Fathoms Above

A rewording of "Fathoms Below" from "The Little Mermaid" for SinaiMUCK.
Rewording done by Jennifer Sarantites (SinaiMUCK Buran - buran@type2.com)

Music by Alan Menken, original lyrics by Howard Ashman.

This was written from a pre-final version of the song (from the four-CD 
set "The Music Behind the Magic.") The final from the film was 
significantly shorter. In addition, not all of the dialogue (from the film) 
is presented or adapted here. Anyone illustrating the story is welcome to 
add some...

Directions for anyone who wishes to animate this (QuickTime movie, anyone?) 
are provided.

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{Instrumental. The camera passes various puffy white clouds and the sky 
darkens in hue as we climb. An airship is visible in the background. The 
camera approaches it. Figures become discernible: some in the rigging, one 
on the bow - obviously a lookout - a few officers, and a helmsman at the 
wheel near the stern. As we get closer, we can hear voices ...)

(All)
   Heave-ho, heave-ho, heave-ho, heave-ho

{Crew)
   I'll tell you a tale of airships and the sky
   And it's hey to the starboard, heave-ho
   Let out the sails, to Rephidim we're headin'
   As fast as the easterlies blow
   
(All)
   Heave-ho, heave-ho
   
{The camera swings aft to a fur in an officer's uniform standing on the 
poop deck near the helm.}

(Airship Captain)
   I'll sing you a song of the bluest of skies
   And it's hey to the starboard, heave-ho
   The best day there was for an airship to fly
   Over the beautiful farmland below

{View over the railing of clouds, horizon, and the sky - stars are just 
becoming visible after sunset.}

(All Crew)   
   We're so far above, above
   Far from the troubles so many speak of
   Where clouds are so white and so dark is the night
   As westerly, westerly we go
   
{Camera rotates around to focus on two travellers - obviously not part of 
the crew, and looking uncertain. We now look at them as a third person 
might, listening to their conversation. In the background, rigging creaks.}   

(Traveller #1)
   [Enthusiastically] Isn't this great?

(Traveller #2)
   [Sarcastically] Yes, delightful.

(Traveller #1)
   The millions of stars? The wind blowing in your face? I love it!

(Traveller #2)
   [Astounded] You love it? I'm about to heave-ho myself.
   [Shudders, then hurries to the rail.]

{As they turn to look aft at the helm, we get closer to him, panning past 
the captain. We hear his voice.}

(Helmsman)
   I'll tell you a tale of the skies of the world
   And it's hey to the starboard, heave-ho
   Look out lad, duck as the sails are refurled
   As close to the Sky Island we go
   
{Dramatic camera pullout, then a pan around the airship to the bow. As the 
lookout catches sight of something in the background, the ship bobs up and 
down a bit. The lookout points, then turns to shout aft to the officers.}

(Lookout)
   Rephidim's air-docks we approach now
   So it's now time to pull in the sails
   
{Pullout. We see crew scurrying to pulleys, into the rigging, etc. The 
sails are drawn in to their landing configuration, and only a few small 
sails and momentum provide propulsion.}

   I'm telling you, lads, there's work now to be had
   As down we dive, rock to and fro
   
{The airship releases some of its lift gas and begins to descend. We look 
down, the camera focusing past the airship - now a blur in the foreground - 
at the waiting dock and dockhands ready to tie the ship fast when they can 
grab its landing lines. Since it is sunset, the city is lit by lights in 
the buildings and many more at the actual airship-port.}

(All Crew)
   Hold on, good luck! As down we go
   As closer we come to the port of the sky
   And it's hey to the starboard, heave-ho
   Beware of the city and the people you meet
   They're unlike any who live below
 
{Our cameraman apparently loses interest in the now-landed airship, and the 
camera pans out over the city as the picture fades to black. slowly. An 
instrumental fadeout plays.}