Lyrics
North of Gabo, the ocean keeps her truths Calm night, clear sky, and men thought themselves safe But a ship without one mind at the helm Is a soul without a spine Listen close
The moon rode high on a gentle tide The night lay calm and wide No thunder rolled, no tempests cried Just stillness on the side And the Ly-ee-Moon steamed proud that night Oh-ho, her engine's beating tune But danger walks on silent feet Off Green Cape, near the Moon
Oh the Cape light shone, clear and true Bright beam across the foam Ay-ya, men saw the light, but steered askew And never made it home Mmm-mmm, deep waters claim their due And steel must yield too soon For a ship that follows two commands Will break like Ly-ee-Moon
The captain lingered near the wheel But watch was not his own Two voices held the course to seal Their fate on hidden stone No chart laid open in the house No course called firm and sure Just quarter-point and human pride Death needs nothing more
Oh the Cape light shone, steady burn And stars sang overhead But when command is split, men learn The sea remembers the dead Ay-ya, that calm and silver night Turned black before the moon For a ship that trusts in pride alone Will sink like Ly-ee-Moon
One helm One will Not two or none A vessel's life depends on that Hear it well And live
Mothers crying in the dark A bride clung to her man The sea rose cold, without a spark Of mercy in her plan The lighthouse keepers ran with ropes God bless their iron hearts They saved what souls the sea spat back And the rest, the deep departs
Oh the Cape light shone, brave and bright The keeper trimmed it true Ay-ya, but light means naught at night When duty splits in two Mark this, sailors, mark it bold Where steel meets granite dune A man who sails by half a will Will fall like Ly-ee-Moon
Oh-ho, Ly-ee-Moon, sleep in the salt and sand Mmm-mmm, Gabo to Howe stands guard and knows For calm seas kill the careless hand And pride Is the reef no charts disclose