Now the many years she's been to sea
She's seen the better times
She gives a groan of protest
As they cast away her lines
And the grumble of her engines
And the rust along her spine
Tells the Castle she's too old to be sailing

But the sands run out within her heart
A tiny spark glows red
It smoulders through the evening
There's laughter overhead
Now the dinner's served and the cards are dealt
And the drinks are passed around
Deep within the fire starts a-burning

Now it's midnight on the open sea
And the moon is shining bright
Some people join the party
And others say goodnight
There's many who are sleeping now
It's been a busy day
And a tiny wisp of smoke is a-rising

"Oh Lord," she groans, "I'm burning!"
"Let someone understand"
But her silent plea is wasted
In the playing of the band
Everybody's dancing on the deck
And they're having such a time
Then a voice says
"Shut up and deal, I'm losing"

Deep within the Yarmouth Castle
The fire begins to glow
It leaps into the hallways
And climbs and twists and grows
And the paint she wore to keep her young
Oh Lord, how well it burns
And soon that old fire is a-raging

Well beneath the bridge it's climbing fast
The captain stands aloft
He calls up to the bosin, says
"Bosin, we are lost"
For the ragged hoses in the racks
No pressure do they hold
And the people down below will soon be dying

All amidships, oh she's blazing now
It's spreading fore and aft
The people are a-scrambling
As the fire blocks their path
The evil smoke surrounds them
And they're falling in their tracks
And the captain in his lifeboat is a-leaving  (C) (G) (Am) (G) (Am)

Oh then the ship, Bahama Star
Comes steaming through the night
She sees the Castle blazing
And 'tis a terrible sight
"Jump down, jump down" the captain cries
"We'll save you if we can"
Then the paint on his funnels is a-frying

"God help the ones who sleep below
And cannot find their way
Thank God for those we've rescued
Upon this awful day"
Now the heroes, they are many
But the times are growing slim
And now from stern to bow she's a-blazing

Oh the Yarmouth Castle's moaning
She's crying like a child
You can hear her if you listen
Above the roar so wild
Is she crying for the ones who lie
Within her molten sides
Or crying for herself, I'm a-wondering

But the living soon were rescued
The ones who lived to tell
And from the Star they watched her
As she died there in the swells
Like a toy ship on a millpond
She burned all through the night
Then slipped beneath the waves in the morning