Lyrics

HALLSANDS

LAUNCH THE BOATS DRAG THE NETS ACROSS THE BAY
COS THE SHOALS ARE COMING IN
LAUNCH THE BOATS DRAG THE NETS ACROSS THE BAY
COS THE SHOALS ARE COMING IN

FOUR HUNDRED YEARS THEY?VE BEEN FISHING IN THE BAY
FROM THE ROLLING SHINGLE STRAND
THE LOOKOUT SHOUTS AND THE VILLAGE RUN STRAIGHT WAY
TO WHERE THE OCEAN HITS THE LAND
THE LAUNCH THE BOATS FOR THE MACKEREL AND THE BASS
THEY BAIT THE POTS TO CATCH THE START BAY CRAB
IT?S HOW THEY LIVED EVERY FAMILY THE SAME SINCE THE VILLAGE GOT ITS NAME

THE LOOKOUT SHOUTS THERE ARE DREDGERS IN THE BAY
OFF THE ROLLING SHINGLE STRAND
NEAR PLYMOUTH TOWN THERE WAS BUILDING UNDER WAY
NEEDING SHINGLE NEEDING SAND
AND SO THEY CAME FOR THE SHINGLE FROM THE BAY
THE LICENEC SAID THAT THEY COULD SCRAPE THE BANKS AWAY
THEY DIDN?T CARE THAT THE SHINGLE HELD THE SEA BACK FROM THE VILLAGE AND ITS QUAY

CHORUS
SO WILL YOU LET THE VILLAGE DIE
OUT OF PROFIT OUT OF GAIN
OR WILL YOU BUILD THE WALLS OF HOPE
BEFORE THE SEA CRASHES THROUGH THEIR HOMES AGAIN

THE BEACH HAD DROPPED AND THE SEA WAS CRASHING IN
TO THE HOUSES ON THE STRAND
SIX YEARS OF HELP FROM THE DEVONSHIRE MP
AND FURTHER DREDGING HAD BEEN BANNED
BUT SIX YEARS ON AND THE GOOD NEWS WAS TOO LATE
THE DAMAGE DONE HAD SEALED THE HALLSANDS FATE
IT WAS ONLY TIME TILL THE OCEAN WON THE DAY
WITH THE VILLAGE WASHED AWAY

AND SO WE STARE FROM THE CLIFFS ABOVE THE BAY
AT THE VILLAGE YOU BETRAYED
AND ALL FOR GREED AND THE SHINGLE FROM START BAY
FORTY FAMILIES HAD PAID
AND HALLSAND STANDS AS A RUIN ON THE STRAND
TO SHOW US ALL SO THAT WE CAN UNDERSTAND
WHAT GREED CAN DO IF THE GREEDY JUST DON?T CARE
WHAT THE CONSEQUENCES ARE

AND SO YOU LET THE VILLAGE DIE
OUT OF PROFIT OUT OF GAIN
YOU COULD HAVE BUILT THE WALLS OF HOPE
AND STOPPED THE SEA CRASHING THROUGH THEIR HOMES AGAIN