The Sea Captain Lyrics
From the shore I did fly.
I thought it time that I travelled,
So I took to the roads of the sky.
Oh the night it was calm.
I saw the flower of the ocean
And the universe did me noo harm,
It said to fly on.
But his ship was on fire.
His hands they did stretch out before him,
For to take one of many desires,
But there was no time.
From the ship he did fly.
He thought it time that he travelled
And I saw him as he passed by,
And I saw him as he passed by.
Sandy Denny is so underrated as a songwriter. Even those few music lovers who know her name tend to remark only on her voice, while totally ignoring her way with a melody and lyric. "The Sea Captain" is not one of her more well-known compositions, but I think it exemplifies her vision as an artist... escaping reality to the point where even the vessel becomes an encumbrance, embracing the limitless expanse of imagination without terror. It involves a risk that she admits herself too fearful to take... as the ending of the song reveals, she is not the captain himself but a motionless bystander, observing his flight across the sea with astonishment and envy. I prefer the demo version of this song to full-band version... the simpler the better, as her voice and the lyrics do all the requisite work. Brilliant.