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Mollymauk

Trad.

According to legend, white seabirds like albatrosses were the embodiment of lost sailors' souls. Here we've taken a leaf out of Auntieshanty.org and have changed out the traditional "he" pronouns with feminine ones. 

LYRICS

00:00 / 01:04

CHORUS

Won’t you ride the wind and go, white seabird

Ride the wind and go, Mollymauk

Down upon the southern ocean sailing

Down below Cape Horn


Oh the southern ocean is a lonely place

Where the storms are many and the shelter’s scarce

Down upon the southern ocean sailing

Down below Cape Horn


On the restless water and the troublin’ skies

You can see that mollymauk wheel and fly

Down upon the southern ocean sailing

Down below Cape Horn


CHORUS


See the mollymauk floatin’ on her wide white wings

And Lord, what a lonely song she sings

Down upon the southern ocean sailing

Down below Cape Horn


And she’s got no compass and she’s got no gear

And there’s none can tell you how the mollymauks steer

Down upon the southern ocean sailing

Down below Cape Horn


CHORUS


She’s the ghost of a sailor-woman I’ve heard say

Whose body sank, and her soul flew away

Down upon the southern ocean sailing

Down below Cape Horn


And she’s got no haven and she’s got no home

She’s bound evermore for to wheel and roam

Down upon the southern ocean sailing

Down below Cape Horn


CHORUS


When I gets too weary for to sail no more

Let my bones sink better far away from shore

Down upon the southern ocean sailing

Down below Cape Horn


You can cast me loose and leave me driftin’ free

And I’ll keep that big bird company

Down upon the southern ocean sailing

Down below Cape Horn


CHORUS x 2


Tags:

Birds, Sea Shanty

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We acknowledge the Gadigal and Bidjigal people of the Eora nation, upon whose lands we gather and sing.
We acknowledge sovereignty was never ceded. This always was and always will be Aboriginal land.

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Numerous photos by Nick Ryden 

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