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John Harrison’s Hands Lyrics by Dick Gaughan

Outlaws and Dreamers

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Cold falls the night
Cold rolls the ocean
And colder blows the breath of fate
That sends the roaring gale
The stars give their light
For duty or devotion
But a sailor's heart needs more than prayer
When eye and compass fail
And more than hope to guide his lonely sail
By sea and land John Harrison's hands
Made sure for ever more
That sailors could find longitude
To bring them safe ashore
Your work was long
Your days were driven
You knew that you could build a clock
To marry space and time
But your one great wrong
Was never forgiven -
For to be better than your betters
Was worse than any crime
And their envy was a hill you would not climb
By sea and land John Harrison's hands
Made sure for ever more
That sailors could find longitude
To bring them safe ashore
And the prize of thirty thousand pounds
Was more than just a prize
It was dignity and justice
Over bitterness and lies -
And the longer they denied you
Attacked you and decried you
The more you saw the weakness in their eyes
How many lives
How many talents
Were tainted by the poisoned well
Of power from which they drank?
But the wind that drives
The bold topgallants
Was harnessed by a man with
Neither privilege nor rank
And the sailor lads, they knew, and gave their thanks
Credits
Dick Gaughan

Dick Gaughan

About “John Harrison’s Hands” by Dick Gaughan

Read the complete lyrics to "John Harrison’s Hands" by Dick Gaughan from the album "Outlaws and Dreamers". On Lyrks you can follow along with the full text, explore the artist's discography, and discover related songs. The track is often categorized under Pop.

"John Harrison’s Hands" is performed by Dick Gaughan. from the album "Outlaws and Dreamers" This page provides the full lyric text for fans who want to sing along, study the songwriting, or compare versions across releases. Lyrks organizes lyrics by artist and song slug so you can bookmark and share a stable URL. Music lyrics help listeners connect with emotion, narrative, and rhythm in a track. Whether you are learning English, researching a favorite chorus, or preparing for karaoke, having accurate line breaks and section labels (verse, chorus, bridge) makes the experience easier. We link to the official artist profile on Lyrks where available, including biography snippets, top songs, and chart placements when we have that data. If you enjoy "John Harrison’s Hands", explore more songs by Dick Gaughan using the links below. Chart and trending pages on Lyrks highlight what listeners are searching for this week. For copyright or correction requests, see our DMCA and contact pages.

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Frequently asked questions

"John Harrison’s Hands" is credited to Dick Gaughan. Songwriting credits may include additional writers listed on the release; check the credits section on this page for linked collaborators.

"John Harrison’s Hands" appears on "Outlaws and Dreamers".

Visit the Dick Gaughan artist page at /artist/dick-gaughan for biography, popular tracks, and links to more lyric pages.