Oh island in the sun   Built to me by my father's hand   All my days I will sing in praise   Of your forest waters, your shining sand      As morning breaks, the Heaven on high   I lift my heavy load to the sky   Sun comes down with a burning glow   Mingles my sweat with the earth below      Oh island in the sun   Built to me by my father's hand   All my days I will sing in praise   Of your forest waters, your shining sand      I see woman on bended knee   Cutting cane for her family   I see man at the water-side   Casting nets at the surfing tide      Oh island in the sun   Built to me by my father's hand   All my days I will sing in praise   Of your forest waters, your shining sand      I hope the day will never come   When I can't awake to the sound of drum   Never let me miss carnival   With calypso songs philosophical      Oh island in the sun   Built to me by my father's hand   All my days I will sing in praise   Of your forest waters, your shining sand