Lyrics
The sea was rough and the wind grew wild
The sea is turbulent, and the wind becomes intense
A father he said to his only child
A father addresses his only child
Through-fare my boy you go down below
He instructs the child to go below deck
Through-fare my boy we are sailing now
Reiterating the sailing journey has begun
Fare, fare is the ocean it knows your fear
The vast ocean is intimidating, aware of the child's fear
Father by your right hand I'll steer
The father reassures, guiding with his right hand
And merrily over the green waves we'll ride
Describes a joyful journey over the waves
We will ride together my father and I
Emphasizes the shared experience of father and child
We will ride together
Repetition of the intent to ride together
My father and I
Reiteration of the shared journey
Mother will stand by the shore and pray
The mother prays on the shore as they depart
She'll watch for us dear father at the dawn of day
She anticipates their return at dawn
And when at last her prayers they are done
When her prayers conclude, she expects to see their sails
She'll be first to catch sight of our sails in the morning sun
The first glimpse of the boat in the morning sun
Up cried the father brief and stern
The father asserts confidently about their return
Tomorrow she'll see our boat return
Expectation that the mother will witness the boat's return
And merrily over the green waves we'll ride
Repeats the joyful imagery of riding over waves together
We will ride together my father and i
Emphasizes the collective journey of father and child
We will ride together
Reiteration of the shared experience
My father and I
Watching and waiting but never more
Expresses the waiting but the sailors won't return
Will those gallant sailors return to shore
The sailors will not come back to the shore
For the knotted black handkerchief lies on the sand
A black handkerchief left on the sand symbolizing farewell
It was tied there by his parting hand
The handkerchief was tied by the departing sailor
And all that of that sailor remains
All that remains of the sailor is the unused compass
Is the compass they never will use again
Symbolizes the sailor's tools left behind
For now that we know on the Jasper sea
Refers to the Jasper sea, where father and child will 'fly' together
He will fly together his father and he
Anticipates the joint journey of the father and child
They will fly together his father and he
Reiterates the anticipation of flying together
For now that we know...
Repeats the idea of knowing about the Jasper sea
Learned from the singing of Jumbo Brightwell
Credits the source of the song as Jumbo Brightwell
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