☝️ Key Points
- The song is about the challenges and disappointments of a sailor.
- It tells the life of a sailor who spends his money on drinking binges and then goes back to sea.
- The song includes an episode where the sailor is deceived by a woman.
- The sailor regrets his decisions and wishes he didn't have to go back to sea.
- In the end, he gives advice to other sailors to choose a quieter life.
Interpretation
"Go to Sea No More" is a song by
the Dubliners that tells the story of the challenges and disappointments of a sailor. The song is about the life of a sailor who comes to Liverpool and quickly spends his money on drinking binges. When he is broke, he decides to go back to sea, even though he should know it's not the best decision. The lyrics say: "A man must be blind to make up his mind to go to sea once more."
The song also includes an episode where the sailor spends a night with a woman named Angeline, but the next morning he discovers she has disappeared with his money and watch. The prostitutes on the street mock him and he is called "Jack Sprat, the poor sailor boy." Nevertheless, he decides to go back to sea and asks a captain named Brown if he will take him. Brown hesitates, but gives him a chance and takes his money as an advance.
The sailor is sent to a whaling ship that sails to the Arctic seas. He doesn't have enough clothing for the cold weather and regrets spending all his money on land. He wishes he were dead and didn't have to go back to sea.
At the end of the song, the sailor gives advice to other sailors not to drink strong spirits and not to sleep with prostitutes. Instead, he recommends getting married and spending the night in bed, rather than going to sea.
The song "Go to Sea No More" tells of the difficulties of the sailor's life and the consequences it brings. It is a warning against the temptations of life ashore and an invitation to choose a quieter and safer life.