Skip to content
Lyric
Dive
Public playlists
My playlists
Search
Sign in
Thousands Are Sailing
The Pogues
Popularity ยท Low
+
๐ฌ๐ง English ยท Original
0
0
Listen
YouTube
1
2
3
0:00 / 0:00
Loading YouTube player...
Lyrics offset
Synced
Lyrics
Original
Translation
Bilingual
The island it is silent now
But the ghosts still haunt the waves
And the torch lights up a famished man
Who fortune could not save
Did you work upon the railroad?
Did you rid the streets of crime?
Were your dollars from the White House?
Were they from the five and dime?
Did the old songs taunt or cheer you?
And did they still make you cry?
Did you count the months and years?
Or did your teardrops quickly dry?
Ah, no, says he, 'twas not to be
On a coffin ship I came here
And I never even got so far
That they could change my name
Thousands are sailing
Across the western ocean
To a land of opportunity
That some of them will never see
Fortune prevailing
Across the western ocean
Their bellies full
Their spirits free
They'll break the chains of poverty
And they'll dance
ย
In Manhattan's desert twilight
In the death of afternoon
We stepped hand in hand on broadway
Like the first man on the moon
And the blackbird broke the silence
As he whistled it so sweet
And in Brendan Behan's footsteps
I danced up and down the street
And then we said goodnight to broadway
Giving it our best regards
Tipped our hats to Mister Cohen
Dear old Times Square's favorite bard
And then we raised a glass to JFK
And a dozen more besides
When I got back to my empty room
I suppose I must have cried
Thousands are sailing
Again across the ocean
Where the hand of opportunity
Draws tickets in a lottery
Postcards we're mailing
Of sky-blue skies and oceans
From rooms the daylight never sees
Where lights don't glow on Christmas trees
And we danced to the music
And we dance
ย
Thousands are sailing
Again across the ocean
To a land of opportunity
Some of them will never see
Postcards we're mailing
Of sky-blue skies and oceans
From rooms the daylight never sees
And lights don't glow on Christmas trees
And we danced to the music
And we dance
ย
Thank you, thank you very much
ย