"Gammel Dansk" lyrics

The daylight quickly fading
With his headache wearing off
The collar of his overcoat
Muffling his cough
A siren from a ship
Barely made him raise his head
Since he'd missed the boat to Malmo
He'd try Gothenburg instead

Outside the snow was falling
Like torn up belting slips
Confetti for the jilted
Wedding night of passing ships
And if they ever find her
She'll be one more on the list
And if they never find her
How long would she be missed

Black skeletons of cranes
Against the snow at night
Witness dockside shadows
That negotiate the night
Lost souls flew like seagulls
Who have slipped their earthly chain
Risen and returned
As the snow turns into rain
While the Filipino sailors
With a flag from Panama
Silently slipped mooring's
He stayed anchored at the bar
The barmaid poured his beer
Without a second glance
And set it on the counter
With a shot of Gammel Dansk

Any dockside dive
Is a harbour not a home
Life is black and white
And the world is monochrome
While the Filipino sailors
With a flag from Panama
Left the harbour safety
To the open sea once more
Their world moved slowly backwards
As the vessel headed past
He leant forward on the counter
And drained another glass

As he pulled out his cigarettes
Loose change spilled on the floor
Like a clue left for the cleaner
As he tilted out the door
And through the bones of cranes
The wind began to blow
Birds settled on the water
And the rain turned back to snow