I feel here,
In the tide's swift flow!
And when the pull is strong,
I almost think I hear the sea,
Wild and free,
Calling me from fathoms below!
Eric:
There it is again!
Pilot:
We ought to head back to shore, your majesty.
Grimsby:
Indeed, we should!
Eric:
Not while I'm captain. Now follow that voice! To the ends of the earth, if we have to!
Pilot:
Aye-aye, Captain!
Sailors:
There's mermaids out there in the bottomless blue
An' it's hey to the starboard, heave ho!
Watch out for 'em, lad, or you'll go to your ruin
Mysterious fathoms below!
MusicTreePiano
PILOT
I'll tell you a tale of the bottomless blue
SAILORS
An' it's hey to the starboard, heave ho!
Brave sailor, beware, 'cause a big 'uns a-brewin'
SAILORS
Mysterious fathoms below!
Heave ho!
PILOT
I'll sing you a song of the king of the sea
PILOT & SAILORS
An' it's hey to the starboard, heave ho!
PILOT
The ruler of all of the oceans is he
SAILORS
In mysterious fathoms below!
Fathoms below, below!
From whence wayward westerlies blow!
Where Triton is king
And his merpeople sing
In mysterious fathoms below!
PRINCE ERIC
Isn't this perfection, Grimsby? Out on the open sea, surrounded by nothing but water
GRIMSBY
Oh, yes, it’s simply...delightful...
PRINCE ERIC
The salt on your skin
And the wind in your hair
And the waves as they ebb and they flow!
We’re miles from the shore
And guess what – I don’t care!
GRIMSBY
As for me, I’m about to heave ho!
PILOT
Back to work!
SAILORS
I’ll sing you a song of the king of the sea
An’ it’s hey to the starboard, heave ho!
The ruler of all of the oceans is he
In mysterious fathoms below!
GRIMSBY
King of the sea? Why, that’s nautical nonsense – nothing but a superstition!
PILOT
The king of the ocean gets angry
An’ when he gets angry, beware!
I’m tellin’ ya, lad, when King Triton is mad
How the waves’ll buck, rock to and fro!
PILOT & SAILORS
Hold on, good luck, as down you go!
PRINCE ERIC
What is that? Do you hear something?
GRIMSBY
Milord, please. Enough sea-faring! You’ve got to get back to court –
to honor your father’s dying wish and
take up his crown!
PRINCE ERIC
That’s not the life for me, Grimsby—
There it is again!
PILOT
We ought to head back to shore, your majesty.
GRIMSBY
Indeed, we should!
PRINCE ERIC
Not while I’m captain. Now follow that voice! To the ends of the earth if we have to!
PILOT
Aye-aye, Captain!
PILOT & SAILORS
There’s mermaids out there in the bottomless blue
An’ it’s hey to the starboard, heave ho!
Watch out for ‘em, lad, or you’ll go to your ruin
Mysterious fathoms below!
Lilly Mills
THANK YOU
Gellért Győri
Thank you. 😍😍😍
Chronoz
Love the orchestration from 1:08 to 1:20!
MP
Love the orchestration from 0:00 to 2:34 myself ;)
Andrea Dahle
I really wish that this song had been longer with this words:
Heave ho! Heave ho!
Anchors away!
I'll tell you a tale of the bottomless blue
An' it's hey to the starboard, heave ho!
Brave sailor beware, 'cause a big-un's a-brewin'
Mysterious fathoms below!
Heave ho! Heave ho!
I'll sing you a song of the king of the sea
An' it's hey to the starboard, heave ho!
The ruler of all of the oceans is he
In mysterious fathoms below!
Fathoms below, below!
From whence wayward westerlies blow!
Where Triton is king
And his merpeople sing
In mysterious fathoms below!
Eric:
That topsail, open her wide
Break the bounds quickly! Starboard side
Isn't this perfection, Grimsby? Out on the open sea, surrounded by nothing but water.
Grimsby:
Oh yes, it's simply... delightful!
Eric:
The salt on your skin
And the wind in your hair
And the waves as they ebb and they flow!
We're miles from the shore
And guess what – I don't care!
Grimsby:
As for me, I'm about to heave ho!
Pilot:
Back to work!
Sailors:
I'll sing you a song of the king of the sea
An' it's hey to the starboard, heave ho!
The ruler of all of the oceans is he
In mysterious fathoms below!
Fathoms below, below!
From whence wayward westerlies blow!
Where Triton is king
And his merpeople sing
In mysterious fathoms below!
Grimsby:
King of the sea?! Why, that's nautical nonsense – nothing but a superstition!
Sailors:
I once knew a man met a mermaid,
She stole first his heart, then his mind,
And once it was got,
She just left him to rot,
And she wasn't the worst of her kind...
The king of the ocean gets angry
An' when he gets angry, beware!
I'm tellin' ya, lad, when King Triton is mad
How the waves'll buck, rock to and fro!
Hold on, good luck, as down you go!
For Triton is king of the bottomless blue,
and it's hey to the starboard heave ho!
Beware of the magic his merpeople do,
in mysterious fathoms below!
Eric:
What is that, do you hear something?!
Grimsby:
Milord, please. Enough sea-faring! You've got to get back to court, to honor your father's dying wish and take up his crown!
Eric:
That's not the life for me, Grimsby!
This is where I belong,
Everything seems more real here,
Strange how at home I feel here,
In the tide's swift flow!
And when the pull is strong,
I almost think I hear the sea,
Wild and free,
Calling me from fathoms below!
Eric:
There it is again!
Pilot:
We ought to head back to shore, your majesty.
Grimsby:
Indeed, we should!
Eric:
Not while I'm captain. Now follow that voice! To the ends of the earth, if we have to!
Pilot:
Aye-aye, Captain!
Sailors:
There's mermaids out there in the bottomless blue
An' it's hey to the starboard, heave ho!
Watch out for 'em, lad, or you'll go to your ruin
Mysterious fathoms below!
Tabitha Hood
"I once knew a man met a mermaid,
She stole first his heart, then his mind,
And once it was got,
She just left him to rot,
And she wasn't the worst of her kind..."
WHAT
Is that part of the og lyrics or something?? 'Cause hoooly heck that's actually really cool, wish we were using that in our production. The cast list just got released and I'm a sailor, I'm interested to see how this scene goes
idleteen
You in dubuque? We did little mermaid this summer aswell!
Brianna Wing
I'm a sailor and a sea creature but I still have to sing this song back stage.
Anni Plenge
In the version I’m doing of this, I’m a sailor, and before this song, the actor who plays Eric throws a gauntlet to me and I actually caught it! I don’t have very good hand-to-eye coordination, so hopefully I can catch it onstage