New Sea Song
Our boatswain calls out for his bold British heroes;
Come, listen awhile to what I do sing;
Let every man toss off his full bumper
And drink a good health unto George our King,
And drink a good health to Suke, Moll, and Kitty;
With mirth and good liquor we’ll lead merry [lives];
We will not be afraid to kiss, or to venture,
On Saturday night, to our sweethearts and wives.
Our ship she is in harbour, brought safe to an anchor;
The boats are alongside, they begin for to throng;
The girls that are in them, they are crying for husbands;
The one sings out ‘Jemmy,’ the other [calls] ‘John,’
Whilst the other bawls out, ‘Where is my dear Harry?
[If] I do not see him, may I never thrive!’
Alongside of those girls you may lie, but not marry,
On Saturday night, to our sweethearts and wives.
Our ship she is unrigged, all ready for docking;
Straightway on board of those hulks we repair,
Where we work hard all day, and at night go a-kissing.
Jack Tar is safe moor’d in the arms of his dear.
Straightway to the town of Venus we will venture
Our spirits to freshen, our bodies to thrive;
We will not be afraid to kiss, nor yet venture
On Saturday night to our sweethearts and wives.
Our ship she is all rigg’d and ready for sea, boys;
The girls that’s on board they begin to look blue;
The boats are alongside to take them on shore, boys;
Says one to the other, ‘Girls, what shall we do?’
Then we put to sea, with a fresh-blowing breeze, boys,
And through the foaming white billows do [roar];
We paid off all debts with the flying fore-topsail.
Bid adieu to these girls and the rogues on the shore.
Now we are on the seas, like bold hearts of thunder;
Now we are on the seas we will rant and roar;
We will make all the French and the Spaniards knock under
When our two-and-thirties begin for to roar.
For to handle their dollars my fingers are itching;
If I don’t be at them may I never thrive;
We will not be like misers, to hoard by our riches,
But we will spend them on shore with our sweethearts and wives.