SS Yarmouth Castle was an old steamer lost in a disastrous fire in 1965.
This song, just like Wreck of the Edmund Fitzgerald, is a moving tribute to those lost in the sea but also the only song I know with the ship being main hero and also the only song treating shipwreck as a death of a ship.
Listen to those words:
"Now the many years she's been to sea
She's seen the better times
She gives a groan of protest
As they cast away her lines
And the grumble of her engines
And the rust along her spine
Tells the Castle she's too old to be sailin'
But the sands run out within her heart
A tiny spark glows red
It smoulders through the evening
There's laughter overhead
Now the men are served, and the cards are dealt
And the drinks are passed around
Deep within the fire starts a-burnin'"
and
""Oh Lord," she groans, "I'm burning!"
"Let someone understand!"
But her silent plea is wasted
In the playin' of the band"
and especially
"Oh the Yarmouth Castle's moanin'
She's cryin' like a child.
You can hear her if you listen
Above the roar so wild
Is she cryin' for the ones who lie
Within her molten sides?
Or cryin' for herself, I'm a-wonderin'"
every time I hear 'em they are bringing lump in my throat..........
SS Yarmouth Castle was an old steamer lost in a disastrous fire in 1965.
This song, just like Wreck of the Edmund Fitzgerald, is a moving tribute to those lost in the sea but also the only song I know with the ship being main hero and also the only song treating shipwreck as a death of a ship.
Listen to those words:
"Now the many years she's been to sea She's seen the better times She gives a groan of protest As they cast away her lines
And the grumble of her engines And the rust along her spine Tells the Castle she's too old to be sailin'
But the sands run out within her heart A tiny spark glows red It smoulders through the evening There's laughter overhead
Now the men are served, and the cards are dealt And the drinks are passed around Deep within the fire starts a-burnin'"
and
""Oh Lord," she groans, "I'm burning!" "Let someone understand!" But her silent plea is wasted In the playin' of the band"
and especially
"Oh the Yarmouth Castle's moanin' She's cryin' like a child. You can hear her if you listen Above the roar so wild
Is she cryin' for the ones who lie Within her molten sides? Or cryin' for herself, I'm a-wonderin'"
every time I hear 'em they are bringing lump in my throat..........