Ship Wey No Drown (Version 2)

Verse

Engine block cracked like my ribs, saltwater on my tongue

Crew dey scatter left and right while I keep her on

Rope snapped three times already, four more to go before she sinks

Smoke from a distant ship blocking out the moonlight below

Every man I came with, some dey sink alone tonight

I remember how we laughed when the harbor light was bright

Now they shouting names from the dock, calling me a fool for staying on the water

But my father sailed this route before the war began

He taught me read the stars through the smoke and never ask for more

Pre-Chorus

Tell me who go let the fire take our only home

This is not a choice, this is how we stay alive alone

Every breath I count like one more line in the sand

I dey keep on sailing till my hands turn to stone

Hold on, boys! Hold on!

Chorus

Ship woy no drown me, ship woy no drown me

Salt on my tongue and glory running through my veins

Sunrise catch us dancing where the water meet the ground

Ship woy no drown me, I dey still standing up like I reign

Verse

Rudder snapped clean in two but I keep it tied with wire

Burning cargo drifting downwind while we climb the rail higher

Someone shout a song from a barrel that never ran dry

We laugh so loud you could mistake us for the survivors of a war on shore tonight

I lost my brother first week out — now this be all I carry in my chest

Pre-Chorus

Tell me who go let the fire take our only home

This is not a choice, this is how we stay alive alone

Every breath I count like one more line in the sand

I dey keep on sailing till my hands turn to stone

Hold on, boys! Hold on!

Chorus

Ship woy no drown me, ship woy no drown me

Salt on my tongue and glory running through my veins

Sunrise catch us dancing where the water meet the ground

Ship woy no drown me, I dey still standing up like I reign

Bridge

If this was a war of men then we lost from the start

But we never came here to fight — we came to keep our hearts open wide and bright like stars in dark skies

So let the flames burn every bridge behind us out to sea

Because my father taught me how to rise, not how to hide

Outro

Ship woy no drown me, ship woy no drown me

We made it through — that's all we need to say