Lyrics

1. In its first voyage from England
left a grand ship
All watched with amazement
as it was so impressive.

2. The ship loosened from the wharf,
the machines were puffing oddly,
almost the men who were travelling
were filled with cheer.

3. The ship then raced the sea,
raced good speed.
Wanted to get a record,
that could not be matched.

4. It was a beautiful, still night,
The sky was blinking in stars.
In the saloons of Titanic
one could hear dance’s stomp.

5. Money-rich fine gentlemen
were tasting champagne.
Even the ship’s men already
were tasting strong liquors.

6. All was fearless
like in a gazebo.
No-one could expect
that death was lurking.

7. Now they had heard that
there are some ices wandering.
Other ships to Titanic
from it soon reported.

8. Too late they noticed
an iceberg ahead,
that was swimming freely
in the Atlantic’s water.

9. The ship’s speed they tried
with those big machines,
but it slashed forward
with the ship’s own speed.

10. So the giant ship
collided with the icy mountain.
From the bow the middle wall
the steel wall tore apart.

11. A massive panic was born
many men got furious.
Others pushed each other,
others already swam in the sea.

12. The boats there are too few,
everyone does not fit into them.
Pain, distress and panic
already took the patience of many.

13. There a many millionaires
promised big sums,
but they could not transform their money
to the harder sea’s surface.

14. From the night, from the surges of the ocean
panic cries are ringing to ears.
The drowning are crying there,
wailing and whining.

14. Who knows how to portray
the gloomy night of horrors,
who the pains to lament,
who the wails these.

16. The lights of the Titanic sank
to the sea row by one,
the orchestra plays the hymn,
begs for mercy from the Lord. 

17. Finally the lights of hope are blinking
rockets are also already fired
when the morning comes, also the Carpathia
hastens its help.

18. Over six hundred people
Vellamo* took with her.
As for seven hundred
there is still life.

19. To what does human intelligence extend to,
to what tight steels,
in front of grand forces of nature
all ideologies are broken.

20. This big accident
makes us think,
that wisdom still
is needed to the human heart.

Source: Asplund 1994, pp. 776-778.
Collector: Senni Timonen.
Year: 1967.

*Vellamo is from Finnish mythology, the goddess of the sea.