Sailing to Alaska

The fish are few along the coast of Sweden
Boats are all pulled up along the shore
The crop has failed again, the cellar’s empty
Starvation stares us in the face once more
But stories fly to us across the ocean
Of rivers where the fish are thick as sand
I will leave the house I was born in
To seek my fortune in a foreign land

We are sailing, sailing
Sailing to Alaska
We are sailing, sailing
We are sailing to Bristol Bay

I will find a woman there to marry
We will build a cabin on the land
With God’s grace, we’ll give each other children
Raise them up the very best we can
We will find a boat to buy or borrow
I will haul the nets in with my wife
I will no longer speak my language
But I will dream in Swedish all my life

We are sailing, sailing
Sailing to Alaska
We are sailing, sailing
We are sailing to Bristol Bay