Ghosts of Cape Horn

Gordon Lightfoot · Gord's Gold, Vol. 2 [2005]

All around old Cape Horn

Ships of the line, ships of the morn

Some who wish they'd never been born

They are the ghosts of Cape Horn

Fal deral dal riddle de rum

With a rim dim diddy

And a rum dum dum

Sailing away at the break of dawn

They are the ghosts of Cape Horn



See them all in sad repair

Demons dance everywhere

Southern gales, tattered sails

And none to tell the tales



Come all of you rustic old sea dogs

Who follow the bright Southern Cross

You we're rounding the Horn

In the eye of a storm

When ya lost 'er one day

And you read all yer letters

From oceans away

Then you took them to the bottom of the sea



All around old Cape Horn

Ships of the line, ships of the morn

Some who wish they'd never been born

They are the ghosts of Cape Horn



Fal deral dal riddle de rum

With a rim dim diddy

And a rum dum dum

Sailing away at the break of dawn

They are the ghosts of Cape Horn



Come all you old sea dogs from Devon

Southampton, Penzance, and Kinsale

You were caught by the chance

Of a sailor's last dance

It was not meant to be

And ya read all yer letters

Cried anchors aweigh

Then ya took them to the bottom of the sea



All around old Cape Horn

Ships of the line, ships of the morn

Some who wish they'd never been born

They are the ghosts of Cape Horn



Fal deral dal riddle de rum

With a rim dim diddy

And a rum dum dum

Sailing away at the break of dawn

They are the ghosts of Cape Horn