[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 brass 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 skills that we hope to pass 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 fuck 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. You've gotta come with me. Come on– please, I’m begging you
[YOUNG MEG]
Gideon… I can’t go
[YOUNG GIDEON]
And I can’t stay... I’ll be back for you, 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
