Go to sleep little one
Though you daddy’s far away
He lies asleep in a watery grave
In Seaham Harbour bay my son
In Seaham Harbour bay.
In nineteen sixty-two November gales did blow
And the rain battered down on our houses so small
Yes down on this Earth below my son
Down on the Earth below.
Then we heard the news that out there on the sea
There were men and a boy in a little fishing cobble
They called ‘Economy’ my son
They called ‘Economy’.
So with the lifeboat crew your daddy went to sea
‘Gainst storm and wind that sea to sail
In the bold ‘George Elmy’ my son
In the bold ‘George Elmy’
The sea it thundered and roared but still your daddy sailed on
Sailed on ‘til they reached those men and that boy
And got them safe on board my son
And got them safe on board
Then they turned about and signalled to the land
Our job is complete and we’re coming home
To be safe from this salt sea foam my son
Safe from this salt sea foam.
But then the boat did lurch – keeled over in the bay
Eight men and a boy in that cold, cold sea
Were drowned that dreadful day my son
Were drowned that dreadful day.
And one man lived to mourn - and one man lived to tell*
Of the small, small boy who was drowned in the sea
Of the boy who was his son – great God
Of the boy who was his son
Go to sleep little one
Though you daddy’s far away
He lies asleep in a watery grave
In Seaham Harbour bay my son
In Seaham Harbour bay.
