Paddy Lay Back
'T was a cold and dreary morning in December (December)
All of me money, it was spent, (Spent, spent)
Where it went to, Lord, I can't remember (Remember)
So down to the shipping office I went (Went, went!)
Chorus
Paddy lay back, (Paddy lay back!)
Take in the slack, (Take in the slack)
Take a turn around the capstan, Heave a pawl! (Heave a pawl!)
About ship's stations, boys, be handy (Be handy!)
We're bound for Valipariso 'round the Horn!
That day there was a great demand for sailors,
For the colonies, for 'Frisco and for France.
So I shipped aboard a limey barque, the Hotspur,
An' got paralytic drunk on my advance.
Now some of our fellers had been drinkin',
An' I meself was heavy on the booze.
An' I was on me ol' sea-chest a' thinkin'
I'd turn into me bunk an' have a snooze.
I woke up in the mornin' sick an' sore,
I knew I was outward bound again;
I hears a voice a-bawlin' at the door,
Lay aft, ye sods, an' answer to yer names."
'Twas on the quarterdeck where I first saw 'em.
Such an ugly bunch I never seen before,
For there was a bum and stiff from every quarter,
An' it made me poor ol' heart feel sick and sore.
There was Spaniards an' Dutchmen an' Rooshians,
An' Johnny Crapoos jist acrost from France.
An' most of them could speak no word of English,
But answered to the name of • Month's Advance!'
I axed the mate a-which a-watch was mine-O,
Says he, "I'll soon pick out a-which is which,'
An' he blowed me down an' kicked me hard a stern-O,
Callin' me a lousy, dirty son o' a bitch.
I wisht I was in the ' 'Jolly Sailor,"
Along with Irish Kate a-drinkin' beer,
An' then I thought what jolly chaps were sailors,
An' with me flipper I wiped away a tear.
I quickly made me mind up that I'd jump 'er,
I'd leave the beggar an' git a job ashore;
I swum across the Bay an' went an' left 'er,
An' in the English Bar I found a whore.
But Jimmy the Crimp he knew a thing or two, sir,
An' soon he'd shipped me outward bound again;
On a Limey bound to Hilo for guano,
An' soon wuz I a-roarin' this refrain.
So there was I once more again at sea, boys,
The same ol' ruddy business o'er again.
So, stamp the caps'n round an' make some noise, boys,
An' sing to me this jolly ol' refrain.
Paddy West
​
Well, I decided to go to sea,
when I was 22
But bein' a farmer for half me life,
I didn't know what to do
A sailor says to me, "Paddy West
will show you like he showed me,
But there's one thing sure about Paddy West,
he's never been to sea"
Chorus
Put on yer dungaree jacket,
and walk up lookin' yer best,
And tell 'em that you're a poor sailor lad
that comes from Paddy West
As I was walking down London Street,
I came to Paddy West's house,
He gave me a plate of American hash;
and he calls it Liverpool scouse,
He says, There's a ship that's a'wantin' hands,
and on her you'll quickly sign,
The mate's a tyrant, the bosun's worse,
but she will suit you fine.
When I had finished me supper, me lads,
the wind began to blow.
He sends me up in the attic,
the main-royal for to stow,
But when I got to the attic,
no main-royal could I find,
So I turns a'round to the window,
and I furls the window blind.
Now Paddy he pipes all hands on deck,
their stations for to man.
His wife she stands there in the doorway,
a water pail in her hand;
Paddy he cries, Now let 'er rip!
and she throws the water our way,
Clew up yer fore tlgallant, me boys,
she's takin on the spray!
Now Paddy he says, "Let's all pretend
that we are south'ard bound;
Then he takes a length of rope, and lays
it there on the ground,
We all steps over, and back again,
and Paddy he says "sure that's fine",
And if the mate asks "was you ever at sea?"
you can say you crossed the line.
Paddy says "Now pay attention,
these lessons you must learn.
The starboard is where the ship she points,
the right is called the stern,
So look ye aft, to yer starboard port
and you will find northwest.
And that's how I learned navigation
at the school of Paddy West.
There's one more thing that you must do
before you sail away,
Step lively 'round the table,
where the bullock horn's on display
And if they ask Was you ever at sea?
you can say Ten times 'round the Horn
You can tell 'em that you was a sailor lad
Since the day that ye was born.
