‘Board ELISSA I Sailed

 

I was a lad o’ sixteen years

Born and bred in old Aberdeen

I apprenticed in the yards of Alexander Hall

Building ships that sailed for the sea

Building ships that sailed for the sea

 

But I fared none too well with the lassie I loved

Seems the lassie shared no love for me

So I turned to the sails for the love o’ me life

And ‘board ELISSA I sailed for the sea

 

‘Board ELISSA I sailed, ‘board ELISSA I sailed

‘Board ELISSA I sailed for the sea

‘Board ELISSA I sailed, ‘board ELISSA I sailed

‘Board ELISSA I sailed for the sea

 

Such a grand barque she was with her square rig unfurled

And her iron hull hugging the sea

That in each port o’ call every sailor I’d meet

Said he love to trade lassies with me

 

‘Board ELISSA I sailed, ‘board ELISSA I sailed

‘Board ELISSA I sailed for the sea

‘Board ELISSA I sailed, ‘board ELISSA I sailed

‘Board ELISSA I sailed for the sea

 

“Twas a thunderous night in a North Atlantic gale

Heavy rain, heavy wind, heavy seas

When the to' gallant mast tumbled down with a crash

And delivered me soul to the sea

 

While ELISSA sailed on without me

 

‘Board ELISSA I sailed, ‘board ELISSA I sailed

‘Board ELISSA I sailed for the sea

‘Board ELISSA I sailed, ‘board ELISSA I sailed

‘Board ELISSA I sailed for the sea

 

Now ELISSA she sails upon me

 

‘Board ELISSA I sailed, ‘board ELISSA I sailed

Board ELISSA I sailed for the sea

 

© 1989. Billy Marabella.

NOTES ON THIS SONG
The Galveston Historical Foundation (GHF) owns and operates ELISSA, an 1892 square-rigged merchant sailing ship that is a beautiful specimen from the Age of Sail. This song is a little shanty I made up to celebrate ELISSA. Since it is not historical, I doubt it would receive sanction from GHF. Nonetheless, I can’t help but get a tingle when I hear the crew singing this song in my imagination, as they meander through the ship channel on a day sail to shake ‘er down.