Well me father often told me when I was just a lad A sailors life was very hard, the food was always bad But now Ive joined the navy, Im aboard a manowar And now Ive found a sailor aint a sailor any more Dont haul on the rope, dont climb up the mast If you see a sailing ship it might be your last Just get your civies ready for another run ashore A sailor aint a sailor, aint a sailor any more Well the killick of our mess he says weve had it soft It wasnt like this in his day when he was up aloft We like our bunks and sleeping bags, but whats a hammock for? Swinging from the deckhead, or lying on the floor? Dont haul on the rope, dont climb up the mast If you see a sailing ship it might be your last Just get your civies ready for another run ashore A sailor aint a sailor, aint a sailor any more Well they gave us an engine that first went up and down Then with more technology the engine went around We know our steam and diesel, but whats a mainyard for? A stoker aint a stoker with a shovel anymore Dont haul on the rope, dont climb up the mast If you see a sailing ship it might be your last Just get your civies ready for another run ashore A sailor aint a sailor, aint a sailor any more Well they gave us an Aldiss lamp so we could do it right They gave us a radio, we signaled day and night We know our codes and ciphers but whats a semaphore? A buntingtosser doesnt toss the bunting anymore Dont haul on the rope, dont climb up the mast If you see a sailing ship it might be your last Just get your civies ready for another run ashore A sailor aint a sailor, aint a sailor any more Two cans of beer a day and thats your bleeding lot Now we get an extra one because theyve stopped the tot So well put on our civvy clothes and find a pub ashore A sailors still a sailor just like he was before
sailor, civies, ashore, mast, haul