Leaving of Liverpool
The Blackwater Boys Lyrics
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River Mersey, fare thee well
I am bound for California
A place I know right well
Chorus:
So fare thee well, my own true love
When I return united we will be
But my darling when I think of thee
I'm bound off for California
By the way of stormy Cape Horn
And I'm bound to write you a letter, love
When I am homeward bound
Chorus:
I have signed on a Yankee Clipper ship
Davy Crockett is her name
And Burgess is the Captain of her
And they say she's a floating Hell
Chorus:
I have shipped with Burgess once before
And I think I know him well
If a man's a seaman, he can get along
If not, then he's sure in Hell
Chorus:
Farewell to lower Frederick Street
Ensign Terrace and Park Lane
For I think it will be a long, long time
Before I see you again
Chorus:
Oh the sun is on the harbour, love
And I wish I could remain
For I know it will be a long, long time
Till I see you again
Chorus:
The song "Leaving of Liverpool" by The Blackwater Boys is a nostalgic ballad about a sailor bidding farewell to his lover as he sets off on a journey to California. The singer bids farewell to Prince's Landing Stage, a wharf on the River Mersey, and expresses his feelings of sadness about leaving behind his lover. However, he assures his lover that they will reunite when he returns from his journey. He is sailing on a Yankee Clipper ship named Davy Crockett, captained by a man named Burgess, who is notorious for running a strict and difficult ship. The sailor has sailed with Burgess before and knows him well, and believes that as long as a man is a skilled seaman, he can make it through the voyage.
The lyrics create vivid images of a sailor's life at sea, the hardships and the homesickness that sailors often faced. The emotional tone of the song is melancholic, reflecting the longing of the sailor for his home and his loved one, but also the sense of adventure and optimism in heading towards a new destination. The chorus is a promise of reunion and steadfastness in the face of separation, with the line "it's not the leaving of Liverpool that's grieving me, but my darling, when I think of thee" encapsulating the central sentiment of the song.
Line by Line Meaning
Farewell to Prince's Landing Stage
Goodbye to the pier where ships dock
River Mersey, fare thee well
Goodbye to the river that flows out to sea
I am bound for California
I am going to California
A place I know right well
A place I am familiar with
So fare thee well, my own true love
Goodbye, my beloved one
When I return united we will be
We will be together again when I come back
It's not the leaving of Liverpool that's grieving me
I am not sad about leaving Liverpool itself
But my darling when I think of thee
I miss you, my beloved, when I think of you
I'm bound off for California
I am heading to California
By the way of stormy Cape Horn
I will be sailing around Cape Horn which has dangerous conditions
And I'm bound to write you a letter, love
I promise to write you a letter, my love
When I am homeward bound
When I am coming back home from my journey
I have signed on a Yankee Clipper ship
I have joined a fast American sailing ship called a Clipper
Davy Crockett is her name
The ship is called Davy Crockett
And Burgess is the Captain of her
Captain Burgess is in charge of the ship
And they say she's a floating Hell
People say that the ship is difficult to sail on
I have shipped with Burgess once before
I have sailed with Captain Burgess before
And I think I know him well
I believe I understand him well
If a man's a seaman, he can get along
If a man is a skilled sailor, he can manage on a ship
If not, then he's sure in Hell
Otherwise, he will struggle and suffer
Farewell to lower Frederick Street
Goodbye to the street where I lived
Ensign Terrace and Park Lane
Goodbye to the areas around where I lived
For I think it will be a long, long time
I believe it will be a significant amount of time
Before I see you again
Before I can come back and see you
Oh the sun is on the harbour, love
The sun is shining on the harbor, my love
And I wish I could remain
I wish I could stay here longer
Till I see you again
Until I can be with you again
Contributed by Nathan N. Suggest a correction in the comments below.