Sailors Song

[Trampshipman]

Sailors Song.

Been home three weeks, money all spent,
real `stony broke` it`s time I went.
Attractions of home getting ever less,
cares of the land starting to press.
Been home three weeks, far too long,
time to be gone “goes the sailors song”.

There she lies, tied hard to a quay,
waiting there for men like me.
Oh they`ll come for sure, men of a kind,
some sad to be gone and some who wont mind.
They`ll sign in this ship and it won`t be long,
`til they`re out and away “to a sailors song”.

We`re for sailing today away to a sea,
leave this shore behind, that`ll do for me.
Away from the land, out on a tide,
outward bound for oceans wide.
We`re for sailing today, it won`t be long,
`til we`re out and away “ to a sailors song”.

“Let go for`ard, let go aft,
time for a sailor to practise his craft.
Pull away from a quay, watch a river go by,
now we`re out and away to a sea and sky.
The land falls astern and we`re rolling along,
riding high and fine ”to a sailors song”.

Ship those derricks stow that gear,
they`re saying we`ll be out for around a year.
In ocean tramps you just never know
how long you`ll be gone or where you`ll go.
If you don`t give a damn then you can`t be wrong.
Take it as it comes “goes the sailors song”.

Gear all stowed, ship battened down.
Time for a joke and time to `clown`.
Sailormen laughing, fooling around,
getting the feel of a ship which is `outward bound`.
The `watches` are set, it`ll not be long,
`fore I`m on the wheel “to a sailors song”.

“Steady as she goes Sir, steering two-seven-one”,
watch that compass, keep her head `right on`.
Been up here a while now, got `the feel`,
when she starts to fall off give her three spokes of wheel.
Oh she`s riding high and she`s pitching long,
and we`re bound far off “to a sailors song”.

Now I`m standing lookout perched up high,
feel alone in a world of sea and sky.
There`s something ahead just `off the bow`,
best ring that bell and ring it now.
Time`s going by and it won`t be long,
`til my relief comes up “with a sailors song”.

Now I`m `watch below` and I`ve done `my spell`.
We`re eight days out and we`re doing well.
The weather`s been fair, the sea`s been kind,
If it keeps like this then I sure won`t mind.
Oh this is the life I love so strong.
“Where else would you be”? says “the sailors song”.


Copyright.
Trampshipman.

Note:- Posted on other sites.

[Keith at Tregenna]

RE: “Where else would you be”? says “the sailors song”.

Thank you.

K.