Saturday Song: "When the Ship Comes In"
Every Saturday for the next few weeks, I’ll be posting a favorite song. Video below.
This week’s is about the Day of Judgment:
“When the Ship Comes In,” by Bob Dylan.
(Be sure to watch to the end, when an unexpected visitor lets herself into my fancy recording studio. Apparently, she needed to tell me “sumpin.”)
I’m sure I’d heard this song before, but it was actually Tom Wright—of all people—who recently turned me onto it when he played a version of it on his podcast. (I’ve included the link to his version below as well.)
I particularly love the ending:
And they'll raise their hands sayin'
"We'll meet all your demands"
But we'll shout from the bow "Your days are numbered!"
And like Pharaoh's tribe they'll be drownded in the tide
And like Goliath they'll be conquered!
When the Ship Comes In
—Bob Dylan
Oh the time will come up when the wind will stop
And the breeze will cease to be breathin'
Like the stillness in the wind 'fore the hurricane begins
The hour that the ship comes in
Oh the seas will split and the ship will hit
And the sand on the shoreline will be shakin'
And the tide will sound and the waves will pound
And the mornin' will be breakin'!
Oh the fishes will laugh as they swim out of the path
And the seagulls, they'll be smilin'
And the rocks on the sand will proudly stand
The hour that the ship comes in
And the words that are used for to get the ship confused
Will not be understood as they're spoken'
For the chains of the sea will have busted in the night
And be buried on the bottom of the ocean
Oh a song will lift as the mainsail shifts
And the boat drifts onto the shoreline
And the sun will respect every face on the deck
The hour that the ship comes in
And the sands will roll out a carpet of gold
For your weary toes to be a touchin'
And the ship's wise men will remind you once again
That the whole wide world is watchin'!
Of the foes will rise with the sleep still in their eyes
And they'll jerk from their beds and think they're dreamin'
But they'll pinch themselves and squeal
And they'll know that it's for real
The hour that the ship comes in
And they'll raise their hands sayin'
"We'll meet all your demands"
But we'll shout from the bow "Your days are numbered!"
And like Pharaoh's tribe they'll be drownded in the tide
And like Goliath they'll be conquered!
