"The Main, the Main, the Flowing Main" (1844)
A Favorite Song as sung by Mr. Henry Russell
Words by Henry John Sharpe, Esq.
The music composed and, dedicated to
Hamilton Smith, Esq.,
by Henry Russell, 1812-1900

Cincinnati, OH: W. C. Peters & Co.
Louisville, KY: Peters & Webster
St. Louis, MO: Peters & Field
[Source: 182/038@Levy]

1.
The main, the main, the flowing main,
Where proudly rides Columbia's fleet;
The main, the main is Freedom's strain,
Let ev'ry voice the lay repeat:

Where proudly rides Columbia's fleet;
The main, the main is Freedom's strain,
Let ev'ry voice the lay repeat:

The curling seas, with fresh'ning breeze,
Roll playful onward to the shore,
How sweet the scene, when all serene
How direful, when the billows roar.

CHORUS
The main, the main, the spark'ling main,
Where proudly rides Columbia's fleet;
The main, the main is Freedom's strain.
Let ev'ry tongue the lay repeat.

2.
From depths profound, the waves resound,
And murm'ring music fills the air;
What with delight, the prospect bright
Invites the Mariner to share:

And murm'ring music fills the air;
With what delight, the prospect bright
Invites the Mariner to share:

The feather'd oar, puts out from shore,
And swiftly o'er the water glides;
The swelling sail, herds not the gale,
But safely through the tempest rides.

CHORUS
The main, the main, the dark blue main,
Where proudly rides Columbia's fleet;
The main, the main is Freedom's strain,
Let ev'ry voice the lay repeat.


3.
That noble bark, with wander mark,
Emerging from a wat'ry cave --
Now toss'd on high, it braves the sky,
A feather on the mighty wave --

Emerging from a wat'ry cave --
Now toss'd on high, it braves the sky,
A feather on the mighty wave --

The tempests cease, and hush'd to peace
The baffling surges aoon are spread
As nature sleeps, old Neptune leaps
Triumphant from his liquid bed.

CHORUS
The main, the main, the spark'ling main,
Where proudly rides Columbia's fleet;
The main, the main is Freedom's strain.
Let ev'ry tongue the lay repeat.