JENNY IN THE ROADSTEAD

© 2011 Gordon Bok, BMI

Gordon – Vocal & Spanish guitar    

 

Inspired by a carving I did years ago showing a young woman on the foredeck of a workboat, staring into the wind. Finally got curious enough about her to explore it with a song.

 

Jenny's anchored off in the roadstead[1], now, lying to a three-inch rode[2]
She should have been gone on the morning tide but now the whole damn day's grown old
She's sitting on the foredeck, windy and cold, with the west wind making on
And that dumb-fool deckhand she's dreaming on has slipped his cable and gone
        

Oh, Jenny, let the damn-fool go, there's a good man down the line
            You're bound to meet him on the next short-tow, and he's going to treat you fine

All those years growing up on the water, working in your daddy's crew
You've been barge-hand, deckhand & engineer: there ain’t a damn thing you can't do
So now you're the skipper and your own damn boss, but the boss gets lonely,too
She gets to thinking that any young buck is the best that she can do

 

Oh, Jenny…
        
You're strong and able, canny and kind, you're the best thing he'll ever know
And that west wind's strolling along your deck, singing: Come on, Jenny, let's go
Now you're the skipper and your own damn boss, and the boss gets lonely, too
But don't you be thinking that any young buck is the best that you can do

 

Oh, Jenny…
     

Hit the air[3] now, fire up the Cat, throw in the gear to the windlass 
Haul that big old anchor on board, and go on about your business

 

Oh, Jenny-with-the-wind-in-your-hair, just lay this day aside
Lay your head on on the cool West wind, and catch your own sweet tide.