"A Life on the Ocean Wave" is a poem-turned-song by Epes Sargent published in 1838 and set to music by Henry Russell. It is the iconic Regimental March of His Majesty's

Royal Marines The Corps of Royal Marines (RM), also known as the Royal Marines Commandos, are the UK's special operations capable commando force, amphibious light infantry and also one of the five fighting arms of the Royal Navy. The Corps of Royal Marine ...

Origin of the poem and song

One day Sargent was walking on The Battery in

New York City New York, often called New York City or NYC, is the List of United States cities by population, most populous city in the United States. With a 2020 population of 8,804,190 distributed over , New York City is also the L ...

watching the ships enter the harbour. This scene inspired Sargent to write a poem, which Russell later put to music. The song soon became popular in both the

United Kingdom The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland, commonly known as the United Kingdom (UK) or Britain, is a country in Europe, off the north-western coast of the continental mainland. It comprises England, Scotland, Wales and North ...

and the

United States The United States of America (U.S.A. or USA), commonly known as the United States (U.S. or US) or America, is a country primarily located in North America. It consists of 50 states, a federal district, five major unincorporated territorie ...

Lyrics

History of cultural uses of the song

At an 1851 celebration in Salem, Massachusetts, the Boston Cadet Band gave the new clipper ship '' Witch of the Wave'' a lively sendoff by striking up "A Life on the Ocean Wave" as the SS ''R. B. Forbes'' towed the new clipper out to set sail for Boston. The tune, slightly altered, provides the music for the Latter-day Saint hymn "Who's On The Lord's Side?""Who's On The Lord's Side?" (Hymn 260)
''Hymns of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints'', 1985.

References

External links

Thurl Ravenscroft-- ''Life On The Ocean Waves''
Video with music and pictures

Sound clip and links to sheet music, as featured in the Laura Ingalls Wilder book

By the Shores of Silver Lake ''By the Shores of Silver Lake'' is an autobiographical children's novel written by Laura Ingalls Wilder and published in 1939, the fifth of nine books in her Little House series. It spans just over one year, beginning when she is 12 years old ...

{{DEFAULTSORT:Life On The Ocean Wave, A British military marches Royal Marines Royal Marines Band Service 1838 songs Songs with music by Henry Russell (musician) Songs based on poems