Historic Sheet Music Collection

Authors

L.W. Wheeler

Document Type

Score

Publication Date

1858

Comments

To Capt. L.D. Story.
The Burning Ship or the Lost at sea
Composed and sung by L.W. Wheeler
Boston: published by Oliver Ditson & Co. 277 Washington St.

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Lyrics

'Twas morning on the mighty deep,
And the bright and glorious sea
Bore on a proud and stately ship,
In graceful majesty;
And all the hearts of the happy crew
Were filled with joy and mirth,
Nor dream'd they of the sad event
To which the day gave birth,
Nor dream'd they of the sad event
To which the day gave birth.

'Twas midnight on the silent deep,
Darkness in triumph reigned,
Where but a few short hours ago
All was so bright and fair;
The sailor in his hammock swung,
Rock'd by the murm'ring deep,
The infant in its mother's arms
Was calmly hush'd to sleep,
The infant in its mother's arms
Was calmly hush'd to sleep.

All slept secure and still, in peace,
None dream'd nor thought of harm,
When on a sudden there was heard
The dread cry of alarm!
Fire! Fire! Fire!!! resounded on the gale,
As the blaze burst on their view,
And flames ran leaping up the sails,
Raging with fiery glow;
And flames ran leaping up the sails,
Raging with the fiery glow!

Frantic they rush, they bound, they fly,
To Him who rules with pow'r;
No help of man nor God was nigh,
Within that dreadful hour.
Still struggling bravely with the waves,
The ship begins to fill,
One long, loud terrifying shriek,
And all is hush'd and still,
One long, loud terrifying shriek,
And all is hush'd and still.
They are drowned, drowned, drowned at sea!

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