Island Of Souls

Oom dey ey, oom dey ey, oom dey ey
Oom dey ey, oom dey ey, oom dey ey.

Gideon was born within sight of the shipyard
This son of a riveter's son
Gideon was raised as the ship grew a shadow
Her great hull would blot out the light of the sun.

Oom dey ey, oom dey ey, oom dey ey
Oom dey ey, oom dey ey, oom dey ey.

Trapped in the cage of the skeleton ship
All the workmen suspended like flies.

Caught in the flare of acetylene light
A son and his father as an industry dies.

What else is there for a shipbuilder's son? (Ooh)
A new ship to complete, new work to be done... (Ooh)

One day he dreamed of a ship in the world,
That would carry his father and he
To a place they would never be found
To a place far away from this town.

And year after year a new bottle was broken
That launched a great ship out to sea
He'd stand with his girl near the bend in the river
And the town that he desperately wanted to flee.

Another ship ready to launch
It's a beautiful thing
Let's hope it, Meg. We can get out before it's too late
Gideon, we can't leave Wallsend. We can't just get on a boat and go –
But we can. All it takes is the doing of it. And you. And me...

Will ye come with me Meg to the bend in the river
On a ship that will carry us over the sea?
We'll canvas the stars and we'll harness the moonlight.

We'll rope the south wind to the clouds, you and me
Then we'll cut loose the moorings
The winds they shall turn
And we'll always look fo'wards and never astern
We'll be stowaways
Pirates!

Whole fleets we shall burn
And I'll/you'll find us a berth
At the end of the earth.

I promise
You promise
I promise
We'll never return.

And then what they call an industrial accident
Left old Joe Fletcher half dead
They brought Gideon's father back home in an ambulance
A brass watch, a cheque, and an invalid's bed.

What else was there for a shipbuilder's son, (Ooh)
A new ship to be built, new work to be done... (Ooh)

For this is our work in the welding of steel
And the bending of plates in the shape of a keel
In our hands are the tools that we'll leave to our sons
The traditions and skills that we hope to pass on
Til we sail,
Til we sail to the island of souls.

Here, you'll be needing these
Apprentice positions are hard to come by
You'll be taking it
No – I don't think so
Your place is here, in the yards
But that's your place, not mine.

Then tell me, how are we going to live?
Someone has to put food on the table.
I just know I can't stay here
I can't end up like…
Like me? Like my father and his father?
That's what you mean
Yes.

Hell with you then, Gideon Fletcher
If that's all my life means to you, then get the fuck out of my sight
No, Dad –

That night he dreamed of a ship in the world
That would carry his soul to the sea
To a place he could never be found
To a place far away from this town
This Newcastle ship without coals
He would sail to the island of souls.

...He's going to make me go into the yards
Running away from him won't help
And staying here? Will that help?
His life may be over, but mine's not.

He needs you here, Gideon
He needs nothing from me
It's now or never, Meg
Come with me – please, I'm begging you
Gideon… I can't go
And I can't stay... I'll be back for ye, I promise
You say that now.

I'll find us a berth
At the end of the earth
I promise
You promise
I promise.

This dream, this dream of a ship in the world
That would carry his soul to the sea
To a place he could never be found
To a place far away from this town
A Newcastle ship without coals
He would sail, he would sail
He would sail, he would sail
He would sail to the island of souls.