The Thresher (Phil Ochs)

The Thresher
Author	Phil Ochs
First published	1964
Type	Song

Lyrics

In Portsmouth town on the eastern shore

Where many a fine ship was born,

The Thresher was built

And the Thresher was launched

And the crew of the Thresher was sworn.

She was shaped like a tear

She was built like a shark

She was made to run fast and free.

And the builders shook their hands

And the builders shared their wine,

And thought that they had mastered the sea.

Chorus:

Yes, she'll always run silent

And she'll always run deep

Though the ocean has no pity

Though the waves will never weep

They'll never weep.

And they marvelled at her speed

marvelled at her depth

marvelled at her deadly design.

And they sailed to every land

And they sailed to every port

Just to see what faults they could find.

Then they put her on the land

For nine months to stand

And they worked on her from stem to stern.

But they could never see

It was their coffin to be

For the sea was waiting for their return.

Chorus

On a cold Wednesday morn

They put her her out to sea

When the waves they were nine feet high.

And they dove beneath the waves

And they dove to their graves

And they never said a last goodbye.

And it's deeper and deeper

And deeper they dove

Just to see what their ship could stand.

But the hull gave a moan

And the hull gave a groan

And they plunged to the deepest darkest sand.

Now she lies in the depths

Of the darkened ocean floor

Covered by the waters cold and still.

Oh can't you see the wrong

She was a death ship all along

Died before she had a chance to kill.

And she'll never run silent,

And she'll never run deep,

For the ocean had no pity

And the waves, they never weep,

They never weep.