My name is Isaac Thompson, I am the last of three
Who scattered out their souls upon this lake of Er -I- E
We sailed the Tartan Ivanhoe and we were Rondo bound
When a squall blacked the horizon and knocked our good ship down
Its sad sings the ladies and silent go the men
When a maiden ship goes 'neath the waves
And takes your two best friends
The Ivanhoe was a Tartan boat as pretty as you please
Thirty foot from bow to stern, a cruiser built for ease
She was built in old Grand River boys, fitted right and fitted fine
We had bought her for adventure, three full shares and one was mine
She was fitted out with good North Sails; her tack was all the best
Five thousand in 'lectronics, stereo gear and GPS
She had everything but common sense, and made for wind and tide
She had three fools on her maiden voyage up to the Canadian side
Its sad sings the ladies and silent go the men
When a maiden ship goes 'neath the waves
And takes your two best friends
The day was July seventeen, the wind from the sou-west
We cleared the Fairport Harbor light and put her to the test
The waves were running one to three, our speed was five point four
As we're beating up to Rondo there along the Ontario shore
We all had a couple beers and then a shot or two
Engaged our brand new auto helm and took a little snooze
I swear I was only dozing when the stilling of the breeze
Brought me right back to my senses and then slammed me to my knees
And its sad sings the la**ies and silent go the men
When a maiden ship goes 'neath the waves
And takes your two best friends
A towering sky of filthy gray, a boiling ma** of cloud
A distant thunder rumbling low as wind was groaning loud
A screaming sheet of rain advanced, I called to drop the main
I swung the bow into the wind and Tommy shrieked in pain
He must have missed his footing, it happened all so fast
But there was blood upon his face and there was blood upon the mast
Peter charged up to his aid just as the first blast hit
He ricocheted right off a stay and that was all of it
Like a toy she knocks us down and just like fools we clung
To rails and rigging wondering how we had been undone
Then Ivanhoe began to right, it was luck and good design
But as the mast boom cleared the water, it was Tom we could not find
And its sad sings the la**ies and silent go the men
When a maiden ship goes 'neath the waves
And takes your two best friends
We were whipped by wind and lashed by rain, in a torrent dark as night
When the world was frozen, bright and still, a blinding flash of light
I don't remember thunder, but motion seemed to slow
As sparks flew all around us and our wretched Ivanhoe
It was then all just confusion, a churning frothing mess
And I tried to find my comrades; I swear I did my best
Then quickly as it happened, it seemed the storm was gone
The sun shone amber in the west and a colored arch was drawn
Its sad sings the ladies and silent go the men
When a maiden ship goes 'neath the waves
And takes your two best friends
I looked all round and round me and nothing could be seen
But a sky above, a line of land and a dancing lake of green
I swam and swam for hours until I saw a sail
Where rescue was performed and brought me here to tell my tale
I leave you with no moral for when it's said and done
The facts speak plainly for themselves and now the deeds are done
I will never more go sailing nor step upon a boat
For I carry like an albatross this story fate has wrote
Its sad sings the ladies and silent go the men
When a maiden ship goes 'neath the waves
And takes your two best friends