133 - Trust in the Rolling Ocean

Words: Darwin Song Project
Tune: Darwin Song Project

In March 2009 eight folk artists gathered together in rural Shropshire to take part in the Darwin Song Project. Chris Wood, Karine Polwart, Emily Smith, Jez Lowe, Mark Erelli, Krista Detor, Stu Hanna and Rachael McShane spent a week collaboratively writing and creating new works that have a 'resonance and relevance' to Charles Darwin, who was born in Shrewsbury in 1809.

'Trust in the Rolling Ocean' takes its inspiration from a wassailing song recorded by Ralph Vaughan Williams (a relative of Charles Darwin), and we've added some more repeats of the chorus to make it more suitable for a shanty-singing crowd.

I’ll sail and I’ll sail
I’ll sail and I’ll sail
I’ll sail and I’ll sail
I’ll sail and I’ll sail

I’ll sail and I’ll sail and wherever I go
Where the waters are high or the pulleys are low
I’ll follow the trade winds wherever they go
And trust in the rolling ocean

I’ll sail and I’ll sail…

I’ll sail and I’ll sail and I’ll leave this behind
Though the crossing be cruel and the currents unkind
I’ll open my heart to whatever I find
And trust in the rolling ocean

I’ll sail and I’ll sail
I’ll sail and I’ll sail
I’ll sail and I’ll sail
I’ll sail and I’ll sail

I’ll sail and I’ll sail and wherever I land
I’ll gather the bones and the stones in my hand
And count all my blessings like grains in the sand
And trust in the rolling ocean

I’ll sail and I’ll sail…

I’ll sail and I’ll sail and wherever I roam
I pray for the frigate that slices the foam
And long for the moss and the meadow of home
And trust in the rolling ocean