♫ Ferry Cross The Mersey ♫

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This is the first time I’ve featured a song by the group Gerry and the Pacemakers, in part because I can only think of two songs by them … this one and Don’t Let the Sun Catch You Crying.

Gerry and the Pacemakers were an English beat group prominent in the 1960s. In common with the Beatles, they came from Liverpool, were managed by Brian Epstein, and were recorded by George Martin.  Gerry Marsden formed the group in 1959 with his brother Fred, Les Chadwick, and Arthur McMahon. They rivalled the Beatles early in their career, playing in the same areas of Hamburg and Liverpool.

This song was written by Gerry Marsden and released in late 1964 in the UK and in 1965 in the United States, becoming a hit in both countries, #8 in the UK and #6 in the U.S.

“Mersey” refers to the River Mersey in northwest England, a river that flows into the Irish Sea at Liverpool. The Mersey Ferry runs between Liverpool and Birkenhead and Seacombe on the Wirral.

Ferry Cross The Mersey
Gerry and the Pacemakers

Life goes on day after day
Hearts torn in every way

So ferry ‘cross the Mersey
‘Cause this land’s the place I love
And here I’ll stay

People they rush everywhere
Each with their own secret care
So ferry ‘cross the Mersey
And always take me there
The place I love

People around every corner
They seem to smile and say
We don’t care what your name is boy
We’ll never turn you away

So I’ll continue to say
Here I always will stay

So ferry ‘cross the Mersey’
Cause this land’s the place I love
And here I’ll stay
And here I’ll stay
Here I’ll stay

Source: Musixmatch
Songwriters: Gerard Marsden / U. S. Income Only
Ferry Cross The Mersey lyrics © Pacermusic Ltd.

25 thoughts on “♫ Ferry Cross The Mersey ♫”

  1. Pingback: ♫ Don’t Let The Sun Catch You Crying ♫ | Filosofa's Word

  3. I loved this, it’s played on Mersey ferries even now. We moved to outer Liverpool in 2004 and in 2005 (I think it was) we went to a free outdoor concert in August at the Pier Head. Gerry and the Pacemakers were playing – they played this in the bright sunshine as a ferry came in to dock. Will never forget it. I have a 45 of Don’t Let the Sun Catch You Crying. But for Liverpool arguably his most popular recording was You’ll Never Walk Alone… Anthem of Liverpool FC. I’m not a football fan, but it resonates way beyond that. Of course they played it and we joined in, waving our hands in the air, tears in my eyes. Magical.

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    • Wow! I didn’t know if the Mersey ferry even still ran. That concert sounds just about perfect, with the ferry coming into dock as they sang the song. I don’t think I’ve heard “You’ll Never Walk Alone”, but if I listen to it, I might remember it. ‘Twas many moons ago and my memory is not what it once was! I’m glad to have played a song that brought such great memories! Love ‘n hugs, my dear friend! ❤

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  6. Jill, I have always loved this melancholy song, ideally sung by Gerry and the Pacemakers. There is so much great music within the British Invasion, where Brits reintroduced Americans to rock-n-roll and black American artists that influenced them, but many Americans never heard due to limits of white stations here. Keith.

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    • I’m so glad you liked it. Y’know, I grew up in New York City and San Francisco, so I never realized that some stations refused to play Motown and other music. I grew up on Motown … I guess that’s why I still love it so much.

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      • Jill, one of the reasons Carolinas’ Beach Music was called that as the stations up the coast could be heard there. So, young folks got hear music at the beach, they could not hear inland. Johnny Rivers made a nice living singing his version of Motown songs. We missed out. Keith

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          • Not really, but I grew up about ten miles from the beach. Much of the Beach Music was in the Myrtle Beach extended area, so we would go there after our I moved to Charlotte.

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            • I never cared much for Myrtle Beach, as it was always too crowded, but when I lived in Tennessee, I sometimes drove down to Nags Head and spent a crisp autumn day on the beach there … I found it a good place to clear my head and just enjoy fresh air and nature. But, that was decades ago … I haven’t been to NC since probably the late 1980s.

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    • Glad to have brought happy memories! Yes, time does fly, doesn’t it? Where have the years gone, John? I look in the mirror, and there is some ol’ hag there that I do not recognize! And I think of something that happened a few years back, only to find out it was 50 years ago! Sigh.

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  11. Gerry and the Pacemakers were very popular in Canada. I think “Sun” was their biggest hit, but they did well with others. Round about 66 or 67 they became irrelevant, they missed the boat to protest songs, or other serious music. G&P did bubbly music well, but even the bubblegummers got sick of it. (Or they grew up, lol.)

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