(Verse 1)
(Style: Vocal Chase – lead guitar and keyboards, the sings the song)
Friday morning, the word came down,
Five o'clock departure from Madang town.
To the shopping center, then Biliau gate,
Pack the bags, no time to wait.
(Style: Whisper Chant)
Trucks driving in, trucks driving out...
(Style: Call and Response)
Is the boat here? (The boat is here!)
Did we jump in? (We jumped right in!)
Roaring engines to the Binan Point.
(Chorus)
(Style: Adult Choir with Homophony)
Oh, the harbor hums under the burning sun,
Cargo moving till the work is done.
Wait for the name, wait for the call,
The ship is waiting for us all.
(Style: Open Harmony)
Sailing home, across the blue,
Manus Island, we’re coming to you.
(Verse 2)
(Style: Phrased Unison)
The heat was heavy, the wharf was loud,
Lost in the rhythm of the midday crowd.
Payments settled for the cargo loads,
Coke and biscuits on the dusty roads.
(Style: Question and Answer)
Where is the forklift? (Moving the freight.)
Why are we sitting? (We have to wait.)
(Style: Vocal Fry on the final word)
The long... wait.
[Chorus]
(Style: Adult Choir with Homophony)
Oh, the harbor hums under the burning sun,
Cargo moving till the work is done.
Wait for the name, wait for the call,
The ship is waiting for us all.
(Style: Open Harmony)
Sailing home, across the blue,
Manus Island, we’re coming to you.
(Chorus)
(Stail: Kwaia bilong ol bikpela manmeri wantaim homofoni)
Oh, haba i pairap aninit long bikpela san,
Kago i wok long muv inap long wok i pinis.
Wet long nem, wet long singaut,
Sip i wetim yumi olgeta.
(Stail: Open Harmoni)
Sail i go bek long Manus, abrusim blupela solwara,
Manus Ailan, mipela i kam long yu.
[Verse 3]
(Style: Unison moving into Belting)
The horn blew loud, the sun went down,
Eight-thirty bells, we left the town.
Flares in the sky like Christmas stars,
Leaving behind the trucks and cars.
(Style: Parallel Doubling)
Out past the reef, out past the light,
Into the silence of the blackest night.
(Style: Vocal Chorus – humming softly)
Quiet on the deck, watching the waves,
Monitoring the waves that lead us home.
[Final Chorus]
(Style: Adult Choir with Full Harmonies)
Oh, the harbor hums under the burning sun,
Kago i wok long muv inap long wok i pinis.
Wet long names, wait long singaut,
Sip i wetim yumi olgeta.
(Stail: Open Harmony i wok long pinis i go long wanpela tok isi)
Seling i go bek long haus, abrusim blu...
Manus Ailan...
Across the dark sea, mi lusim yu Madang town, yu nicepla ples, nicepla people.
ooooooo......oooooo......oooooo. [fade music]
