Island Of Souls

Billy was born within sight of the shipyard First son of a riveter`s son And Billy was raised as the ship grew a shadow Her great hull would blot out the light of the sun And six days a week he would watch his poor father A working man live like a slave He`d drink every night and he`d dream of a future Of money he never would save And Billy would cry when he thought of the future Soon came a day when the bottle was broken They launched a great ship out to sea He felt he`d been left on a desolate shore To a future he desperately wanted to flee What else was there for a riveter`s son A new ship to be built, new work to be done One day he dreamed of the ship in the world It would carry his father and he To a place they would never be found To a place far away from this town. Trapped in the cage of the skeleton ship All the workmen suspended like flies Caught in the flare of acetylene light A working man works till the industry dies And Billy would cry when he thought of the future Then what they call an industrial accident Crushed those it couldn`t forgive They brought Billy`s father back home in an ambulance A brass watch, a cheque, maybe three weeks to live, And what else was there for a riveter`s son A new ship to be built, new work to be done That night, he dreamed of the ship in the world It would carry his father and he To a place they could never be found To a place far away from this town, A Newcastle ship without coals They would sail to the island of souls.