LADY LOVIBOND
(Words & music; Colin Reece)

From the albums 'Face To Face' by Colin Reece and Ian Cutler
'In One Ear' by Eavesdropper
'1748' by The Dee Bees
'Slaughterhouse The Live Concert' by Ian Cutler
and '50 Channels - Live' by The Bully Wee Band

The tragic story of the Lady Lovibond and the first mate who was in love with his captain's wife.
And who, in a fit of jealousy, drove the ship onto the Goodwin Sands, killing all on board.
Legend goes that every fifty years, on the anniversary of the tragedy, the ship comes back and sails off the Kent coast as a ghost ship.
If you want to check it out the next appearance is due on 13th February 2048. I won't be with you I'm afraid, but I'll try and wave to you from the poop deck.

The second month the thirteenth date
In Seventeen and Forty Eight
The schooner Lovibond lay set to sail
Her masts were three and stood erect
All scrubbed and polished were her decks
The paint was barely dry from head to tail
They loaded up her cargo
For her journey to Oporto
They loaded to the brim her hold
With flour meat and wine and gold
They loaded up her cargo
For her journey to Oporto
They loaded to the brim her hold
With flour meat and wine and gold
And hate.

Chorus; Lady Lovibond, Lady Lovibond

The captain marched the gangway
With his latest lady of the day
So proud to parade his brand new bride
He smiled at all the passers-by
His back was straight and his head held high
So proud to have her walking by his side
All eyes they stared and heads they turned
Of crewmen standing bow to stern
"Bad luck", some said, "We can't afford
To have a woman here on board"
But most of all the first mate
How his eyes were full of jealous hate
Remembering of the pleasant times
When he had walked so proud and fine
With her.

Chorus

All the summer days down by the sea
When they had walked just he and she
The passion ridden nights they'd spent alone
All the heartbreak and the agony
Each time he had to go to sea
And the letters that he'd written her back home
But when she told him finally
She wanted silk and finery
He knew a simple seaman's purse
Would never be enough for her
And now to see her walk the deck
Still wearing round her slender neck
The charm he gave her on the sand
Was just too much for any man
To bear.

Chorus

Well the first mate took the helm that day
As Lovibond she sailed away
The crowds they cheered from Dover up to Deal
Well perhaps it was a heart of hate
Or simply just the hand of fate
But either way the stamp of death was sealed
The captain's wife she looked above
And met the eyes of her ex-love
And all too late she recognised
The burning hatred in his eyes
His heart ablaze with jealousy
"If I can't have her, nor will he"
He spun the wheel out of his hands
And ploughed her on the dreaded
Goodwin Sands

Chorus