Song Meaning
The lyrics paint a picture of a child being lulled to sleep, with a repeated, almost hypnotic "Westward Ho!" acting as a refrain. The initial lines suggest a parent or caregiver trying to soothe a restless child, urging them to "close your eyes and go to sleep, if you can." There's an immediate sense of gentle, perhaps weary, encouragement, aiming for a peaceful transition into slumber.
The core of the piece seems to be the contrast between the child's potential struggle to sleep and the insistent, almost marching call of "Westward Ho!" The phrase is repeated multiple times, creating a sense of journey or movement that might be intended to distract or guide the child's thoughts away from wakefulness. The repetition also lends a slightly unsettling, chant-like quality, as if the command itself is meant to override any resistance.
The recurring geographical references, "Out of Plymouth, on to Plymouth we go" and "Out of Portland, on to Portland we go," are particularly interesting. They create a circular, perhaps even aimless, movement. It’s not a clear destination but a continuous going, a back-and-forth that mirrors the potential restlessness of a child who can't settle. The assertion that the child is "asleep without so much as a tear" feels like a hopeful outcome rather than a guaranteed one, given the earlier plea.
Ultimately, the effectiveness of these lyrics lies in their simple, almost nursery-rhyme structure combined with a subtle undercurrent of something more. The repetition of "Westward Ho!" could be interpreted as a call to adventure, a metaphor for moving on, or simply a rhythmic device to induce sleep. The ambiguity leaves the listener pondering the true nature of this "journey" and whether the child truly finds peace or is merely being carried along by the insistent refrain.
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