The song lyrics were written by the band Van Halen, as they were asked to write a song for the 1979 movie "Over the Edge" starring Matt Dillon. The movie (and the lyrics, although more obliquely) are about bored, rebellious youth with nothing better to do than get into trouble. If you see the movie, these lyrics will make more sense. It's a great movie if you grew up in the 70s/80s you'll definitely remember some of these characters from your own life. Fun fact, after writing the song, Van Halen decided not to let the movie use it.
Oh it's of a ship and a ship of fame
Launched off the stocks, bound to sail the main
With one hundred and fifty brisk young men
Well picked and chosen every one
And william glenn was the captain's name
He was a fine and a tall young man
As fine a sailor as sailed the sea
And we were sailing to new barbary
On the first of April, then we set sail
Blessed with a fine and a prosperous gale
And we were bound for new barbary
With all of our whole ship's company
We hadn't been sailing a league or two
Til all of our whole ship's jovial crew
They all fell sick but 63
As we were sailing to new barbary
One night the captain then he did dream
A voice came to him and said to him
"prepare yourself and your company
For tomorrow night you must lie with me"
This woke the captain in a terrible fright
It being the third watch of the night
And aloud for the bosun then he did call
And to him told his secrets all
"bosun" he said "it grieves my heart
To think I've played a villain's part
A man I slew in staffordshire
And all for the sake of his lady fair
And of the ghost of that I am afraid
That has in me such terror bred
So keep the secret within your breast
And pray to the lord that he gives you rest"
We hadn't been a sailing a league but three
Til raging grew the roaring sea
There rose a tempest up in the skies
Which did our seamen much surprise
And the main mast sprung by the break of day
Which made our rigging all but to give way
And did our seamen much afright
The terrors of that awful night
And then the bosun he did declare
That the captain was a murderer
This so enraged the whole ship's crew
That overboard our captain threw
Our treacherous captain he being gone
Immediately there came a calm
And the winds abated and so did the sea
And we went sailing to new barbary
And when we came to the spanish shore
Our good little ship for to repair
The people there were amazed to see
Our dismal case and such misery
Now seamen all wherever you may be
I pray you take a warning from me
As you love life won't you have care
And never go sailing with a murderer
Launched off the stocks, bound to sail the main
With one hundred and fifty brisk young men
Well picked and chosen every one
And william glenn was the captain's name
He was a fine and a tall young man
As fine a sailor as sailed the sea
And we were sailing to new barbary
On the first of April, then we set sail
Blessed with a fine and a prosperous gale
And we were bound for new barbary
With all of our whole ship's company
We hadn't been sailing a league or two
Til all of our whole ship's jovial crew
They all fell sick but 63
As we were sailing to new barbary
One night the captain then he did dream
A voice came to him and said to him
"prepare yourself and your company
For tomorrow night you must lie with me"
This woke the captain in a terrible fright
It being the third watch of the night
And aloud for the bosun then he did call
And to him told his secrets all
"bosun" he said "it grieves my heart
To think I've played a villain's part
A man I slew in staffordshire
And all for the sake of his lady fair
And of the ghost of that I am afraid
That has in me such terror bred
So keep the secret within your breast
And pray to the lord that he gives you rest"
We hadn't been a sailing a league but three
Til raging grew the roaring sea
There rose a tempest up in the skies
Which did our seamen much surprise
And the main mast sprung by the break of day
Which made our rigging all but to give way
And did our seamen much afright
The terrors of that awful night
And then the bosun he did declare
That the captain was a murderer
This so enraged the whole ship's crew
That overboard our captain threw
Our treacherous captain he being gone
Immediately there came a calm
And the winds abated and so did the sea
And we went sailing to new barbary
And when we came to the spanish shore
Our good little ship for to repair
The people there were amazed to see
Our dismal case and such misery
Now seamen all wherever you may be
I pray you take a warning from me
As you love life won't you have care
And never go sailing with a murderer
Lyrics submitted by planetearth
William Glenn Lyrics as written by
Lyrics © O/B/O DistroKid
Lyrics powered by LyricFind
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