Barges
Ralph McTell Lyrics
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I saw a pike that was two feet long.
Two small magicians, each with a jam jar
Cast spells on the water with hazel twig wands.
Country boys catch tadpoles, dive into water
Made shy by their laughter, we wandered down stream
And summer rolled o'er us with no complications
Stand by the drawbridge, waiting for barges
Waiting around for smiles from the man.
Lifting the bridge whilst watching the horses
Dragging the slow boats up the canal.
I do remember the times but no number
After the day, but before evening comes
Waiting for castles and kettles with roses
Painted on barges that sailed into the sun.
Oh, see the river run, that was by man begun
Open the locks, let the boats sail on,
Taking their castles and kettles with roses
With summers of childhood leaving smiles on the man.
The song "Barges" by Ralph McTell is a nostalgic ballad that captures the innocence and simplicity of childhood. The singer reminisces about the summers he spent with his brother, catching tadpoles and casting spells on the water with hazel twig wands. The verse about waiting for barges to pass by and lifting the drawbridge adds a touch of excitement to the otherwise idyllic scene. The chorus, which repeats the image of castles and kettles with roses painted on the barges sailing into the sun, emphasizes the magical quality of childhood memories.
Line by Line Meaning
Me and my brother returned to the water
I went back to a place where I had previously been with my brother.
I saw a pike that was two feet long.
I observed a fish that measured two feet in length.
Two small magicians, each with a jam jar
Two young boys, each holding a jar of jam, pretended to perform magic.
Cast spells on the water with hazel twig wands.
They used twigs from a hazel tree to wave as if casting spells on the water.
Country boys catch tadpoles, dive into water
Rural boys often capture tadpoles and swim in the water.
Made shy by their laughter, we wandered down stream
We were shy because of their laughter and walked along the stream.
And summer rolled o'er us with no complications
We had a simple summer without any complexities.
'Cept thinking of Mama sometimes in dreams.
Except for dreaming of our mother from time to time.
Stand by the drawbridge, waiting for barges
We waited by the drawbridge for the barges to arrive.
Waiting around for smiles from the man.
We waited for the man on the barge to smile at us.
Lifting the bridge whilst watching the horses
We saw the horses while the bridge was being raised.
Dragging the slow boats up the canal.
The slow boats were pulled along the canal.
I do remember the times but no number
I remember these times, but not the exact number of them.
After the day, but before evening comes
This happened after the day but before the evening.
Waiting for castles and kettles with roses
We eagerly waited for barges adorned with painted castles and kettles with roses.
Painted on barges that sailed into the sun.
These painted barges sailed into the sunset.
Oh, see the river run, that was by man begun
The running river was created by humans.
Open the locks, let the boats sail on,
The locks were opened and the boats were allowed to proceed.
Taking their castles and kettles with roses
The barges which carried painted castles and kettles with roses.
With summers of childhood leaving smiles on the man.
The childhood summers have left a joyful memory in the man's mind.
Lyrics © O/B/O APRA AMCOS
Written by: RALPH MC TELL
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind