The Lights of Lampedusa

by The Hardy Perennials

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about

A ballad charting the journey of an 18 year old female migrant from Eritrea, attempting to get to Europe.

lyrics

I was a girl of eighteen, I was so much older
Was the journey rough, the journey far?
From the Eritrean border through the Sahara
What those men did I still wear the scars

Me and my friend Kizmet, we got to Libya
Found a boat each for a thousand pounds
Packed like sardines across the Mediterranean
Smell of diesel and the spluttering engine sounds

There lie the lights of Lampedusa
A voice it rose up from the crew
Huddled in blankets early October
We dreamed of a better life than the one we knew

The captain he cut the engine
Wait for the Guarda Coastiera to arrive
But people saw water flooding in
And they cried out in horror and surprise

The captain couldn't restart the engine
Lit a fire to alert the shore
The fire spread and we ran to the starboard side
The boat overturned and we were overboard

There lie the lights of Lampedusa
A voice it rose up from the crew
Huddled in blankets early October
We dreamed of a better life than the one we knew

They buried the dead in Sicily
Invited the dictators we'd fled to attend
While we sit in detention centres
Unable to mourn our family our friends

And they say go back go back to where you came from
Well I'm no devil but I sure fled hell
When your life's a playing card it's a fifty, fifty chance
You'll take your chances and you'll take them well

There lie the lights of Lampedusa
A voice it rose up from the crew
Huddled in blankets early October
We dreamed of a better life than the one we knew

credits

released June 16, 2018
Lyrics and music - Joe Harvey
Guitar and vocal - Joe Harvey
Guitar and whistle - Neil Hamlin
Fiddle - Pam Grieve Russell
Bass - Harry Mack

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Joe Harvey And The Hardy Perennials England, UK

The Hardy Perennials are a four-piece folk band based in Essex, headed by songwriter Joe Harvey. Initially performing Thomas Hardy poems set to simple folk melodies, the group have gone on to write their own material and perform at a range of local venues and folk festivals in Essex. ... more

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