▁as ▁a ▁buffer : ▁depending ▁on ▁when ▁the ▁final ▁programme ▁before ▁closed own ▁finish es , ▁" S ail ing ▁By " ▁( or ▁part ▁of ▁it ) ▁is ▁played ▁as ▁a ▁" f iller " ▁as ▁the ▁forec ast ▁starts ▁at ▁ 0 0 : 4 8 hr s ▁precisely . ▁ ▁In ▁the ▁ 1 9 9 0 s ▁the ▁t une ▁was ▁also ▁adopted ▁for ▁the ▁week ly ▁mar itime ▁programme ▁Se as cap es ▁on ▁Ireland ' s ▁R T É ▁Radio ▁ 1 , ▁ce asing ▁at ▁the ▁end ▁of ▁ 2 0 0 9 . ▁ ▁Popular ity ▁Besides ▁its ▁intended ▁function , ▁" S ail ing ▁By " ▁is ▁thought ▁of ▁affection ately ▁by ▁many ▁British ▁radio ▁listen ers ▁as ▁it ▁is ▁considered ▁a ▁so othing ▁accompan iment ▁to ▁bed time . ▁The ▁lead ▁singer ▁of ▁the ▁Brit pop ▁band ▁P ulp , ▁Jar vis ▁C ocker , ▁chose ▁" S ail ing ▁By " ▁as ▁one ▁of ▁his ▁Des ert ▁Island ▁Dis cs , ▁saying ▁for ▁many ▁years ▁he ▁had ▁used ▁it ▁" as ▁an ▁aid ▁to ▁rest ful ▁sleep ". ▁ ▁The ▁BBC ▁issued ▁it ▁as ▁a ▁single ▁in ▁ 1 9 7 3 ▁on ▁its ▁own ▁BBC ▁Records ▁label , ▁played ▁by ▁the ▁John ▁Fox ▁Orchestra . ▁ ▁The ▁piece ▁appeared ▁on ▁a ▁single ▁recorded ▁by ▁the ▁Royal ▁Bal let ▁S inf onia ▁in ▁a ▁quest ▁to ▁save ▁the ▁" Radio ▁ 4 ▁UK ▁Th eme ". ▁In ▁ 1 9 9 3