SALTY DOG by Marc Almond (2024)

All hands on deck
We're all afloat
I heard the captain cry
Explore the ship
Replace the cook
Let no one leave alive
Across the straits
Around the Horn

How far can sailors fly
The twisted path
Our tortured course
And no left alive
We sailed for parts
Unknown to man
Where ships come home to die
No lofty peak
No fortress bold
Could match our captain's eye
Upon the seventh
Seasick day
We made our port of call
The sun so white
And the sea so blue
No mortal place at all
We fired the gun
And burned the mast
And rode from ship to shore
The captain cried
We sailors wept
But our tears were tears of joy
How many moons
And how many Junes
Have passed since we made love
A salty dog

And a seaman's log
Your witness my own pain

The lyrics to Marc Almond's song "Salty Dog" embody the adventurous spirit of seafaring men who voyage into unknown waters, driven by a fierce determination to explore the world and discover new horizons. The opening line "All hands on deck, we're all afloat" conveys a sense of urgency and camaraderie among the sailors as they set sail, ready to confront the fierce challenges that lie ahead.

The captain's cry to "Explore the ship, replace the cook, let no one leave alive" suggests that the journey will not be easy, and that the crew must be resilient and adaptable if they are to survive. The description of the "twisted path, our tortured course" underscores the difficulty of the voyage, and the phrase "no left alive" implies that not everyone will make it to the end. When they finally reach their destination, described as "parts unknown to man, where ships come home to die," the sailors are overwhelmed by the beauty and mystery of this new place.

The final lines of the song, "how many moons and how many Junes have passed since we made love, a salty dog and a seaman's log, your witness my own pain," suggest a longing for a simpler, more straightforward life, unencumbered by the complexities and dangers of life at sea. The juxtaposition of this wistful sentiment with the earlier vivid descriptions of the sailors' voyage creates a poignant contrast that underscores the resilience and determination required to pursue one's dreams and explore the unknown.

All hands on deck
Everyone on board is needed to help with something important

We're all afloat
The ship is not sinking, and we are all safely aboard

I heard the captain cry
The captain is giving orders or making an announcement

Explore the ship
Look around the ship to see if there are any problems that need to be fixed

Replace the cook
The cook is not doing a good job, so we need a new one

Let no one leave alive
We are in a dangerous situation and we cannot allow anyone to escape or abandon the ship

Across the straits
We are crossing a narrow area of water that separates two larger bodies of water

Around the Horn
We are sailing around the southernmost point of South America, which is known as Cape Horn

How far can sailors fly
Sailors can travel great distances by sea, but they cannot fly like birds

The twisted path
Our journey is full of unexpected turns and challenges

Our tortured course
Our journey has been difficult and painful

And no left alive
Everyone who started the journey with us did not survive

We sailed for parts
We went to places that were unknown and unexplored

Unknown to man
These places had never been discovered or mapped by humans before

Where ships come home to die
This is a place where ships go when they are no longer seaworthy or useful

No lofty peak
There is no mountain or other natural landmark that can compare to our captain's skill and vision

No fortress bold
There is no castle or other man-made structure that is as impressive as our captain's leadership

Could match our captain's eye
Our captain is able to see things that others cannot, and has a unique ability to navigate the seas

Upon the seventh
After seven days of sailing

Seasick day
The day when many people on board were feeling sick from the motion of the waves

We made our port of call
We arrived at our destination

The sun so white
The sun was shining very brightly, perhaps reflecting off the waves

And the sea so blue
The water was a beautiful shade of blue

No mortal place at all
This place seemed otherworldly or even magical

We fired the gun
We signaled our arrival with a blast from a cannon

And burned the mast
We destroyed the main sail, perhaps to prevent anyone from stealing the ship or to mark the end of the journey

And rode from ship to shore
We used smaller boats to travel from the ship to the land

The captain cried
The captain was emotional, perhaps because of the long and difficult journey, or because of the beauty of the destination

We sailors wept
The crew was also emotional, perhaps feeling relief that the journey was over, or sadness that it had ended

But our tears were tears of joy
Despite the sadness they felt, the crew was ultimately happy to have made it to their destination

How many moons
How much time has passed, perhaps referring to the length of the journey or the time since they arrived

And how many Junes
How much time has passed, perhaps referring to the season when they arrived or how long they were at sea

Have passed since we made love
It has been a long time since we were intimate with someone else, perhaps because we were at sea for so long

A salty dog
A seasoned sailor, someone who has spent a lot of time at sea and has become accustomed to the salty air and water

And a seaman's log
A record of our journey, including the ports we visited, the weather we encountered, and any other notable events

Your witness my own pain
These are personal memories or feelings that are being shared with someone else, perhaps to help them understand what the journey was like