The Unthanks - A Great Northern River lyrics

the big ships sail up, the big ships sail down a great northern river funnels of red, funnels of black banded with yellow and silver bringing in cargos of oil and wood taking home girders of steel and pig iron oh, coloured faces, flags from all places high from the sternposts are flying down on the docks, down on the wharves lofty cranes standing stevedores working and rivermen shouting crews making ready for London ropes black and tarry chains rusty and red lay among timber and bollards and packing seagulls wheel over wild river cats down on the jetties are watching nights by the docks, packed smoky pubs plenty of shouting and swearing heavy brown ale, thick muddy stout, and nobody's caring a la** starts to warble a popular song they're throwing her pennies and pieces of silver closing time called, silence then falls on a great northern river