Christmas At Sea

All day we fought the tides
Between the North Head and the South
All day we hauled the frozen sheets
To 'scape the storm's wet mouth
All day as cold as charity
In bitter pain and dread
For very life and nature
We tacked from head to head

Thograinn Thograinn
Thograinn thograinn bhith dol dhachaidh
E ho ro e ho ro
Gu Sgoirebreac a chruidh chaisfhinn
E ho hi ri ill iu o
Ill iu o thograinn falbh
Gu Sgoirebreac a' chruidh chais-fhionn
E ho ro e ho ro
Ceud soraidh bhuam mar bu dual dhomh

We gave the South a wider berth
For there the tide-race roared
But every tack we made we brought
The North Head close aboard
We saw the cliffs and houses
And the breakers running high
And the coastguard in his garden
His glass against his eye

E ho ro e ho ro
Gu Sgoirebreac a chruidh chaisfhinn
E ho hi ri ill iu o
Ill iu o thograinn falbh

The frost was on the village roofs
As white as ocean foam
The good red fires were burning bright
In every 'longshore home
The windows sparkled clear
And the chimneys volleyed out
And I vow we sniffed the victuals
As the vessel went about

Gu Sgoirebreac a chruidh chaisfhinn
E ho hi ri ill iu o
Ill iu o thograinn falbh
Gu Sgoirebreac a' chruidh chais-fhionn
E ho ro e ho ro
Ceud soraidh bhuam mar bu dual dhomh

The bells upon the church were rung
With a mighty jovial cheer
For it's just that I should tell you how
Of all days in the year
This day of our adversity
Was blessed Christmas morn
And the house above the coastguard's
Was the house where I was born

Gu Sgoirebreac a chruidh chaisfhinn
E ho hi ri ill iu o
Ill iu o thograinn falbh
Gu Sgoirebreac a' chruidh chais-fhionn
E ho ro e ho ro
Ceud soraidh bhuam mar bu dual dhomh

And well I knew the talk they had
The talk that was of me
Of the shadow on the household
And the son that went to sea
And, oh, the wicked fool I seemed
In every kind of way
To be here and hauling frozen ropes
On blessed Christmas Day

Gu Sgoirebreac a chruidh chaisfhinn
E ho hi ri ill iu o
Ill iu o thograinn falbh
Gu Sgoirebreac a' chruidh chais-fhionn
E ho ro e ho ro
Ceud soraidh bhuam mar bu dual dhomh