A most haunting account - ‘fulllmoon2000’ (above) nailed it very well with some help from ‘ASaltyDog’. Please indulge this interpretation:
Synopsis: The after death impressions of a sailor during his very emotional and
uncertain voyage to the ‘Eternal Shore’.
'All hands on deck, we've run afloat!'
I heard the captain cry.
The ship is afloat again after the fatal shipwreck — however, now in the astral plane.
Afloat: Of a vessel which is floating freely (not aground or sunk).
'Explore the ship, replace the cook.
Let no one leave alive!'
Search the ship for anyone (who may be doing routine chores) pretending to themselves that
they are still alive — they must face fact. No one can proceed under such delusion.
Across the straits, around the horn:
How far can sailors fly?
A twisted path, our tortured course,
And no one left alive.
A very distant and difficult voyage preceded the fatal shipwreck.
How could they possibly return home?
We sailed for parts unknown to man,
Where ships come home to die
No lofty peak, nor fortress bold,
Could match our captain's eye.
Now sailing in an astral purgatory, they trust the captain’s perseverance amidst
mirages and illusions in finding the Eternal Shore.
Upon the seventh seasick day
We made our port of call.
A sand so white, and sea so blue,
No mortal place at all.
Having, in much angst, purged their ‘sins’ (hates, fears, hurts, longings, etc.)
from all six planes of form, they reached their destination on the seventh.
No mortal place indeed!
We fired the gun, and burnt the mast,
And rowed from ship to shore
The captain cried, we sailors wept:
Our tears were tears of joy.
Thoroughly exhausted, empty, and profoundly grateful, they are Home.
Now many moons and many Junes
have passed since we made land.
The earthly life is hardly remembered now.
A salty dog, this seaman's log:
Your witness my own hand.
@dmtilley Great additions to the convo. Harem lyrics are so cool and fuzzy so one never knows what's up or down. But there are so may clues that this crew was--and continues to be--very dead. So it's almost a reverse time warp and a redo of what really occurred. No doubt, this is an ode to sailors past, reverent in tone but asking larger questions about us. And this is not the only song that references the sea in Procul Harem's body of work.
@dmtilley Great additions to the convo. Harem lyrics are so cool and fuzzy so one never knows what's up or down. But there are so may clues that this crew was--and continues to be--very dead. So it's almost a reverse time warp and a redo of what really occurred. No doubt, this is an ode to sailors past, reverent in tone but asking larger questions about us. And this is not the only song that references the sea in Procul Harem's body of work.
I saw Procul Harem in 1967, in Cleveland, OH, at La Cave, a cozy and iconic venue at 105th and Euclid Avenue I think I have that right; Though I wish I knew then what I knew now about the band's extraordinary music. I was too young then
A most haunting account - ‘fulllmoon2000’ (above) nailed it very well with some help from ‘ASaltyDog’. Please indulge this interpretation:
'All hands on deck, we've run afloat!' I heard the captain cry.
'Explore the ship, replace the cook. Let no one leave alive!'
Across the straits, around the horn: How far can sailors fly? A twisted path, our tortured course, And no one left alive.
We sailed for parts unknown to man, Where ships come home to die No lofty peak, nor fortress bold, Could match our captain's eye.
Upon the seventh seasick day We made our port of call. A sand so white, and sea so blue, No mortal place at all.
We fired the gun, and burnt the mast, And rowed from ship to shore The captain cried, we sailors wept: Our tears were tears of joy.
Now many moons and many Junes have passed since we made land.
A salty dog, this seaman's log: Your witness my own hand.
@dmtilley Great additions to the convo. Harem lyrics are so cool and fuzzy so one never knows what's up or down. But there are so may clues that this crew was--and continues to be--very dead. So it's almost a reverse time warp and a redo of what really occurred. No doubt, this is an ode to sailors past, reverent in tone but asking larger questions about us. And this is not the only song that references the sea in Procul Harem's body of work.
@dmtilley Great additions to the convo. Harem lyrics are so cool and fuzzy so one never knows what's up or down. But there are so may clues that this crew was--and continues to be--very dead. So it's almost a reverse time warp and a redo of what really occurred. No doubt, this is an ode to sailors past, reverent in tone but asking larger questions about us. And this is not the only song that references the sea in Procul Harem's body of work.
I saw Procul Harem in 1967, in Cleveland, OH, at La Cave, a cozy and iconic venue at 105th and Euclid Avenue I think I have that right; Though I wish I knew then what I knew now about the band's extraordinary music. I was too young then