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Dawson's Christian
by Duane Elms, additional lyrics by Jordin Kare

      Vocal, Djembe: Michelle Dockrey
      Guitar: Tony Fabris
      Cellos: Betsy Tinney
      Violins: Sunnie Larsen

Jayme Dawson was the Captain of the Christian and her crew
And he flew and fought the Christian in the War of '82
Now the Christian was the finest ship 'tween here and Charlemagne
And the crew of Jayme Dawson was the same

On patrol in sector seven, keeping watch on Barber's sun
They were jumped by three light cruisers though they were no match for one
As they came to general quarters and they sent out the alarm
Jayme must have known they'd finally bought the farm

Now they say that Jayme Dawson was no man to cut and run
And they say that when he fought he had the fury of a sun
But they say he made his bargain with some power of the night
That he sold his soul to win his final fight

No one living saw that battle though the fleet was quick to leave
But at the site they found a scene no sane man would believe
Three light cruisers cut to ribbons, wreckage scattered all around
But no trace of Dawson's Christian could be found

There are stories of the Dutchman, the Celeste and Barnham's Pride
There are stories of the Horseman and the Lady at his side
But the tale that makes my blood run cold, the more because it's true
Is the tale of Jayme Dawson and his crew
Yes, the tale of Dawson's Christian and her crew

I was second mate on Hera's Dream, a freighter of the line
Running loads of precious metals to the colony on Nine
I was standing second watch of that most uneventful flight
When the pirate ships appeared out of the night

Well I thought our fate was settled, for they had us four to one
And you can't fight bloody pirates when your freighter has no gun
So we stood by to be boarded by a party yet unseen
When another ship appeared upon our screen

First I thought she was a pirate, but the vector was all wrong
Then I thought the fleet had found us, but the signal wasn't strong
And our hailing brought no answer, and I felt a sudden dread
For the stranger's shields were up and glowing red

Now the courage of that single ship is shown by very few
And I thought none but a madman would fly her as she flew
She was outgunned, she was outnumbered, but a cheer came from our lips
When she swung to fire on the pirate ships

And the stranger's beams burned brighter than all beams I'd seen before
And the stranger's shields were harder than the heart of any whore
And the battle rent the ether, as we watched and shook our heads
Four pirate ships she cut to bloody shreds
Four pirate ships were cut to bloody shreds

Just as quickly as it started then the fighting was all done
For the pirate ships were shattered and the stranger's ship had won
She matched v and lay beside us, and we watched her full of awe
Then she dropped her shields and this is what we saw

There were thirty holes clear through her and a gash along one side
And we knew that when it happened, every soul on board had died
Then she rolled to show her markings, and we read them and we knew
The fate of Jayme Dawson and his crew
She was the Christian... and a grave for all her crew

Then she turned as if to leave us, but instead began to fade
First her hull, and then her bulkheads, as we trembled there afraid
But there are twenty men who'll swear with me, the last to slip from view
Were the bones of Jayme Dawson and his crew
Dead white bones of Jayme Dawson and his crew

There are stories of the Dutchman, the Celeste and Barnham's Pride
There are stories of the Horseman and the Lady at his side
But the tale that makes my blood run cold, 'cause I know that it's true
Is the tale of Jayme Dawson and his crew
Yes, the tale of Dawson's Christian and her crew
They're out there... Jayme Dawson and his crew!

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