Starboard Lover
Congratulations once again to Suzanne for a thoroughly deserved win of last month’s challenge and setting this month’s #settingsail challenge. I struggled with this one. I couldn’t find inspiration to get the juices flowing. I then remembered a single related phrase I had written in my notebook some time ago with the possibility to use in the future. Well now was its time. It set the ball rolling and ideas started to flow. I still had to work really hard and spent a lot of time revisited lyrics as I wrote them before it all came to together. I’m pleased where I ended up which is a rare thing. I’ve got a song I’m happy to sing out which, for me, is the point of writing them. I hope you enjoy it too. The song is Starboard Lover.
We first met down by the water
On the pull of a shifting tide
Me, adrift in the moment
You cast off and came alongside
I was awash with a passion
Consumed by your beauty and form
I was your starboard lover
You were my port in a storm
Port in a storm, port in a storm.
We slept on a boat in the harbour
Lost in a different world
We watched the sunset horizon
Free spirits with our sails unfurled
We thought that we’d be here together
Until the last of the seabirds had flown
I was your starboard lover
You were my port in a storm
Port in a storm, port in a storm.
Our passage it wasn’t plain sailing
My pipe dreams and your bleeding heart
The boat it started leaking
And then it all broke apart
Like the wreck of Helvetia revealed on the tide
Rough waters caused all the harm
I was your starboard lover
You were my port in a storm
Port in a storm, port in a storm
My port in a storm
I really like this one, I now have a ‘Port in a Storm’ earworm for the next few hours.
Great stuff John. Some really nice unexpected chords coming in and superbly played
That’s was blimmin great John.
Nifty guitar work too, fair do’s 👌😁
Oh this is really good. Well played and sung. I’ve got the port in a storm line stuck in my head now!
Really great accompaniment, and an excellent song, with some memorable phrases. Superb!
Excellent accomplished performance, really like this song
Really enjoyed that, lovely playing cracking lyric and melody.
Lovely strong rhythm. Like this one a lot. Lovely. Very folky which I like!
As I said on YouTube..Wow! What a song! I loved this. Wonderful performance! Strings are singing! 👍🏻
Absolutely brilliant! Lovely performance and singing!
Accomplished chord structure forming a solid foundation for the melody and clever lyrics to sit on. Well played and executed. The song suits the 8-string too.
Very strong crafted lyrics brilliant hook starboard and port very clever.
Good tune and performance too.
You make it look so effortless. A gorgeous sound you’ve crafted, lovely lyrics and superbly performed.
Lovely song and performance. Some interesting chords too. Great.
Wonderful.
Quality throughout. Familiar and surprising at the same time
Has anyone produced the “John Davies Fan Club” tee shirts yet, because I want one for every day of the week? Of course, beautiful vocals & arrangement but they frame this beautiful song. I could listen to it on a loop. Full of the joy of love. Thank you for writing it, John. Xx
I love that the port in a storm happens 3 times, it adds real rhythmic interest. Fabulous guitar playing, and vocal performance.