Lyrics:Mariner's Glee [Version (a)]:
O! Who can tell that never sailed among the glassy seas
How fresh and welcome breaks the morn that ushers in a breeze
"Fair wind! Fair wind!" a-low, a-loft all hands delight to cry
As leaping through the parted waves, the good ship makes reply
While fore and aft, all staunch and tight, she spreads her canvass wide
The Captain walks his realm, the deck, with more than monarch's pride
For well he knows the seabird's wings, so swift and sure today
Will waft him many a league to night in triumph on his way
Then welcome to the rushing blast that stirs the waters now
Ye white plum'd heralds of the deep, make music round her prow!
Good sea room in the roaring gale, let stormy trumpets blow
But chain ten thousand fathoms down, the sluggish calm below
The Song:In order for it to feel more authentic, Beck filled out his
Song Reader book with fragments of songs and melodies, as well as fictional album collections and made-up song titles. "Mariner's Glee" is listed as part of the collection of manly hymns,
Hymns For Him.
While a lot of the songs on
Hymns are made-up, some are references to older sheet music/songs. Indeed, "The Mariners' Glee" is a song from 1851. (There is also an 1882 song of the same name by John Rohde.)
(I've also seen reference to a sea-song of the name from 1609, but I think Beck was sticking to sheet music on these things.)