Forty Oars for the Raven

[Style: Classic sea-shanty sway that suddenly drops into a low, growling death-metal stomp on every chorus.] [Tagelharpa and jaw-harp keep the pull, drums hit like oars in water.] [Call – lone voice, steady] What do we pull, my brothers bold? [Crew – deep and rolling] FORTY OARS FOR THE RAVEN COLD! [Call] Where do we row through storm and flame? [Crew] FORTY OARS FOR THE RAVEN’S NAME! [Call] Who rides the prow with wings of night? [Crew] FORTY OARS TILL WE MAKE THE FIGHT! [Call] Who drinks the wind and spits out fear? [Crew] FORTY OARS AND THE GODS DRAW NEAR! [Chorus – sudden heavy drop, guitars snarl, whole crew roars] HEAVE! – the dragon cuts the wave! HEAVE! – we row to an early grave! HEAVE! – the sea will have its due! HEAVE, YE BASTARDS, HEAVE HER THROUGH! [Call] What do we bring to foreign shores? [Crew] FORTY OARS AND A HUNDRED ROARS! [Call] What will we take from trembling kings? [Crew] FORTY OARS AND GOLD THAT SINGS! [Call] Who laughs when the coward king hides his face? [Crew] FORTY OARS OF THE NORTHERN RACE! [Call] Who rows till lungs and timbers crack? [Crew] FORTY OARS AND WE’RE NEVER BACK! [Chorus – heavier, faster, oars slamming] HEAVE! – the black sail splits the sky! HEAVE! – we were born too mean to die! HEAVE! – let the weak men drown in prayer! HEAVE, YE WOLVES, HEAVE IF YOU DARE! [Call – slower, almost spoken] When the last man falls and the keel burns red… [Crew – low, reverent] FORTY OARS WILL ROW THE DEAD! [Call] When Valhalla calls and the horns are blown… [Crew] FORTY OARS WILL ROW US HOME! [Final Chorus – full death-metal fury, then back to shanty sway] HEAVE! – the dragon breathes her last! HEAVE! – the future is the past! HEAVE! – till the stars themselves go dim! HEAVE, MY BROTHERS, HEAVE AGAIN! [Last pull – every voice together, one long growl] Forty oars… Forty oars… Forty oars… And the raven soars.