The Pogues: When the Ship Comes In
oh the time will come up
when the winds will stop
and the breeze will
cease to be breathing
like the stillness in the wind
before the hurricane begins
the hour when the ship comes in
oh the seas will split
and the ship will hit
and the sands on the
shoreline will be shaking
then the tide will sound
and the wind will pound
and the morning will be breaking
oh the fishes will laugh
as they swim out of the path
and the seagulls they’ll be smiling
and the rocks on the sand
will proudly stand
the hour that the ship comes in
and the words that are used
for to get the ship confused
will not be understood
as they’re spoken
for the chains of the sea
will have busted in the night
and will be buried at
the bottom of the ocean
a song will lift
as the mainsail shifts
and the boat drifts
on to the shoreline
and the sun will respect
every face on the deck
the hour that the ship comes in
then the sands will roll
out a carpet of gold
for your weary toes to be touching
and the ship’s wise men
will remind you once again that
the whole wide world is watching
oh the foes will rise
with the sleep still in their eyes
and they’ll jerk from their beds
and think they’re dreaming
but they’ll pinch themselves and squeal
and know that it’s for real
the hour when the ship comes in
then they’ll raise their hands
saying we’ll meet all your demands
but we’ll shout from the bow
your days are numbered
and like Pharoah’s tribe
they’ll be drowned in the tide
And like Goliath
they’ll be conquered
--Bob Dylan
1963
