Whilst admiring the tune I have always had trouble with its lyrics. My working life as written elsewhere in these webpages has been Mostly at Sea. The words "to be near you to be free" are/were the problem. Generally, I only ever felt free at sea - the sea was my home! Even after returning on R38 HMS Victorious [aka The Mighty Vic] after yonks in the Far Flung on her final voyage to face my imminent departure from the Andrew to civilian life I experienced intense sadness. Whilst my fellow petty officers in 23 Mess were looking forward to being with their loved ones again I was a lonely figure at tot time wishing to be back at sea again.
Now shortly before entering my ninth decade of avoiding the grim reaper not too much has changed. Now a global traveler as a shape note and folklore singer, I love and fully enjoy traveling away to somewhere and really hate returning to base wherever that might be.
Well having written all above it came to pass in 2006 that I would sing the bass part of an arrangement by Carsten Gerlitz of Gavin Sutherland's Sailing as a member of Die Zeitlupe.
The arrangement can be found in 4 Voices published by Edition Helbling.

Lyrics