A Ballad of Cape St. Vincent

Now, Bill, ain't it prime to be a-sailin', 
Slippin' easy, splashin' up the sea, 
Dossin' snug aneath the weather-railin', 
Quiddin' bonded Jacky out a-lee? 
English sea astern us and afore us, 
Reaching out three thousand miles ahead, 
God's own stars a-risin' solemn o'er us, 
And yonder's Cape St. Vincent and the Dead. 

There they lie, Bill, man and mate together, 
Dreamin' out the dog-watch down below, 
Anchored in the Port of Pleasant Weather, 
Waiting for the Bo'sun's call to blow. 
Over them the tide goes lappin', swayin', 
Under them's the wide bay's muddy bed, 
And it's pleasant dreams to them to hear us sayin', 
Yonder's Cape St. Vincent and the Dead. 

Hear that P. and O. boat's engines dronin', 
Beating out of time and out of tune, 
Ripping past with every plate a-groanin', 
Spitting smoke and cinders at the moon? 
Ports a-lit like little stars a-settin', 
See 'em glintin' yaller, green, and red, 
Loggin' twenty knots, Bill, but forgettin', 
Vender's Cape St. Vincent and the Dead. 

They're 'discharged' now, Billy, 'left the service, 
Rough an' bitter was the watch they stood, 
Drake an' Blake, an' Collingwood an' Jervis, 
Nelson, Rodney, Hawke, an' Howe an' Hood. 
They'd a hard time, haulin' an' directing 
There's the flag they left us, Billy tread 
Straight an' keep it flyin' recollectin', 
Vender's Cape St. Vincent and the Dead.

by John Masefield (1878-1967) , "A Ballad of Cape St. Vincent", from Salt Water Ballads, published 1902

Musical settings (art songs, Lieder, mélodies, (etc.), choral pieces, and other vocal works set to this text), listed by composer (not necessarily exhaustive)

by Hermann Frederic Löhr (1872-1943) , "A Ballad of Cape St. Vincent", published 1923. [voice and piano]

Date added to the website: 2008-12-30.

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