Song Description

DEDICATED TO MY NEXT DOOR NEIGHBOR... CAPTAIN WILLIAM SCHAFER! GO GET 'EM CAPTAIN!

Lyrics

CAPTAIN BILL

CAPTAIN BILL WAS NEARLY EIGHTY WHEN HE TAUGHT HIMSELF TO PAINT
I REMEMBER HIM SO CLEARLY THOUGH I WAS ONLY EIGHT
HE?D STAND IN HIS GARAGE PUFFING ON HIS FAT CIGAR
STARING AT THE CANVAS WITH A PAINT BRUSH IN HIS HAND

BILL AND ME WERE NEIGHBORS, HE ALWAYS CALLED ME ?KID?
I?D OF DONE HIM ANY FAVOR BECAUSE HE WAS MY FRIEND
HE SAID HE?D COME FROM SCOTLAND WHEN JUST A BOY LIKE ME
AND FELL IN LOVE WITH SAILING ON THAT TRIP ACROSS THE SEA

SAID HE?D JOINED THE MERCHANT MARINES WHEN HE WAS AROUND FIFTEEN
SWABBED THE DECKS AND MENDED SAILS FOR A FEW BUCKS A WEEK
AND WHEN I ASKED ABOUT THE ANCHOR AND THE MERMAID ON HIS SHOULDERS
HE LAUGHED AND SAID I?LL TELL YA KID, WHEN YOU GET A LITTLE OLDER

CHORUS
HE SMOKED AND STROKED HIS WAY ACROSS THE CANVAS
AND THERE APPEARED BEFORE MY VERY EYES
AN OCEAN BLUER THAN ANY BLUE I HAD EVER SEEN
HE SAID, THAT?S WHERE I SPENT THE BEST YEARS OF MY LIFE
AND KID, THAT?S WHERE I SWEAR I?M GONNA DIE


COME ONCE A YEAR, CAPTAIN BILL SOLD HIS PAINTINGS AT THE FAIR
HE DIDN?T MAKE MUCH MONEY BUT HE DIDN?T REALLY CARE
AND I NEVER WILL FORGET THE DAY HE SAID, KID? TAKE YOUR PICK
THAT WHALING SHIP ?S STILL HANGING ON MY WALL

BY AND BY THE CAPTAINS MIND BEGAN SLIPPING
THEY SAID THEY PUT HIM IN A HOME FOR HIS PROTECTION (YEAH RIGHT)
THEN ONE NIGHT, HE JUST GOT UP AND WALKED AWAY
AND NO ONE EVER HEARD FROM AGAIN

BUT I LIKE TO THINK THAT CAPTAIN BILL?FOUND HIS SAILING SHIP
AND HE?S OUT THERE SOMEWHERE WITH HIS BACK AGAINST WITH WIND

REPEAT CHORUS:

CAPTAIN BILL WAS NEARLY EIGHTY
WHEN HE TAUGHT HIMSELF TO PAINT


© 2005 Edmond Ramsey
edmond1154@yahoo.com