Stan Rogers White Squall Lyrics:
[The town of Wiarton is situated at the mouth of
one of the deepest Great Lake ports. For years,
over 30% of the Captains and First Mates employed
in shipping on the Lakes came from this quiet
fishing town in the Bruce Peninsula. There are
very few families in the town, even now, who have
not lost a close relative to the fury of the lakes.]

Now it's just my luck to have the watch, with
nothing left to do But watch the deadly waters
glide as we roll north to the 'Soo', And wonder
when they'll turn again and pitch us to the rail
And whirl off one more youngster in the gale. The
kid was so damned eager. It was all so big and
new. You never had to tell him twice, or find him
work to do. And evenings on the mess deck he was
always first to sing, And show us pictures of the
girl he'd wed in spring. CHORUS But I told that
kid a hundred times "Don't take the Lakes for
granted. They go from calm to a hundred knots so
fast they seem enchanted." But tonight some
red-eyed Wiarton girl lies staring at the wall,
And her lover's gone into a white squall. CHORUS
[ Find more Lyrics on www.mp3lyrics.org/L76A ]
Now it's a thing that us oldtimers know. In a
sultry summer calm There comes a blow from
nowhere, and it goes off like a bomb. And a
fifteen thousand tonner can be thrown upon her
beam While the gale takes all before it with a
scream. The kid was on the hatches, lying staring
at the sky. >From where I stood I swear I could
see tears fall from his eyes. So I hadn't the
heart to tell him that he should be on a line,
Even on a night so warm and fine. CHORUS When it
struck, he sat up with a start; I roared to him,
"Get down!" But for all that he could hear, I
could as well not made a sound. So, I clung there
to the stanchions, and I felt my face go pale, As
he crawled hand over hand along the rail. I could
feel her keeling over with the fury of the blow. I
watched the rail go under then, so terrible and
slow. Then, like some great dog she shook herself
and roared upright again. Far overside. I heard
him call my name. CHORUS So it's just my luck to
have the watch, with nothing left to do But watch
the deadly waters glide as we roll north to the
'Soo', And wonder when they'll turn again and
pitch us to the rail And whirl off one more
youngster in the gale. But I tell these kids a
hundred times "Don't take the Lakes for granted.
They go from calm to a hundred knots so fast they
seem enchanted." But tonight some red-eyed Wiarton
girl lies staring at the wall, And her lover's
gone into a white squall.
Lyrics: White Squall, Stan Rogers [end]