Lyrics Nellie McKay – Wooden Ships

If you smile at me
I will understand
‘Cause that is something everybody everywhere does in the same language

I can see by your coat, my friend

You must try some of my purple berries
Yes, I’ve been eating them
For six or seven weeks now
Haven’t got sick once
Probably keep us both alive

Wooden ships on the water, very free
Easy you know the way it’s supposed to be
Silver people on the shoreline let us be
Very free and easy

Sail away where the morning sun goes high
Sail away where the wind blows sweet
Young birds fly
Take a sister there by the hand
Lead her far from this barren land

Horror grips us as we watch you die
All we can do is echo your anguished cries
Stare as all human feelings die
We are leaving
You don’t need us

Go take a sister then by the hand
Lead her far from this foreign land
Far away, where we might laugh again

Sailing ships on the water
Very free
Easy you know the way it’s supposed to be
Silver people on the shoreline let us be
Very free and easy