This sailor's tavern song is quite popular in taverns and inns along the south coast, from the Drakkellian Alliance to southern Rukemia. Only the first half of the song is given as there are several endings and which one is sung depends on how much alcohol has been had by all. Quite often whole new endings are made up impromptu.
Forty sailors lost at sea, all of 'em drunk except for me.
'Twas I alone to face the storm, nothin' in sight to keep my warm.
Yo, ho, ho, ho! Over the raging sea we go!
Yo, ho, ho, ho! Over the sea we go!
Down below the music played, but faithful to my task I stayed.
Above the Jolly Roger flew, 'cause piratin' is what we do.
Yo, ho, ho, ho! Over the raging sea we go!
Yo, ho, ho, ho! Over the sea we go!
The mainmast creaked, the rudder groaned, against the railing I was thrown.
The ship was tossed about the sea, saving us all was up to me.
Yo, ho, ho, ho! Over the raging sea we go!
Yo, ho, ho, ho! Over the sea we go!
The storm grew worse, I fought the wheel, I felt the shudder of the keel.
The lightning streaked, the thunder boomed. Ahead lay naught but swirling doom.
Yo, ho, ho, ho! Over the raging sea we go!
Yo, ho, ho, ho! Over the sea we go!
I turned my face toward the storm, and cast the gloom a look of scorn
I bellowed out with all my might, ‘You will not sink this ship tonight!’
Yo, ho, ho, ho! Over the raging sea we go!
Yo, ho, ho, ho! Over the sea we go!
I swear a voice did answer me, perhaps the god within the sea,
It said ‘why should I let you go, the dead belong with me below’
Yo, ho, ho, ho! Over the raging sea we go!
Yo, ho, ho, ho! Over the sea we go!
I answered loud and with no fear ‘This ship is bound to reach the pier
She may be old, but she’s still sound, and no storm yet has brought her down!'
Yo, ho, ho, ho! Over the raging sea we go!
Yo, ho, ho, ho! Over the sea we go!
The roaring wind and foaming sea did hurl its endless wrath at me
I battled on against the gale, the tempest clawing at our sails
Yo, ho, ho, ho! Over the raging sea we go!
Yo, ho, ho, ho! Over the sea we go!
The sea god summoned all his might and raised a wave of towering height
I grabbed the wheel and feeling brave, I turned the ship into the wave
Yo, ho, ho, ho! Over the raging sea we go!
Yo, ho, ho, ho! Over the sea we go!
The hull hit hard as sword on shield, I vowed to make the sea god yield
The hull did break the wave in two, and so the valiant ship burst through
Yo, ho, ho, ho! Over the raging sea we go!
Yo, ho, ho, ho! Over the sea we go!
And just like that, the wave was rent, the sea subdued, the storm was spent
And soon dawn broke, the skies grew clear, the storm had passed, the end was near.
Yo, ho, ho, ho! Over the raging sea we go!
Yo, ho, ho, ho! Over the sea we go!
Victorious, I sailed ahead, the sea now calm, the danger shed.
Forty sailors gathered round, amazed to find the ship was sound.
Yo, ho, ho, ho! Over the raging sea we go!
Yo, ho, ho, ho! Over the sea we go!
From that day forth, a legend grew, of godly storms and fearless crew
How forty men faced down a god and road the storm to daylight broad
Yo, ho, ho, ho! Over the raging sea we go!
Yo, ho, ho, ho! Over the sea we go!
Whenever asked about this tale, I shrug and tell them without fail
The crew was brave, the captain wise, no storm shall take them as a prize
Yo, ho, ho, ho! Over the raging sea we go!
Yo, ho, ho, ho! Over the sea we go!
Now there are those who doubt this tale, of angry god and raging gale
But I just smile and sip my brew, the sea awaits the doubting fool!
Yo, ho, ho, ho! Over the raging sea we go!
Yo, ho, ho, ho! Over the sea we go!
You may have reached this page because of a search for the song lyrics in Garfield's Halloween Adventure. Yes, that's where the first stanza came from... Garfield’s Halloween Adventure (1985). I loved that song and was disappointed that there was only the one stanza, so I took it upon myself to add a few more.
I actually tried to contact the original song writers that wrote that first stanza. After searching online I found that they had gone into some sort of Christian gospel music production. I emailed them, but they never emailed me back. In any case, I've noticed that these lyrics have been copied and posted on various web pages around the internet. So, just to be clear, the FIRST stanza is from Garfield's Halloween Adventure, the rest of these lyrics are by me, David Roomes, creator of this website. And yes, I did alter the original lyrics slightly.
For those, like me, who fell in love with the song and the music, I hope you like the additional lyrics that I wrote.
This website was last updated November 30, 2023. Copyright 1990-2023 David M. Roomes.