I Swore I'd Die a Sailor

by Jon Gaither

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lyrics

Old man dying in the corner, old man dying in the rain
Old man dying in the back of a truck, says:

"Take me back to Portland, again
Take me back, take me back
That's where I wanna die

My tale begins in Portland in the spring of twenty-three
I hustled cards and lightning dice until a mark made me
With one wrong throw my fate was sealed, I never could return
I swore I'd die a sailor or else face my home reborn

Off to sea I went, thought I was apprentice to the tides
Taught a lesson by the waves as they rocked me side to side
I soon lost track of time counting storms like wars
And when the worst one came I was forced back to shore

When I docked my eyes went white, the streets were upside down
The people spoke in rhymes and reversed their every noun
Then it hit me like a wave, the truth wasn't in the name
The city skyline was backwards but outlined the same!

To know if I was lost in body or just in my mind
I searched out a landmark and found the city sign
I knew at once to blame the dice, how else could it have been?
The twisted sign was proof, it read: 'Welcome to Portland'

That's my story, son, most of it is true
Take this truck to Portland, wherever that is to you
I've searched for all my life, but true dice never lie
My home is out there somewhere, that's where I wanna die"

Written and recorded by Jon Gaither

Worried Note Records

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released September 4, 2019

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Jon Gaither Portland, Maine

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