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Text
Sea Fever
English source:
John Masefield
I must go down to the seas again, to the lonely sea and the sky,
And all I ask is a tall ship and a star to steer her by,
And the wheel's kick and the wind's song and the white sail's shaking,
And a grey mist on the sea's face and a grey dawn breaking.
I must go down to the seas again, for the call of the running tide
Is a wild call and a clear call that may not be denied;
And all I ask is a windy day with the white clouds flying,
And the flung spray and the blown spume and the seagulls crying.
I must go down to the seas again, to the vagrant gypsy life,
To the gull's way and the whale's way where the wind's like a whetted knife;
And all I ask is a merry tale from a laughing fellow-rover,
And quiet sleep and a sweet dream when the long trick's over.
And all I ask is a tall ship and a star to steer her by,
And the wheel's kick and the wind's song and the white sail's shaking,
And a grey mist on the sea's face and a grey dawn breaking.
I must go down to the seas again, for the call of the running tide
Is a wild call and a clear call that may not be denied;
And all I ask is a windy day with the white clouds flying,
And the flung spray and the blown spume and the seagulls crying.
I must go down to the seas again, to the vagrant gypsy life,
To the gull's way and the whale's way where the wind's like a whetted knife;
And all I ask is a merry tale from a laughing fellow-rover,
And quiet sleep and a sweet dream when the long trick's over.
Composer
John Ireland
John Nicholson Ireland was an English composer and teacher of music. The majority of his output consists of piano miniatures and of songs with piano. Read more here.
Poet
Performances
Previously performed at:
- Young Artist Auditions (Session 3) 19 Apr 2024
- The Glass Eye 26 Oct 2023
- Brindley Sherratt & Julius Drake: Schubert, Brahms and English Song 20 Mar 2022
- Bring and Sing 14 Oct 2017