The sailor is from an illustration by Veronica Whall,
from Sea Songs and Shanties, by Captain W. B. Whall,
published by Brown, Son & Ferguson, Glasgow, UK, 1927, p. 20.
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The sailor is from an illustration by Veronica Whall,
from Sea Songs and Shanties, by Captain W. B. Whall,
published by Brown, Son & Ferguson, Glasgow, UK, 1927, p. 20.
Chorus:
Oh, a sailor's life's a dog's life, an' that's the truth," says Bill;
"A sailor's life's a dog's life, look at it like you will;
You break your back a-workin' for half a coolie's pay,
And a sailor's life's a dog's life, look at it like you may.
There's mates to kick an' haze you (an' you dares not hit ‘em back);
There's cold to freeze your innards an' there's heat to burn you black;
There's junk as tough as green heart an’ weevils in the bread,
An' you’re fistin' frozen canvas till you're wishin' you was dead.
But you bet I'm gonna leave it, nex' time I jump ashore;
When I see old 'Frisco, you won't see me anymore;
I'll set my course southwestward to an island as I know,
As we lay there loadin' copra - maybe twenty years ago.
"And, a sailor's life's a dog's life, an' that's the truth," says Bill;
"A sailor's life's a dog's life, look at it like you will;
You break your back a-workin' for half a coolie's pay,
And a sailor's life's a dog's life, look at it like you may.
I'll lay out on the beach there, where the sun is good an' hot,
And I won't need no trousers, when I wore out what I got;
With a gunny round me middle, and a soul to call me own
I wouldn't trade me fortune to be King upon a throne."
But when we finish loading and the sailing time comes round,
With the pilot boat alongside and the mudhook off the ground,
And the towboat cast the hawser off and leaves us with a cheer,
Why, there be Bill a-growling as he's done for twenty years.
"And, a sailor's life's a dog's life, an' that's the truth," says Bill;
"A sailor's life's a dog's life, look at it like you will;
You break your back a-workin' for half a coolie's pay,
And a sailor's life's a dog's life, look at it like you may.
A sailor's life's a dog's life, look at it how you may!
From Sailor's Delight,
edited by Cicely Fox Smith, published by
Methuen & Co., London, UK, ©1931, pp. 37-39.
"Oh, a sailor's life's a dog's life, an' that's the truth," says Bill,
"A sailor's life's a dog's life, look at it 'ow you will;
You break your back with workin' for 'arf a coolie's pay,
An' a sailor's life's a dog's life, look at it 'ow you may."
"There's mates to kick an' 'aze you (an' you dursen't 'it 'em back);
There's cold to freeze your innards an' there's 'eat as burns you black;
There's junk as tough as green 'eart an’ weevils in the bread,
An' fistin' frozen canvas till you're wishin' you were dead."
"But you bet I'm goin' to quit it, nex' time I jump ashore;
As soon as I strike ol' 'Frisco, you won't see me no more;
I'll set a course sou'westward to an island as I know,
Where we laid once loadin' copra – might be twenty year ago."
"I'll lay out on the beach there, where the sun is good an' 'ot,
An' I won't need no more trousis, when I've wore out them I've got;
With a gunny round my middle, an' a soul to call my own
I wouldn't change my fortune for the King's upon 'is throne."
But when we'd finished loading and sailing day came round,
With the pilot-boat alongside and the mudhook off the ground,
And the towboat cast the hawser off and left us with a cheer,
Why, there'd be Bill a-growling as he'd done for twenty year.
"Oh a sailor's life's a dog's life, an' that's a fact, my son;
'Is pay's no more'n a coolie's, 'is work is never done;
But you bet I'm goin' to quit it fust chance as comes my way,
For a sailor's life's a dog's life, look at it 'ow you may."