Pilots of Tiger Bay
Twas in the year of ninety four,
I think on March the twentieth day
I Thought I'd have a little cruise,
from the Well Street home to Tiger Bay
As I walked through old Wapping Street,
Twas there I spied a pretty maid
She gave me a kiss, she lifted her skirts,
her legs were all in fine array
Chorus
Whack fol the lurra lurra laddie, whack fol the lurra lurra lay
Whack for the lurra lurra laddie, hurrah for the Pilots of Tiger Bay
When we set sail it was quite late,
it was the hour of ten at night
Never slacked a tack nor sheet
till we came to the house of Mother Wright
And when I saw that cozy room
I there resolved to stay that day
So I gave her ten bob for me harbour dues,
and she piloted me down to Tiger Bay
Now in the morning when I woke,
I found meself in doldrum grounds
For the madam wouldn't let me go
until I had spent twenty pounds
Says I to meself this'll never do,
I'll jump this barge without delay
So I took a slap from the Well Street Home
for the rocks and shoals of Tiger Bay
When I got back to the Well Street Home,
I met my maid in a smoker there
She shouted, "Jack, where the hell have you been?
You seem to be of ballast bare"
I hung my head not a word did I say,
I got me another ship that day
And if ever I return to London again,
I'll take another cruise down Tiger Bay
Now all you young fellows in the room,
I've only got one thing to say
Whenever you meet a pretty little maid,
just lead her gently by the way
There's many-a ups and downs in the world,
and many a pretty girl on the highway
But the prettiest ones are that you'll ever meet
are the Pilots down in Tiger Bay
Now all you young ladies in the room,
I've only got one thing to say
Whenever you meet a sailor hard-up,
just give him a leg up on the way
For if you do you'll never rue,
he'll have some money another day
And he'll pay you back for hoistin' his jack,
for the Pilots down in Tiger Bay
Pull Back the Sheets
​
Woke one morning early in September
Resp: Pull back the sheets (Huh!)
How did I get here? Lord I can't remember
Resp: Open, open the curtains wide
Raised my head up from the pillow
Tried to rise, but couldn't find the will-o
Raised my head up into the sunlight
The way I feel, it must have been a good night
Looked in the bed and what did I see
Long blond hair, it must be a Judy
But it's got a mustache, christ almighty
And what am I doinl dressed in a nighty
Grabbed my clothes and off I scurried
Thinkinl 'bout last night, just a little worried
So all you sailors, remember the next time (You)
If everything’s ship-shape, and all ends well (You can)
Pump Shanty
They say life has its ups and downs
That really now is quite profound
I'd like to push the capstan round
But it's pump me boys before we drown.
Chorus
Pump me boys, pump 'er dry
Down to hell and up to the sky
Bend your back and break your bones
We're just a thousand miles from home.
(subtract 100 with each additional chorus)
The ocean we all do adore
So come on lads let's pump some more
Don't worry if you're stiff and sore
I'm sure we've pumped this bit before.
Chorus (900)
The captain's daughter, I suppose
Could be called an English Rose
What would you think when I propose
The pox she gave to me a dose.
Chorus (800)
This Rose well she did prick me sore,
I've never felt so bad before
Thanks to the girl I do adore
I thought I'd never pump no more.
Chorus (700)
I called the doctor right away
To find out what he had to say
“That's two pounds ten - get on your way”
I'm sure the girl is in his pay.
Chorus (600)
Sometimes when I am in me bed
And thinking of me day ahead
I wish that I could wake up dead
But pumping's all I get instead.
Chorus (500)
Yes, how I wish that I could die
The swine who built this tub to find
I'd drag him back from where he fries
To pump until the beggar's dry.
Chorus (400)
If Noah used him for his ark
Oh wouldn't that have been a lark?
From rising sun 'til getting dark
The animals all hard at work (singin')
Chorus (300)
There's so much water down below
Just how it got there I don't know
The old man says, “Let's roll and go”
But I think we're bound for Davy Jones.
Chorus (200)
We pump all night we pump all day
We pump like hell without delay
Until we hear the captain say
Go ashore and get your pay
Chorus (100)