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Flying Dutchman - Lyrics by Jethro Tull


Lyrics
Old lady with a barrow; life near ending

Standing by the harbour wall; warm wishes sending
children on the cold sea swell ---
not fishers of men ---
gone to chase away the last herring:
come empty home again.

So come all you lovers of the good life
on your supermarket run ---

Set a sail of your own devising
and be there when the Dutchman comes.

Wee girl in a straw hat: from far east warring

Sad cargo of an old ship: young bodies whoring

Slow ocean hobo --- ports closed to her crew

No hope of immigration --- keep on passing through.

So come all you lovers of the good life
your children playing in the sun ---
set a sympathetic flag a-flying
and be there when the Dutchman comes.

Death grinning like a scarecrow --- Flying Dutchman

Seagull pilots flown from nowhere --- try and touch one
as she slips in on the full tide
and the harbour-master yells

All hands vanished with the captain ---
no one left, the tale to tell.


So come all you lovers of the good life

Look around you, can you see?

Staring ghostly in the mirror ---
it's the Dutchman you will be..floating slowly out to sea
in a misty misery.

Book: Shattered Sighs