Home of the Whale
Whispers of the Deep: A Sailor's Love Saga
Lyrics
Oh my love, he works upon the sea
The speaker's love works at sea.
On the waves that blow wild and free
Describes the sea as having wild and free waves.
He splices the ropes and he sets the sail
The lover is involved in nautical work, splicing ropes and setting sails.
While southwards he roams to the home of the whale
He travels southward to the home of the whale.
And he never thinks of me far behind
The lover doesn't think about the speaker left behind.
Or the torments that rage in my mind
There are torments and concerns in the speaker's mind.
He is mine for only part of the year
The lover is only with the speaker part of the year.
Then I'm left all alone with only my tears
After that period, the speaker is left alone, expressing sorrow through tears.
All ye ladies that smell of white rose
Addressing ladies with the scent of white rose, thanking them for their perfume.
Thank ye for your perfume to wear on my gold
The speaker appreciates the fragrance to wear on gold, possibly metaphorical for something valuable.
Thank ye all the wives and the babies that yearn
Thanks to wives and babies yearning for their men who are away, possibly hunting sperm whales.
For the man never returns from hunting the sperm
Expresses that the man never returns from hunting sperm whales.
Oh my love, he works upon the sea
Repetition of the lover working at sea.
On the waves that blow wild and free
Reiteration of the sea's wild and free waves.
He splices the ropes and he sets the sail
Repetition of nautical work and setting sail.
While southwards he roams to the home of the whale
Repetition of the lover traveling southward to the home of the whale.
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