Alasdair Roberts - The Old Men of the Shells lyrics

As I roved out one Shrovetide Eve Among the bramble and the cloudberry It's then I heard a melody A-blowing over the Northern Sea: The song of the old men of the shells The old men of the shells, my boys The old men of the shells I left the ones who love me well To find my home in the ocean swells And follow the old men of the shells I made my bed so shallow Among the marigold and marshmallow It's then I heard the old men say "Why deny the sea her prey? Come follow the old men of the shells" So deeper, deeper I made my home Among the samphire, among the ocean foam The curlew call my curfew bell Leads me to my bed of pearls To lie with the old men of the shells And though the words they sang were few They had the ring of something true I listened long and began to sing They way the unfledged bird takes the wing I sang with the old men of the shells I cast around to find my tune Thinking to sing the song all alone But wise words on a foolish tongue Howsoever sweet they be sung They jangle like the bra**y bells of hell They'll never please the old men of the shells The old men of the shells, my boys The old men of the shells I left the ones who love me well To find my home in the ocean swell And follow the old men of the shells