Lyrics
This is the legend of eight sisters, Herald was the famous one
This introduces the legend of eight sisters, with Herald being the most famous among them.
It happened twenty years ago although the sea was calm
Refers to an incident that occurred two decades ago, despite the sea appearing calm.
It was 1987 and winter nearly gone
Specifies the year 1987, almost the end of winter.
On that Friday running late with rolling off and rolling on
Describes a Friday when the ship, running late, had activities of loading and unloading.
Trucks and cars were sleeping door by door and side by side
Portrays a scene of trucks and cars parked closely, awaiting transport.
Someone had to close the back door
Indicates the need to close the back door.
That day it must have slipped his mind
Suggests that closing the door might have been forgotten that day.
He was fast asleep in his cabin, tired from cleaning out the hall
The person responsible for closing the door was asleep in his cabin after cleaning.
While passengers were eating, indulging duty-free-for-all
While passengers were enjoying duty-free shopping, unaware of the impending disaster.
Herald of Free Enterprise
Repeatedly emphasizes the ship's name, "Herald of Free Enterprise."
Herald of Free Enterprise
-Herald of Free Enterprise
-In just ninety seconds, right down to the wire
Highlights the swift disaster, occurring in just ninety seconds.
Sailing with the doors wide open so the waves kept pouring in
Describes the ship sailing with open doors, leading to a catastrophic event near a Belgian port.
As they passed the Outer Mole the disaster could begin
-An a hundred yards from the shore right outside a Belgian port
-The lights went out the ship turned around and fell to starboard
-Then nothing but silence, silence and the cold
-Herald and her sisters just never fit the mold
Suggests that Herald and her sisters were unconventional and did not conform.
Two months later she was refloated a final one-way trip exchange
After two months, the ship was refloated for a final one-way trip and renamed "Flushing Range."
Pensioned off into the Third World
The ship was retired to the Third World.
Where they named her Flushing Range
Names the ship and suggests it may have broken apart due to guilt.
And in '88 she broke in two, probably because of guilt
Implies that other ships, Pride and Spirit, changed names but were destined for doom from the start.
Pride and Spirit changed their names
Empty line.
They were all doomed since they were built
Conveys the inevitable fate of the ships from their construction.
This is the legend of eight sisters, Herald was the famous one
Reiterates the legend, mentioning the year, and the perspective of a boy witnessing the tragic end on TV.
It happened twenty years ago although the sea was calm
-I was just a boy then, holding daddy's hand
-Watching on TV how Herald's time came to an end
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