It was spring of 1890 Thomas Livingston had built a new machine And he planned to see the world Flying everywhere to places yet unseen
When the day to set sail finally arrived He hugged his son and he kissed his wife And set off on the journey through the sky
And the first few months went just as planned They were leaving Rome for Amsterdam When a pirate vessel caught them by surprise
Well, panic broke out On that ship Cannons fired and bullets ripped Though Thomas stood firm In the fight, He feared he'd have to write:
"Dear Michelle, I won't be coming home I'm drifting out across the clouds Into the great unknown
"There's no way I'll ever make it back It's vast out here, and I have veered So very far off track
"Please look after Jim And take good care of him Oh, Michelle, I know you will raise him well
"I wish I could return But now you'll have to learn To carry on when your family man is gone"
As the pirates waged their war Thomas tried to fight and counter their attacks But the fiends had them outnumbered And a gunman shot his first mate in the back
Well they picked off his men, one by one There was nothing they could do, and there was nowhere to run And it wouldn't be long 'til the scoundrels shot them all
Then with one final blast that shook the ship Thomas Livingston's vessel took a critical hit And down his mighty craft began to fall
And Thomas then thought of his miss He couldn't let her know he went down like this He wrote a letter to Michelle, As down his airship fell:
"Dear Michelle, I won't be coming home I'm drifting out across the clouds Into the great unknown
"There's no way I'll ever make it back It's vast out here, and I have veered So very far off track
"Please look after Jim And take good care of him Oh Michelle, I know you will raise him well
"I wish I could return But now you'll have to learn To carry on when your family man is gone
"Please look after Jim And take good care of him Oh Michelle, I know you will raise him well
"I wish I could return But now you'll have to learn To carry on when your family man is gone"