CAPTAIN JACK AND THE MERMAID - Lyrics & Music by Meg Davis
From the album Captain Jack and the Mermaid - Meg Davis

Captain Jack was a young man when he went to sea.
All the young ladies go and kiss him goodbye.
He was barely a child of twenty and three.
Oh, tell him young ladies, go and tell him for me,
He can marry the mermaid that lives in the sea.

Well, she loved Captain Jack and his bride she would be.
All the young ladies go and kiss him goodbye.
They were soon to be wedded her Jackie and she.
Oh, tell him young ladies, go and tell him for me,
He can marry the mermaid that lives in the sea.

But his ship, it had need of a Captain one day.
All the young ladies go and kiss him goodbye.
He took charge of the rigging and soon sailed away.
Oh, tell him young ladies, go and tell him for me,
He can marry the mermaid that lives in the sea.

When three years had passed and his ship had returned.
All the young ladies go and kiss him goodbye.
She went down to the sea for the man she had earned.
Oh, tell him young ladies, go and tell him for me,
He can marry the mermaid that lives in the sea.

But her Jack was not there when she went to see.
All the young ladies go and kiss him goodbye.
And this was the tale his crew told to her.
Oh, tell him young ladies, go and tell him for me,
He can marry the mermaid that lives in the sea.

PART II

It was almost eight bells and Jack has the watch.
He was finning and scaling the fish he had caught.
When out of the sea there arose such a tune
As he had not heard by the light of the moon.
He looked out on the waters and what saw he there,
But a beautiful maiden with gold in her hair.
She had gowns made of seaweed and a crown on her head.
As he stared at the mermaid she quietly said:

"I have followed your ship now for many a mile.
On days the sea laughed with your smile.
And I'll give you my kingdom, eternally
If you'll marry this mermaid that lives in the sea."

Well Jack was in love with the beautiful girl
And he jumped over the side to the watery swirl.
She then took his arm and she led him away
And we searched all those waters till dawn the next day.
We tolled the bell loud, we tolled the bell long
And the looks on our faces was saddened and drawn,
When out of the sea, Jack, he rose like a King
And this is the message he begged us to bring:

"I have love of a lady who lives on the land
But my life with the mermaid is ever so grand.
Would you go to my lady and ask her for me,
May I marry this mermaid that lives in the sea?"
And that was the story she heard from the crew.
Her tears, there were many, her choices were few.
She went down to the sea, the ships bell to ring
And this is the song that she heard them sing:

PART III

Captain Jack was a young man when he went to sea.
All the young ladies go and kiss him goodbye.
He was barely a child of twenty and three.
Oh, tell him young ladies, go and tell him for me,
He can marry the mermaid that lives in the sea.

The true story behind this particular song is that it was written in order for me to deal with the death of my older brother. I received the news while at school in England and I was pretty much in shock for several years after that (as I was unable to come home for the funeral). And so, I imagined that this must be what it was like for the ladies whose men went off to sea, never to return.....you'd never see your loved one again and, the odd thing is that, never having seen them buried, actually keeps them very much alive in your memory. Which is a good thing, I think. Captain Jack's sweetheart faces the sorrow that many of us face in our lives.....having to love and then let go. By the way, this song is loads of fun to sing along with so, just because the reasons behind the writing are a bit sad, I certainely expect you all to continue to raise your glasses ( bifocal or wine ) and bellow on regardless. My brother would have wanted it that way !" Meg Davis

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