'Twas a cold an' dreary mornin' in December
Well, all of me money it was spent
Where it went to, Lord, I barely can't remember
So down to the shippin' office went
Paddy, lay back (paddy, lay back)!
Take in yer slack (take in yer slack)!
Take a turn around the capstan, heave a pawl
All around ship stations, boys, be handy
For we're bound for Valparaiso 'round the horn!
Ah, that day there was a great demand for sailors
For the Colonies and for 'Frisco and for France
So I shipped aboard a Limey barque the Hotspur
An' got paralytic drunk on me advance
'Twas on the quarterdeck where first I saw 'em
Such an ugly bunch I'd never seen before
For the captain he had shipped a crew of Belgians
An' it made me poor ol' heart feel sick an' sore
Ah, but Jimmy the rat he knew a thing or two, sir
An' soon he'd shipped me outward bound again
On a Limey to the Chinchas for guano
An' soon was I a-roarin' this refrain
Ah, so there I was once again at sea, boys
The same old garbage over and over again
So, won't you stamp the caps and make some noise, boys
And join me all and singing the ol' refrain
