This week’s challenge for Song Lyric Sunday is a particularly interesting one: we are asked to come up with a song by an artiste or group using the backing of an orchestra or choir.
My personal task was made the harder because, as a general rule, ‘orchestral rock’ is not something I favour or have a particular taste for. To my mind/ears it can be rather overblown and pretentious.
Perhaps that’s because much of it harks back to the seventies – and beyond – genre of ‘progressive rock’, as purveyed by groups which at the time – and therefore now, what with me being set in my ways – I found…well, overblown and pretentious. That’s right, I’m looking at you, Yes; and Genesis too, for that matter.
But a challenge is a challenge and my research, as I laughingly call it, led me to this, the title track of a 1969 Procol Harum album which I really liked at the time. This song was, apparently, the first one for which the group had used the backing of the string section of an orchestra, and in this case It has to be said that it does add an additional layer of drama to the arrangement.
All hands on deck, we’ve run afloat!’ I heard the captain cry
‘Explore the ship, replace the cook: let no one leave alive!’
Across the straits, around the Horn: how far can sailors fly?
A twisted path, our tortured course, and no one left alive
We sailed for parts unknown to man, where ships come home to die
No lofty peak, nor fortress bold, could match our captain’s eye
Upon the seventh seasick day we made our port of call
A sand so white, and sea so blue, no mortal place at all
We fired the gun, and burnt the mast, and rowed from ship to shore
The captain cried, we sailors wept: our tears were tears of joy
Now many moons and many Junes have passed since we made land
A salty dog, this seaman’s log: your witness my own hand
Written by Gary Brooker and Keith Reed
the only deadhead in the hameau 
I had that album too, and really liked it. Good choice for the theme.
A forgotten song from the past, thanks for digging this up.