The Majestic Twelve

Swim Out To The Jetty

The Majestic Twelve


There's a blanket soaked with rum down there 
In the bottom of the boat 
And a tree five hundred yards away 
Wears initials that I wrote 
And that island right there to the north 
Is where I camped when I was young 
J.D., Moose, and Hans, and me 
Fireworks and guns 
And I swim out to the jetty in the middle of the night 
And I scream on top of those big black rocks 
As the sky bursts into light 
So hoist the sails of sunken ships 
And play that dead man's card 
I live here in this great Cape Fear 
In the honor of the guard 
Well, the winds blow off the water 
As I ease back in my chair 
My beer tastes cold as the clouds unfold 
And the rain fills up this air 
Yeah, for centuries my families 
Have fished and worked this land 
And they make me whole 
Their bone and soul in every grain of sand 
And I swim out to the jetty in the middle of the night 
Two hundred years of conquered fears 
To make me watertight 
So I hoist the sails of dead men's ships 
And toast to lives too hard 
'Cause I live here in this great Cape Fear 
In the honor of the guard 
Well, this town, it's growing way too fast 
There's more here everyday 
New Hollywood, Las Vegas, 
Or at least that's what they say 
And the traffic's getting stupid 
And the trees all get cut down 
And me? I pray for hurricanes 
So developers will drown 
And I swim out to the jetty in the middle of the night 
And one day that riptide's gonna fill my lungs 
It's gonna pull me out of sight 
And I'll hoist the sails of Blackbeard's ships 
I'll set course by phosphorous stars 
I live and die right here in this great Cape Fear 
In the honor of the guard