1. It’s the fifteenth century A time of great discover The Age of Exploration has begun. The Portuguese are in the lead They think their empire will succeed By sailing eastward towards the rising sun. But I’m here to tell you that’s the wrong way Yeah I’m here to tell you that’s the long way. Age of Discovery

2. Sail west Yeah west! Oh west in best Sail west, it can’t be far Japan and China straight ahead And India’s right there, I read. Sail west Yeah west! Oh west is best Sail west, it can’t be far There’s nothing there to block our quest Come on, come on, come on, sail west!

3. Henry sends his sailors forth They first head south and then head north To sail ‘round Africa – so orthodox. Seeking spices, gold, and silk De Gama and folks of his ilk Just cannot seem to think outside the box. It’s time that eastward trip got some correction It’s time to sail the opposite direction.

4. Sail west Yeah west! Oh west is best Sail west, it can’t be far Japan and China straight ahead And India’s right there, I read. Sail west Yeah west! Oh west is best Sail west, it can’t be far There’s nothing there to block our quest Come on, come on, come on, sail west!

5. He Didn’t Know He didn’t know I didn’t know Where he was going Didn’t know just where he was And when he got back home again He didn’t know where he’d been.

6. He didn’t Know I didn’t know What he’d discovered Though he sailed there four times They tell me it’s the New World Is that so? He didn’t know!

7. He thought he’d hit the Indies But something wasn’t right ‘Cause it was the Bahamas A little oversight. He landed next on China Though people now all scoff So what if it was Cuba? That isn’t so far off.

8. He didn’t know I didn’t know What he’d discovered Though he sailed there four times They tell me it’s the New World Is that so? He didn’t know! We didn’t find the spices The gold was missing too The natives were not Asian You’d think I’d get a clue.

9. Nine thousand miles in error Is tricky to explain A million misread islands But I clamed them all for Spain! He didn’t know I didn’t know Where he was going Didn’t know just where he was And when he got back home again He didn’t know where he’d been.

10. He didn’t know I didn’t know What he’d discovered Though he sailed there four times They tell me it’s the New World Is that so? He didn’t know!