Launching the boat

(Brühlmann/Frey)

They hired five men for february
We met down at the shipyard by the old port standing in the cold
When they called us in we were entering the smell of tar and timber
We fixed the schdeule the proportions and sealed it with a hand-clasp at long last
And parted to begin cos one important bit of the old craftsmanship
Is not to hesitate if you want to build a boat

A selection of the timber
We piled it up outside and then applied the scetches to the woold
Then the sharpenend steel drove into shape the keel with beats of steady rhythm
First the children all came running down as it is the rule right after school
To see what’s going on the others one by one came when the work was done
Not to miss one chip when somebody builds a boat

There were people in the morning
Who came down for a chat asking this and that whatching every step
And another bunch brought along their lunch and ate right on the shavings
But then on friday evenings we invited the musicians to have a session
And we lit a great big fire there was dancing on the pier whisky and beer
That’s how it should be if you’re about to build a boat

When the last plank was inserted
The wood-work almost done and we had become members of the town
But boiling up the tar one could smell it from afar and their visits getting viewer
Then the final day was dawning we knew we’d have to part with heavy hearts
A new commitment for to gain but yet our hearts were light and the paint had dried
The whole town was there and we were launching the boat