Three Sailors
The Young'Uns Lyrics
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Why we lie here, we know not what for
But here we'll lie, forever more
Just three lost sailors of the war
And the moon comes up, and moon goes down
While cities stand and fall to ground
And church bells ring, but make no sound
Still the silent army marches on
Thirty million poppies strong
But the seagull sings its ugly song
And we three sailors sing along
We are three lost sailors of the war
Why we lie here, we know not what for
But here we'll lie, forever more
Just three lost sailors of the war
The Young’Uns’ song Three Sailors is a poignant and moving tribute to the fallen soldiers of the First World War. The song describes the fate of “three lost sailors of the war” who lay in their graves without knowing why they died. The lyrics convey the sense of sadness and loss that the war brought upon countless families across the world. The verses, each with four lines, use simple language and imagery to evoke the mood of a somber and reflective moment. The refrain, “We are three lost sailors of the war/ Why we lie here, we know not what for/ But here we'll lie, forever more/ Just three lost sailors of the war”, is both haunting and memorable.
One of the striking features of the song is the use of contrasting images to highlight the sense of futility and despair that the war generated. While the moon rises and sets, cities rise and fall, and church bells ring, the soldiers’ graves remain unremarkable and silent. Even the poppies, symbols of remembrance, cannot bring back the dead or heal the grief of those left behind. The only sound that accompanies the sailors is the “ugly song” of a seagull, echoing their own mournful singing. The last verse reminds us that the “silent army marches on,” an army of millions of soldiers and civilians lost to war, whose stories have been forgotten or silenced.
Line by Line Meaning
We are three lost sailors of the war
We are three unfortunate sailors who have lost our way due to the war.
Why we lie here, we know not what for
We do not understand why we are lying here and do not know what purpose our death serves.
But here we'll lie, forever more
We will remain in this place for eternity, trapped in our fate.
Just three lost sailors of the war
We are merely three sailors who have become victims of the war and have been laid to rest.
And the moon comes up, and moon goes down
Time continues to pass, as the moon rises and sets, disregarding the lives lost in the war.
While cities stand and fall to ground
Cities are built and destroyed, but the remnants of war remain and are often forgotten.
And church bells ring, but make no sound
Even the sound of church bells, meant to provide solace and hope, is unable to bring peace to the fallen soldiers.
For three lost sailors underground
These three sailors are now buried underground, forgotten by the rest of the world.
Still the silent army marches on
The war continues despite the loss of countless lives.
Thirty million poppies strong
The poppies that symbolize remembrance for the soldiers lost in the war continue to grow in abundance.
But the seagull sings its ugly song
Even the seagull, often associated with freedom and beauty, seems to mock the fallen soldiers with its cries.
And we three sailors sing along
Despite our tragic fate, we join our voices with the seagull's to sing a mournful song.
Writer(s): Michael Thomas Hughes, Sean Michael Cooney, David Andrew Eagle
Contributed by Julia N. Suggest a correction in the comments below.