‘Ship of Fools’ (subtitled ‘Save Me from Tomorrow’) is a rock song by World Party released as a second single from the 1987 debut album Private Revolution. It was written and produced by singer and multi-instrumentalist Karl Wallinger, formerly of The Waterboys. Wallinger was the sole member of World Party at the time of release. It was World Party's sole Billboard Top 40 single, debuting on that chart on 4 April 1987 and peaking at number 27. It also reached no. 42 on the UK singles chart, no. 5 on the Billboard Mainstream Rock chart, and no. 4 on the Australian Music Report chart.
By the time this single was released, Margaret Thatcher was serving her seventh year as British Prime Minister. Her controversial right-wing policies (as well as President Ronald Reagan's across the pond) inspired a discography of outrage from various Brits including Elvis Costello with the bitter diatribe ‘Tramp The Dirt Down’ and Morrissey with the blatant ‘Margaret on the Guillotine.’ Karl Wallinger, formerly of The Waterboys, chimed in with World Party's ‘Ship of Fools.’ He doesn't explicitly mention Thatcher, but warns that the rampant materialism of the era will backfire on the greedy, as well as the poor souls along for the ride on the Ship of Fools.
Aside from social and economic effects, Wallinger is particularly concerned with the environmental consequences of plundering the earth of its precious resources. He predicts, "Avarice and greed are gonna drive you over the endless sea." When asked about the prophetic tune in 2012, he said, "I wasn't trying to be ahead of the curve, I was just writing about things that seemed obvious at the time. We still haven't done anything about it. I can't get my head around the stupidity of materialism."
Owing to its environmentalist lyrics and content, the song has also been included on over a dozen compilations, including Greenpeace's Rainbow Warriors compilation. World Party performed ‘Ship Of Fools’ on one of the last editions of "Whistle Test", recorded at BBC Cymru Wales's Studio C1, in Cardiff. They were a last-minute replacement for The Smiths, who pulled out following the death of Morrissey’s grandmother.
Label – Chrysalis Records
Songwriter – Karl Wallinger
Producer – Karl Wallinger
SONG LYRICS
[Verse 1]We're setting sail
To the place on the map from which no one has ever returned
Drawn by the promise of the joker and the fool
By the light of the crosses that burn
Drawn by the promise of the women and the lace
And the gold and the cotton and pearls
It's the place where they keep all the darkness you need
You sail away from the light of the world on this trip baby
[Pre-Chorus]
Pay, you will pay tomorrow
You're gonna pay tomorrow
You will pay tomorrow
[Chorus]
Save me, save me from tomorrow
I don't want to sail with this ship of fools, no no
Oh, save me, save me from tomorrow
I don't want to sail with this ship of fools, no no
[Post-Chorus]
I want to run and hide
Right now
[Verse 2]
Avarice and greed are gonna drive you over the endless sea
They will leave you drifting in the shallows
Drowning in the oceans of history
Travellin' the world, you're in search of no good
But I'm sure you'll build your Sodom like I knew you would
Using all the good people for your galley slaves
As your little boat struggles through the the warning waves
[Pre-Chorus]
But you will pay, you will pay tomorrow
You're gonna pay tomorrow
You gonna pay tomorrow
[Chorus]
Save me, save me from tomorrow
I don't want to sail with this ship of fools, no
Oh, save me, save me from tomorrow
I don't want to sail with this ship of fools, no
[Post-Chorus]
Where's it comin' from or where's it goin' to?
It's just a, it's just a ship of fools
[Outro]
All aboard