[ENSEMBLE]
Oom dey ey, oom dey ey, oom dey ey
Oom dey ey, oom dey ey, oom dey ey
[JACKIE WHITE]
Gideon was born within sight of the shipyard
This son of a riveter's son
Gideon was raised as the ship grew a shadow
Her great hull would blot out the light of the sun
[ENSEMBLE]
Oom dey ey, oom dey ey, oom dey ey
Oom dey ey, oom dey ey, oom dey ey
[JACKIE WHITE]
Trapped in the cage of the skeleton ship
All the workmen suspended like flies…
[JACKIE & PEGGY WHITE]
Caught in the flare of acetylene light:
A son and his father as an industry dies
[COMPANY]
What else is there for a shipbuilder's son? (Ooh)
A new ship to complete, new work to be done... (Ooh)
One day he dreamed of a ship in the world
That would carry his father and he
To a place they would never be found
To a place far away from this town
[FATHER O'BRIEN]
And year after year a new bottle was broken
That launched a great ship out to sea
He'd stand with his girl near the bend in the river
And the town that he desperately wanted to flee
[YOUNG GIDEON]
Another ship ready to launch
[YOUNG MEG]
It's a beautiful thing
[YOUNG GIDEON]
Let's hope it, Meg. We can get out before it's too late
[YOUNG MEG]
Gideon, we can't leave Wallsend. We can't just get on a boat and go –
[YOUNG GIDEON]
But we can. All it takes is the doing of it. And you. And me...
Will ye come with me Meg to the bend in the river
On a ship that will carry us over the sea?
We'll canvas the stars and we'll harness the moonlight
[YOUNG MEG]
We'll rope the south wind to the clouds, you and me
[YOUNG GIDEON]
Then we'll cut loose the moorings
[YOUNG GIDEON & YOUNG MEG]
The winds they shall turn
And we'll always look fo'wards and never astern
[YOUNG GIDEON]
We'll be stowaways
[YOUNG MEG]
Pirates!
[YOUNG GIDEON & YOUNG MEG]
Whole fleets we shall burn
And I'll/you'll find us a berth
At the end of the earth
[YOUNG GIDEON]
I promise
[YOUNG MEG]
You promise
[YOUNG GIDEON]
I promise
[YOUNG GIDEON & YOUNG MEG]
We'll never return
[JACKIE WHITE]
And then what they call an industrial accident
Left old Joe Fletcher half dead
[JACKIE & PEGGY WHITE]
They brought Gideon's father back home in an ambulance
A bra** watch, a cheque, and an invalid's bed
[JACKIE, FATHER O'BRIEN, PEGGY, & COMPANY]
What else was there for a shipbuilder's son, (Ooh)
A new ship to be built, new work to be done... (Ooh)
[MEN]
For this is our work in the welding of steel
And the bending of plates in the shape of a keel
In our hands are the tools that we'll leave to our sons
The traditions and sk**s that we hope to pa** on
Til we sail
Til we sail to the island of souls
[JOE FLETCHER]
Here, you'll be needing these. Apprentice positions are hard to come by. You'll be taking it
[YOUNG GIDEON]
No – I don't think so
[JOE FLETCHER]
Your place is here, in the yards
[YOUNG GIDEON]
But that's your place, not mine
[JOE FLETCHER]
Then tell me, how are we going to live? Someone has to put food on the table
[YOUNG GIDEON]
I just know I can't stay here. I can't end up like…
[JOE FLETCHER]
… Like me? Like my father and his father? That's what you mean
[YOUNG GIDEON]
Yes
[JOE FLETCHER]
Hell with you then, Gideon Fletcher. If that's all my life means to you, then get the f** out of my sight
[YOUNG GIDEON]
No, Dad –
[COMPANY]
That night he dreamed of a ship in the world
That would carry his soul to the sea
To a place he could never be found
To a place far away from this town
This Newcastle ship without coals
He would sail to the island of souls
[YOUNG GIDEON]
...He's going to make me go into the yards
[YOUNG MEG]
Running away from him won't help
[YOUNG GIDEON]
And staying here? Will that help? His life may be over, but mine's not
[YOUNG MEG]
He needs you here, Gideon
[YOUNG GIDEON]
He needs nothing from me
It's now or never, Meg. Come with me – please, I'm begging you
[YOUNG MEG]
Gideon… I can't go
[YOUNG GIDEON]
And I can't stay... I'll be back for ye, I promise
[YOUNG MEG]
You say that now
[YOUNG GIDEON]
I'll find us a berth
At the end of the earth
I promise
[YOUNG MEG]
You promise
[YOUNG GIDEON]
I promise
[COMPANY]
This dream, this dream of a ship in the world
That would carry his soul to the sea
To a place he could never be found
To a place far away from this town
A Newcastle ship without coals
He would sail, he would sail
He would sail, he would sail
He would sail to the island of souls