Lyrks
Lyrks
Cover Art

Barge Ballad Lyrics by The Longest Johns

Written in Salt

2016

[Verse 1]
Once there was a barge lad
Way up atop the mast
Shouting to the skipper
"We've made it home at last"
Well, I was that barge lad
Way up atop the mast
Now I'm the skipper and that young nipper
Had better be holding fast

[Chorus]
Oh we're loaded down, with bales so high
You've got to lean backwards
If you want to see the sky
Oh, the Thames may forgive us
But the Alde never will
So eyes front and away we sail

[Verse 2]
Oh, you've got to be able
Way up atop the mast
Your legs better be nimble
And your head better think fast
Well, I was that able
Way up atop the mast
Now I'm the skipper and that young nipper
Is hearty enough to last

[Chorus]
Oh we're loaded down, with bales so high
You've got to lean backwards
If you want to see the sky
Oh, the Thames may forgive us
But the Alde never will
So eyes front, keep your head, and away we sail

[Verse 3]
Oh, you've eyes like an eagle
Way up atop the mast
Spotting all the obstacles
That come across your path
Well, I was that eagle
Way up atop the mast
But now I'm the skipper and that young nipper
Will keep us from taking a bath

[Chorus]
Oh we're loaded down, with bales so high
You've got to lean backwards
If you want to see the sky
Oh, the Thames may forgive us
But the Alde never will
So eyes front, keep your head, clear your throat, and away we sail

[Verse 4]
Oh, you've got to remember
Way up atop the mast
Knowing all the river routes
That you never learn from the charts
Well, I do remember
Way up atop the mast
But now I'm the skipper and that young nipper
Is taking the rivers to heart

[Chorus]
Oh we're loaded down, with bales so high
You've got to lean backwards
If you want to see the sky
Oh, the Thames may forgive us
But the Alde never will
So eyes front, keep your head, clear your throat, know your way, fill your pipe, grab on tight, look for the lights and away we sail

About “Barge Ballad” by The Longest Johns

Read the complete lyrics to "Barge Ballad" by The Longest Johns from the album "Written in Salt" in 2016. 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, Folk, A Cappella.

"Barge Ballad" is performed by The Longest Johns. from the album "Written in Salt" in 2016 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 "Barge Ballad", explore more songs by The Longest Johns 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.

View all songs and biography for The Longest Johns · Trending lyrics · Billboard Hot 100

Frequently asked questions

"Barge Ballad" is credited to The Longest Johns. Songwriting credits may include additional writers listed on the release; check the credits section on this page for linked collaborators.

"Barge Ballad" appears on "Written in Salt" in 2016.

Visit the The Longest Johns artist page at /artist/the-longest-johns for biography, popular tracks, and links to more lyric pages.


Lyrks
Lyrks

Your gateway to the world of music lyrics.

Product

Features


© 2026 Lyrks. All rights reserved.