So Far From the Clyde Lyrics

Lyric discussion by hencini 

Cover art for So Far From the Clyde lyrics by Mark Knopfler

Brilliant song, but there are a lot of mistakes in the lyrics above.

They had a last supper the day of the beaching, She's a dead ship sailing, skeleton crew. The galley is empty, the stove pots are cooling What's left of the stew.

The time is approaching - the captain moves over. The hang man steps in to do what he's paid for. With the wind and the tide, she goes proud ahead steaming. And he drives her hard into the shore.

So far from the Clyde Together we ride... we did ride.

As if to a wave from her bows to her rudder, Bravely she rises to meet with the land. Under their feet they all feel her keel shudder; The shallow sea washes her (?) hands.

Later, the captain shakes hands with the hangman And climbs slowly down to the oily wet ground, Goes 'bout to the car that has come here to take him Through the graveyard and back to the town

So far from the Clyde Together we ride... we did ride.

They pull out her cables and hack off her hatches. Too poor to be wasteful with pity or time, They swarm on her carcass with torches and axes Like a whale on the bloody shore line. Stripped of her pillars, her stays and her stanchions, When there's only her bones on the wet poison land Steel ropes will drag her with winches and engines Till there's only a stain on the sand.

So far from the Clyde Together we ride... we did ride. So far from the Clyde Together we ride... we did ride...

Lyric Correction

Can't edit my post, but it sounds like "The shallow sea washes her hands" should be definitely be "their". Makes more sense that way, anyway... : )

Lyric Correction