[Verse 1: Celtic-rock male lead, driving rock drums, big ringing guitars] Six o'clock and the fog on the harbor wall One bag on my shoulder and that's my all I came down early so nobody would see Didn't want a scene, didn't want the fuss for me But the pub door's open and the lights are on And the lads from the boats are all lined along There's the man from the shop with his apron still tied There's the whole of the island at the waterside And I'm thinking, here it comes, the please don't go The long faces and the crying and the hands held slow Then Maeve from the fish stall climbs up on a crate And she cups her hands and she shouts at the gate [Hook: Celtic-rock male lead, full band with bagpipes, huge anthem hook] Go on, the whole quay's calling out to me Go on, lad, there's a whole world out at sea Hold your head up high as the harbor slips away Go on, go on, and you carry us all the way [Verse 2: Celtic-rock male lead, pounding bass, bigger ringing guitars] Aye, they taught me how to mend and they taught me how to row Taught me every rock in the bay that a boat should know Taught me how to stand when the swell comes in Taught me how to lose and to laugh and to grin Now they're sending me off like a ship of their own Like I'm every one of them that never left home And the ferry horn's going and the gangway's in And I'm standing at the rail with my heart in my chin [Call-and-response: Maeve, female voice, calls from the quay; Celtic-rock male lead answers from the rail] Who taught you to stand when the swell comes in? The quay did, the quay did, every one of them Who'll be shouting your name in a far-off place? The quay will, the quay will, with a grin on its face Will you come back crying when the money runs thin? Not a chance, Maeve, not a chance, I'll be sending it in [Bridge: Celtic-rock male lead, mooring line, the mooring rope slaps the pier with a crack and the bagpipes come roaring in] Then the rope comes off and it cracks on the stone And the gap gets wider and I'm on my own Got the ticket in my pocket with the half to come back And I tear it down the middle with a lovely crack Throw it to the gulls and the whole quay roars Aye, the island's in my chest and I'm heading for the shore [Final Hook: Celtic-rock male lead, full band with bagpipes, Maeve and the quay shouting along, loudest anthem hook] Go on, the whole quay's calling out to me Go on, lad, there's a whole world out at sea Hold your head up high as the harbor slips away Go on, go on, and you carry us all the way [End]
