'The Mary Ellen Carter' – Stan Rogers

She went down last October in a pouring, driving rain
The skipper he'd been drinking and the mate he felt no pain
Too close to Three Mile Rock and she was dealt her mortal blow
And the Mary Ellen Carter settled low.

There was just us five aboard her when she finally was awash
We'd worked like hell to save her all heedless of the cost
And the groan she gave as she went down, it caused us to proclaim
That the Mary Ellen Carter would rise again.

Well the owners wrote her off, not a nickel would they spend
She gave twenty years of service, boys, then met her sorry end
But insurance paid the loss to us, so let her rest below
Then they laughed at us and said we had to go.

But we talked of her all Winter, some days around the clock
She's worth a quarter million afloat and at the dock
And with every jar that hit the bar we swore we would remain
And make the Mary Ellen Carter rise again.

Rise again! Rise again!
Let her name not be lost to the knowledge of men
Those who loved her best, and were with her 'til the end
Will make the Mary Ellen Carter rise again.

All Spring now we've been with her on a barge lent by a friend
Three dives a day in a hard hat suit and twice I've had the bends
Thank God it's only sixty feet and the currents here are slow
Or I'd never have the strength to go below.

But we patched her rents, stopped her vents, dogged hatch and port hole down
Put cables to her fore and aft and girded her around
Tomorrow, noon, we hit the air and then take up the strain
And make the Mary Ellen Carter rise again.

Rise again! Rise again!
Let her name not be lost to the knowledge of men
Those who loved her best, and were with her 'til the end
Will make the Mary Ellen Carter rise again.

For we couldn't leave her there, you see, to crumble into scale
She saved our lives so many times, living through the gale
And the laughing, drunken rats who left her to a sorry grave
They won't be laughing in another day.

And you to whom adversity has dealt the final blow
With smiling bastards lying to you everywhere you go
Turn to and put out all your strength of arm and heart and brain
And like the Mary Ellen Carter, rise again.

Rise again! Rise again!
Though your heart it be broken and life about to end
No matter what you've lost, be it a home, a love, a friend
Like the Mary Ellen Carter, rise again.

Rise again! Rise again!
Though your heart it be broken and life about to end
No matter what you've lost, be it a home, a love, a friend
Like the Mary Ellen Carter, rise again.

[iafozzac]

This song actually makes me cry. If you're ever on board a ship remember to treat her right, every ship has a soul

[crlchs]

In every era there are storytellers, and more than anything, Stan was a storyteller. An honorable profession - one that he has left his mark in.

[trdsf]

The only thing I don't like about this song is that I can't sing it because I always break down crying in the middle somewhere. Thank you, Stan.

[Wanderingdayo]

Stan I still miss you...34 years later. This is my favorite Stan song.

[lord_azazel]

I hope to find someone I love as much as these men loved their ship.

[HECKproductions]

stan rogers has the wierd ability to make me relate to things i shouldnt find relatable at all
like i never even touched an ship but this sing makes me want to go salvage the mary ellen carter

[figgiepooh]

My father used to play Stan Rogers music when I was a kid..also loved the song Barret's Privateers..brings back memories. Thanks for sharing !

[janetcw]

First heard this song as sung by a group called Kimbers Men.
It made me weep on the day.
It has one of my Uplifters throughout cancer.
Tenth anniversary of diagnosis tomorrow.
Thanks so much for this video.
Kindest Wishes to you, all you love and followers Worldwide Xxx 🙏🏼 ❤️ 🗺️ 🍀 🏴󠁧󠁢󠁳󠁣󠁴󠁿

[folioio]

Had the privilege to hear Liam Clancy and Tommy Makem do this in concert several times — they changed the melody in the chorus slightly, but did it no harm — and it was always a joy. As it is to hear the original. RIP, Stan, Tommy, and Liam.

[docholiday]

Th is song has saved me at several low points since I heard it back in the late 1970s or so. REST IN PEACE, Stan you are still sorely missed by millions.

[lesberkley]

I miss seeing and talking to Stan. However, if you've had the bends twice you better not dive again. Ever. :)

[markhall]

This is the anthem to the resurrection of a good ship and the human spirit:

"And you to whom adversity has dealt the final blow
With smiling bastards lying to you everywhere you go
Turn to and put out all your strength of arm and heart and brain
And like the Mary Ellen Carter, rise again.
Rise again! Rise again!
Though your heart it be broken and life about to end
No matter what you've lost, be it a home, a love, a friend
Like the Mary Ellen Carter, rise again."

[vivat_in_aeternum]

Incredible what this man achieved in only around 5 years of success

[jimcain]

With Ariel Rogers' permission, I've turned Stan Rogers' epic Canadian folk song, The Mary Ellen Carter, and turned it into a 44 chapter novel. Available now at Amazon.com. Rise Again, is the story of the Mary Ellen Carter. Enjoy.

[joncavanaugh]

Died saving passengers on the plane they were all on when it caught fire. His light still shines brightly.

[StephenLuke]

RIP
Stan Rogers
(1949-1983)

A victim of smoke inhalation onboard Air Canada Flight 797 after it safely landed at Cincinnati/Northern Kentucky International Airport, Boone County, Kentucky due to an in-flight fire.

[jchan]

The Chief Mate of the SS Marine Electric credited this song for saving his life. He played the 3rd stanza over and over again to stay awake in freezing weather. He was one of 3 survivors out of a crew of 34. He met Stan Rogers after writing him to tell about what the song meant to him. Stan invited him to attend one of his last concerts. Stan told the mate that he intended to write a song about the Marine Electric. Unfortunately he was unable to write it before his death. ...but the legacy of this song lives on in many other ways. I found it today because of my research on the Marine Electric for instance. Maybe you just learned something new also ^^

[AndyHirt]

'Best version I've heard yet. Hey, if you set of what the owners said with quotation marks, it'll make more sense. So add the two like this:

Well the owners wrote her off, not a nickel would they spend.
"She gave twenty years of service, boys, then met her sorry end.
But insurance paid the loss to us, so let her rest below."
Then they laughed at us and said we had to go.

So the owners laid 'em off too. So the "loss to us" means loss to the owners and not the shipmates. I got confused there a bit otherwise. I'll bet other readers/listeners did too. 'Just a thought...

[awww]

Thank you Stan for the visions and depths of perception you shared with think it was about a three year period of my life where I absorbed it all and it was thrilling!

[Yoshina]

Thank you for this great lyrics video! Only after looking into these lyrics I understood what a beautiful song this really is. It would be great if you did another - the Best of album features lots of other beautiful songs ;)