Red Sky Suite
Part One: Under Way

Hampton harbor on a winter day like a fallen angel on the Chesapeake Bay The mornin fog rolls in like a ghost enemy
The icy breath of every sailor lost upon the sea
Layin low in the water lookin down from the sky like a sea serpent man made whale Stood the biggest floating warlord ever seen by human eyes
Twenty four stories from the mast to the keel
Now the hobo sailors sleepin in the quay stringin in slowly from the all night cafes Heads full o hammers and bellies full o rum starin mornin in the face
Sayin to hell with kingdom come
(Aweigh, my boys, aweigh. Sail away early in the morning)
There’s lovers and ladies and Granby street whores All huddled together in the warehouse doors Some wavin farewells some cryin tears
(early in the mornin)
Some shakin fists at the ragged passin years
Sail away
My boys aweigh My boys away Early in the morning

Red Sky Suite
Part Two: The Storm

Come on come on now all you boys come on away with me To chase the whale and the mermaid’s tail to sail upon the sea So we turned her east off a’ Carolin’ with sails full unfurled Every lad made haste for soon to taste the treasures of the world The sea began to twist and turn like a child who misbehaves Til the boys below prepared to go to a watery ocean grave and its....
Red sky in the mornin Red sky at night
But the taste of a lady’s ruby red lips is a sailor man’s delight
Now, its heel to starboard heel to port haul the mizzen down
Tie the watchman to the rail or i know he’ll surely drown
Then the wind blew night and the wind blew day and the wind blew out the sun Til every last jack aboard was sure his judgement time had come
The mornin come with java and the evening come with rum
‘Cause the only way thru the endless day is to keep your body numb
and its....
Red sky in the mornin Red sky at night
But the taste of a lady’s ruby red lips is a sailor man’s delight
Now the captain cussed and he spat on the deck but he never blinked an eye When a wave came crashin over the rail and it carried him away
Then the first mate hollered down from the bridge as sure as i know my name This lady might rest on the bottom tonight but she won’t go down in shame With an empty place in the captain’s chair the rum had all been sunk
The only thing we had was a prayer but the chaplain he was drunk
and its...
Red sky in the mornin Red sky at night
But the taste of a lady’s ruby red lips is a sailor man’s delight
When the sea was through there was no crew ‘cept for the mate and me So here’s a drink that you might never be
On the rockin bitch of a stormy sea
On the rockin bitch of a stormy sea

Red Sky Suite
Part Three: The Harbor

Now I’ve been to England Now I’ve been to Spain
But I’ll never sail the sea no more If you send me home again
If you send me home again
‘Cause blessed be the calm sea Blessed be the shore Blessed be the harbor
Where the wind don’t blow no more Where the wind don’t blow no more