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Away From the Roll of the Sea

A song by Allister MacGillivray

LYRICS

Small craft in a harbour that’s still and serene,
Give no indication what their ways have been;
They rock at their moorings all nestled in dreams,
Away from the roll of the sea.

Their stern lines are groaning a lullaby air,
A ghost in the cuddy, a gull on the spar;
But never they whisper of journeys afar,
Away from the roll of the sea.

Oh, had they the tongues for to speak,
What tales of adventure they’d weave;
But now they are anchored to sleep,
And slumber alee.

Come fair winds to wake them tomorrow, we pray,
Come harvest a-plenty to them ev’ry day;
Till guided by harbour lights they’re home to stay,
Away from the roll of the sea. 

Oh had they the tongues for to speak
What tales of adventure they’d weave
But now they are anchored to sleep
Aleeeee

Come fair winds to wake them tomorrow we pray
Come harvest aplenty to them every day
Till guided by harbour lights they’re home to stay
Away from the roll of the sea

Away from the roll of the sea.

Here’s a version sung by The Apollo Club

And here is a lovely version by the lovely members of Vox Grata from Nashville Tennessee.

And another versoion from Cypress Choral Music

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The choir is a registered charity

The Ku-ring-gai Male Choir acknowledges Australia’s First Nations Peoples – the First Australians – as the Traditional Owners and Custodians of this land and gives respect to the Elders – past, present and emerging – and through them to all Australian Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people.