Roger Whittaker – The Last Farewell lyrics

Roger Whittaker – The Last Farewell lyrics

There's a ship lies rigged and ready in the harbour
Tomorrow for old England she sails
Far away from your land of endless sunshine
To my land full of rainy skies and gales
And I shall be aboard that ship tomorrow
Though my heart is full of tears at this farewell

Refrain:
For you are beautiful
And I have loved you dearly
More dearly than the spoken word can tell
(repeat)

I heard there's a wicked war a blazing
And the taste of war I know so very well
Even now I see the foreign flag a raising
Their guns on fire as we sail into hell
I have no fear of death; it brings no sorrow
But how bitter will be this last farewell

Refrain:
For you are beautiful
And I have loved you dearly
More dearly than the spoken word can tell
(repeat)

Though death and darkness gather all about me
And my ship be torn apart upon the seas
I shall smell again the fragrance of these islands
In the heaving waves that brought me once to thee
And should I return safe home again to England
I shall watch the English mist roll through the dell

Refrain:
For you are beautiful
And I have loved you dearly
More dearly than the spoken word can tell
(repeat)

Lyrics taken from /lyrics/r/roger_whittaker/the_last_farewell.html

Songwriters: Roger Whittaker, Ronald Arthur Webster

The Last Farewell lyrics © Universal Music Publishing Group

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+ 6
Unregistered 2012-08-01 11:35:47

I believe the author takes the form(or is) a young man who, having left his home in england, has made america his new home and consequently his new love, falling deeply for, among other things,.
It's mountains, prairies&oceans white with foam. But above all, inspite.
Of wondrous, changing, seasons, the seemingly endless sky and with.
It, somewhere always. Sunshine; something his birthplace sorely.
Lacks.
But now, he must return to england; she needs him desparetly,.
And duty calls. And like his father, and his father before him, he must.
Answer. Now aboard, heading E. N. E. Out over the great atlantic; perhaps only in his minds memory, he suddenly gets a scent of home,.
Maybe somehow the perfumed heather of sister ireland, or more.
Likely the aroma of his dear great britain, that only a true englishman.
Could surely recognize, making it's way across the waves prodding him onward, onward. For she has a beauty of her own!
It is now that he turns, england ahead, america behind; and sadly.
Contemplating the vast possibilities of war and for some the inevitable.
Outcome; he is unafraid yet reconciled that one of these regal ladies.
He has loved as his home, either has, or may soon have, seen his.
Last farewell.

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+ 5
Unregistered 2018-09-04 16:57:19

My father was a merchant seaman. I feel that this lovely ballad was written for him. During WW 2 he was always in danger both in the Atlantic and Pacific theatre and he spent time in Aruba. This beautiful song could have been written for him. He was an absent father but I loved him.

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+ 4
Unregistered 2012-03-12 00:51:48

Looking out onto the harbor to the readied, stately ship that will take him from the magnificent, sunny islands of a land he's learned to love, a sailor anticipates his 'morrow's departure to old england, his homeland, starkly reminiscent of rainy skies and storms. He laments of his sadness at having to leave this wonderful place, but must return to fight for his homeland s flag. He is drawn to recall past wartime with remembrance of fierce, fiery battles on the seas. Though he is not afraid of death, he is embittered by the thought that he may die at sea without once again being able to see the beautiful land that he has grown to love. Foreseeing the possibility of the ship s demise and his death at sea, he is calmed by the thought that death will make time stand still and he will forever be able to enjoy the fragrance of the enchanting islands he had found only by travel through the churning waves of the sea. But it is at this point the sailor s mind thought shifts and he supposes of his safe return home. Thoughts of the english mist running through the clearing bring back suppressed memories and he realizes that he loves and misses england, even with its rainy skies and gales. It is now that he grasps the longing for his homeland and, once again, but with re-found devotion, so poignantly refrains.  for you are beautiful and I have loved you dearly, more dearly than the spoken word can tell. .

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+ 3
Unregistered 2020-02-16 07:18:52

In 1779 the Battle of Martinique took place between the British and French fleets. Having driven the French away, weeks of peace results in the British fleet captain being recalled to England to receive a new command. His ship is rigged in the island of Martinique’s harbour, being loaded with goods for the long voyage back.
The next morning he bids farewell to his only true love - a native girl of the island he has known for the past eight months. His broken heart is hidden from his officers as they wait for him to board the ship. With one last caress he wipes away her tears from her golden smooth cheeks. Reluctantly, he walks away from her with a pale pink petal from her hair in his palm. Little does he know that the foreign French flag awaits the first British ship - his - out of the harbour 5km away. As he watches his ship aflame from the water he does not feel his wet and heavy uniform nor the salt water in his eyes. All he could see is her last gaze as he bade her farewell.

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+ 2
Joy Cloyes Dominguez 2016-08-21 20:56:23

My dad lay in a coma, but somehow forced his eyes open when I said "Dad, your granddaughter is here to see you." He opened those crystal blue eyes of his for the last time and this is what I imagined he would have said to us both if he could.

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0
Unregistered 2023-12-26 12:02:22

This song was very special to me and I used to sing … for you are beautiful …. To my little granddaughter Kirsty … little to know that it was not to be my farewell but hers … being knocked down and killed by a truck at the age of 18 … so young and beautiful she will always remain.

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