Billy was born within sight of the shipyard

First son of a riveter's son

And Billy was raised as the ship grew a shadow

Her great hull would blot out the light of the sun



And six days a week he would watch his poor father

A working man live like a slave

He'd drink every night and he'd dream of a future,

Of money he never would save

And Billy would cry when he thought of the future



Soon came a day when the bottle was broken

They launched a great ship out to sea

He felt he'd been left on a desolate shore

To a future he desperately wanted to flee

What else was there for a riveter's son

A new ship to be built, new work to be done



One day he dreamed of the ship in the world

It would carry his father and he

To a place they would never be found

To a place far away from this town.



Trapped in the cage of the skeleton ship

All the workmen suspended like flies

Caught in the flare of acetylene light

A working man works till the industry dies

And Billy would cry when he thought of the future



Then what they call an industrial accident

Crushed those it couldn't forgive

They brought Billy's father back home in an ambulance

A brass watch, a cheque, maybe three weeks to live,

And what else was there for a riveter's son

A new ship to be built, new work to be done



That night, he dreamed of the ship in the world

It would carry his father and he

To a place they could never be found

To a place far away from this town,

A Newcastle ship without coals

They would sail to the island of souls