The year was 21 and 9
Oh, the waters did rise
When Commodore X mustered pilots and mechs
To fly from the Freeholds of New Halifax
The coastal towns had long since drowned
Oh, the waters did rise
He unrolled a map to an island chain
Where church bells still rang over the main
The Wing Commander sang
Roll, pitch
Pitch, boys, roll
Which of you bastards will hold?
Roll and yaw left
Pitch and yaw right
And God save the fools on the flight for Old Brunswick
The fools in the fleet on the flight for Old Brunswick
We misfits met at the Aerodrome
Oh, the waters did rise
In twelve makeshift biplanes of canvas and brass
Four sorry-ass wings for each sorry ass
At dawn we launched from the floating docks
Oh, the waters did rise
No sooner had we breached the Shoals of Dundee
Then corsairs appeared at the lee
The Wing Commander sang
Roll, pitch
Pitch, boys, roll
Which of you bastards will hold?
Roll and yaw left
Pitch and yaw right
And God save the fools on the flight for Old Brunswick
The fools in the fleet on the flight for Old Brunswick
They bore no colors, flew no flag
Oh the waters did rise
Their tracers raked across the sun
And plucked us like crows from the sky one by one
As comrades spiraled down in smoke
Oh, the waters did rise
My canvas torn, my spars near-felled
But somehow the fuselage held
The Wing Commander sang
Roll, pitch
Pitch, boys, roll
Which of you bastards will hold?
Roll and yaw left
Pitch and yaw right
And God save the fools on the flight for Old Brunswick
The fools in the fleet on the flight for Old Brunswick
Soon down to three, with storms ahead
Oh the waters did rise
Straight through the frozen gale we fled
And the picaroons turned, leaving us for dead
My rivets shook, my compass spun
Oh, the waters did rise
When from the squall I at last broke free
My shadow was the last upon the sea
And still I heard him sing
Roll, pitch
Pitch, boys, roll
Which of you bastards will hold?
Roll and yaw left
Pitch and yaw right
And God save the fools on the flight for Old Brunswick
The fools in the fleet on the flight for Old Brunswick
Next morning I reached the charted shores
Oh, the waters did rise
But there was no dry land as foretold
We’d trusted a map near a hundred years old
The needle dancing on the E
Oh, the waters did rise
And as my old machine succumbs
I hear a voice come crackling through the comms
A ghostly voice that sings
Roll, pitch
Pitch, boys, roll
Which of you bastards will hold?
Roll and yaw left
Pitch and yaw right
And God save the fools on the flight for Old Brunswick
The fools in the fleet on the flight for Old Brunswick
Jonathan Barron - lead vocals
Forrest Heijkal - additional vocals
Copyright 2026 Zach London