Songs of the Sea: The Storms are on the Ocean

Here’s another one for my Songs of the Sea series. It was filmed at the HoustonFest last year (2015), with the Church Sisters. It’s a good one for today. It’s been storming all night and most of the day. I just got back from a short delivery job and it was stormy pretty much the whole voyage.

It’s an old bluegrass song. I like bluegrass a lot. My dad used to rent an apartment to a couple (hi Roberta and Eddie), who played around town in a bluegrass band. I used to love hanging out with them, trying to learn how to play guitar and singing along. I really do miss my music. Just somehow never have time to play anymore. 🙁

“The Storms Are On The Ocean”
 

I’m going away to leave you, love
I’m going away for a while
But I’ll return to you some time
If I go 10,000 miles

The storms are on the ocean
The heavens may cease to be
This world may lose its motion, love
If I prove false to thee

Oh, who will dress your pretty little feet
Oh, who will glove your hand
Who will kiss your rosy red cheeks
When I’m in the far off land

The storms are on the ocean
The heavens may cease to be
This world may lose its motion, love
If I prove false to thee

[Instrumental break]

Oh, papa will dress my pretty little feet
And mama will glove my hand
You can kiss my rosy red cheeks
When you return again

The storms are on the ocean
The heavens may cease to be
This world may lose its motion, love
If I prove false to thee

[Instrumental break]

Oh, have you seen those lonesome doves
Flying from pine to pine
A-mourning for their own true loves
Just like I mourn for mine

The storms are on the ocean
The heavens may cease to be
This world may lose its motion, love
If I prove false to thee

[Instrumental break]

I’ll never go back on the ocean, love
I’ll never go back on the sea
I’ll never go back on the blue-eyed girl
Till she goes back on me

[Chorus]

Songs of the Sea: The Wreck of the Edmund Fitzgerald

This is a classic song from the maritime industry. Gordon Lightfoot wrote and performed it and it was a big hit back in the 60’s. It’s about the sinking of the ‘Laker’ SS Edmund Fitzgerald in a winter storm almost 40 years ago (November 1975).

She was the pride of the Lakes fleet and it was such a tragedy when she went down. Lost with all hands aboard. It almost makes me cry sometimes when I pay attention to what he’s saying. We can never forget the power of the sea.

This is a sad song, but it’s also a good one. What do you think?