Sailor's Rivals

Me Dad was workin’ with the sea from nineteen thirty four.
’E died when I was just turned three. Torpedoed in the war.
I can’t say’s I remember ought. Me Mam still says she can
An’ keep’s ’is photos lyin’ about: “Our Jenny, love from Dan.”

I think ’e only saw me twice before ’e went below.
’Is death come as an ’eavy price to the son ’e’d never know.
But if e’d still been livin’ on an’ sailing all ’is life.
’E’d not ‘ave known ‘is only son. Nor would ‘e know ‘is wife.

An’ still today the life’s the same for those with kids, at sea.
Me nipper said when last I came ’e don’t remember me!
Me daughter, just turned seven now, a smashin’ little piece,
She acts around me more like ’ow she would were she my niece.

The wife, she’s like their Mam and Dad, and takes on all that stress.
When I comes ’ome me little lad just ’ides be’ind ’er dress.
Me daughter looks down at ’er toes an’ shakes me by the ‘and.
Inside I’m sure she really knows but doesn’t understand.

So ask me why I’m going ’ome an’ jackin’ in this life.
I’m tired o’ bein’ on me own. I wants to know me wife.
I want’s to give the kids the time to know me as their Dad,
So they can’t one day say that I’m the one they never ‘ad.

I wants to ’elp ’em fly their kite. I wants to dry their eyes,
An’ elp ’em get their ’ome-work right, correct ‘em when they lies.
I wants to sleep beside me wife an’ share the parent’s load.
I wants a proper fam’ly life. The kind I never knowed.

So there’s the reason’s I’m away an’ startin’ life ashore.
An’ soon as I can get me pay you’ll not see me no more!
But don’t go thinking goin’s gonna ’appen easily,
’Cos all the time I’m knowin’ that I’m gonna miss the sea.

Been in me veins for far too long to make an easy break.
An’ could be that I’m doin’ wrong. A chance I ’ave to take.
’Cos when you got a family an’ love the sea, you’re cursed.
This ocean’s got a claim on me. But me wife an’ kids comes first.