Sometime in October
we sailed from England's shore
When we sailed into a raging storm
like I never ever seen before
And all of the crew they were brave men

but the captain he was braver
and he said
"Never mind the ship me boys
There's none of us here can save her"

Let her go down Swim for your lives
Swim for your children swim for your wives
Let her go down Let her go down

Lost in the open ocean
there was some of the crew and me
while the captain steered our wounded ship
to the bottom of an angry sea
And with his dying breath
we all heard him say
"It's just the fortune of sailor"
and he said
"Never mind the ship me boys
There's none of us here can save her"

chorus

He wondered if his shipmates
were ready to just pray and give in
so he called their names out one by one
but there was no one else around but him
He saw the ship go down the fading light
and he knew that they could have saved her
He said
"The captain lied when the captain cried
'There's none of us here can save her' "

chorus

Swim for your lives
Swim for your children swim for your wives
Let her go down Let her go down
Swim for your lives