| Mark Knopfler – So Far From the Clyde Lyrics | 3 years ago |
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The Clyde was/is a shipyard and ship graveyard in Scotland where unseaworthy vessels go to be disassembled for scrap or reused. To a seaman, their ship is their life. They respect it or if neglected it can not take care of them. This is why they refer to a ship as a female. I believe Mark was trying to show the reverence of all sailors here. "Her last supper" as in Jesus' last supper before his crucifixion. Also, it had to be done....it was part of the captain's job to end a ship's life when she was not safe to sail. "The shallow sea washes their hands" as if the sea forgave them for what they must do. "With the wind and the tide she goes proud ahead, steamin' ".....to a sailor, the ship takes on a persona, in this line she is proud to have served and knows it is time to die. The chorus is especially moving to me....it says we have sailed so far from where the ship was born/built and in one line Mark reminisces about everywhere she has sailed...."We did ride". When a sailor feels the keel hit something or land they know they are in trouble...in this case they know there is no going back out to sea. Shaking hands with the hangman is a symbol of ownership.... turning the ship over to him. He paints a grim picture with the rest of the song ...ashes to ashes dust to dust. |
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