Jimmy Callow: “The Sailor Who Watched the Shore”

[Chorus]
He sailed with wine and salt and flame
With Vesuvius calling out his name
Spied from decks where dangers swirled
And helped push back a broken world
From port to port, through storm and war
The sailor who watched the Nazi shore

[Verse 2]
Algiers, Bône, and Oran's bay
He mapped the coast by break of day
In Tunisia’s harbors — Sfax and La Goulette
He dodged the mines and threats unmet
In Sicily's north, through Messina's gate
He charted twelve — no room for fate

[Verse 3]
Twelve more ports on Italy’s west
Salerno, Naples — at the Allies’ behest
And eastward where the Adriatic roared
He slipped past death to stock the hoard
With food and gear and hopeful tunes
They fed the front by star and moon

[Bridge – “The Saltwater Wine Verse”]
Now on San Giovanni, tales were born
Of salty wine at break of morn
The fishermen, so sly and proud
Topped off the drink beneath a cloud
And those who drank said, “This tastes fine!”
And toasted war with briny wine

[Verse 4]
He watched the coast from fishing lines
Disguised beneath the nets and brines
Counting bunkers, guns, and wire
Reporting back through wind and fire
Strong gusts could sweep them off their course
Straight into the enemy’s force

[Verse 5]
He met his brother, Harry, too
In ‘43, in harbor view
In North Africa, the sands ran red
But hope still burned, though men lay dead
They shared a laugh, a tear, a prayer
Two Manx-born lads who’d do their share

[Final Chorus]
He sailed with wine and salt and flame
With Vesuvius calling out his name
A brother’s bond, a soldier’s vow
A sailor’s soul who serves even now
The Isle still sings his name with pride
For Jimmy Callow — sea and tide

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[Verse 1] From Douglas town with heart so wide He crossed the war-torn ocean tide Enlisted in the motor boats With sailors' hands and soldier’s notes In ‘40’s march, he heard the call And sailed where bombs and courage fall [Chorus] He sailed with wine and salt and flame With Vesuvius calling out his name Spied from decks where dangers swirled And helped push back a broken world From port to port, through storm and war The sailor who watched the Nazi shore [Verse 2] Algiers, Bône, and Oran's bay He mapped the coast by break of day In Tunisia’s harbors — Sfax and La Goulette He dodged the mines and threats unmet In Sicily's north, through Messina's gate He charted twelve — no room for fate [Verse 3] Twelve more ports on Italy’s west Salerno, Naples — at the Allies’ behest And eastward where the Adriatic roared He slipped past death to stock the hoard With food and gear and hopeful tunes They fed the front by star and moon [Chorus] He sailed with wine and salt and flame With Vesuvius calling out his name Spied from decks where dangers swirled And helped push back a broken world From port to port, through storm and war The sailor who watched the Nazi shore [Bridge – “The Saltwater Wine Verse”] Now on San Giovanni, tales were born Of salty wine at break of morn The fishermen, so sly and proud Topped off the drink beneath a cloud And those who drank said, “This tastes fine!” And toasted war with briny wine [Verse 4] He watched the coast from fishing lines Disguised beneath the nets and brines Counting bunkers, guns, and wire Reporting back through wind and fire Strong gusts could sweep them off their course Straight into the enemy’s force [Verse 5] He met his brother, Harry, too In ‘43, in harbor view In North Africa, the sands ran red But hope still burned, though men lay dead They shared a laugh, a tear, a prayer Two Manx-born lads who’d do their share [Final Chorus] He sailed with wine and salt and flame With Vesuvius calling out his name A brother’s bond, a soldier’s vow A sailor’s soul who serves even now The Isle still sings his name with pride For Jimmy Callow — sea and tide

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