Lyrics

Meg
When the wind’s from the eastern quarter,
And there’s a pungent taste of salt upon the breeze,
And something’s troubled your insides,
Like a scum upon the tides,
Or something washed up on the beach down by the quays.

Intuition’s what a girl in love relies on,
I should have known he only wanted to be free,
I drew my line upon the sand, only a fool would ever stand,
Between a man and his involvement with the sea.

And when the tide rolls out,
You’ll find your bed is empty and he’s gone.

So if you ever see me talking to a sailor,
Some scurvy no good mongrel of a tar,
Knock the drink out of my hand,
Push me over where I stand,
Take a slug at me but somewhere I won’t scar.
Pin my body to the ground,
And slap my face to bring me round,
Then you can roll my silly arse out of this bar.

Meg & Women
For a sailor’s not a man to be trusted.
He’ll bill and coo, call you his chick-a-dee.

Meg
But when he’s had his way
All you’ll get is his “good day,”
Then he’ll blow a kiss and scuttle back to see.

And when the tide rolls out,
You’ll find your bed is empty and he’s gone.


Meg & Women
So, If you ever see me talking to a sailor,

Meg
And I blithely stand there passing time o’day
Don’t you hesitate to think
Someone’s tampered with your drink
And he’s shaken out your handbag
In the time it takes to blink,
And all the booze you ever bought him
He’s just thrown up in the sink,
Just call the funny farm to carry me away.

Meg & Women
For a sailor’s not a man to be trusted,
He’s treacherous as tides and hidden reefs.

Meg
Just to get you up the stairs
He’ll quote the bible in his prayers
Then before you know he’s bound for Tenerife.

And when the tide rolls out,
You’ll find the house is empty and he’s gone.
And when the tide rolls out,
You’ll find your heart is empty and he’s gone.

And when you become a woman of a certain age,
You’ll find it’s difficult to trust a man, it’s difficult to gauge
When the bilge rat who left you without a living wage,
Thinks there’s still that tawdry glamour of the sea,
That I swear to God’s completely lost on me.

So if you ever see me talking to a sailor,

Meg & Women
Some mangy sea dog skulking on the quay,

Meg
Just remind me what I’ve said or you can shoot me in the head
And then throw my bleeding body in the sea.

Meg & Women
Ooo
You’ll find your bed is empty and he’s—
Gone.