Sailor's Way


Sailor’s Way   (Joy)

It is said a sailor has a girl in every port. Stan Hugill (the British collector of chanteys and a chanteyman himself), and William M. Doerflinger (the American collector of maritime songs), disagree respectively whether this was a work song used at capstan or pumps or a fo’c’s’le song that sailors sang for entertainment. We like the playfulness of the tune, which has some music hall touches.

 

We've courted gay Peruvian girls and French girls and Chinese
Spanish girls and Dutch girls and dainty Japananese
To far Australia and Honolulu where the Hawaiian maidens play
A different girl in every port for that's the sailor's way
 
O shining is the north star as it hangs off our starboard bow
We're homeward bound for Liverpool town and our hearts are in it now
for we've crossed the line and the gulf stream, been round by Table Bay
Around the Horn and home again, for that's the sailor's way
 
And it's goodbye to Ali , we're off to sea once more
Sailor Jack always comes back to the gals he do adore
He'll cross the line and the gulf stream, go round by Table Bay
Around the Horn and home again for that's the sailor's way
 
And it's goodbye to Deirdre, we're off to sea once more
Sailor Jack always comes back to the gals he do adore
He'll cross the line and the gulf stream, go round by Table Bay
Around the Horn and home again for that's the sailor's way
 
In calm or storm or rain or shine the shellback doesn't mind
On the ocean swell he works like hell for the gal he's left behind
He beats it north, he runs far south, he doesn't get much pay
He's always on a losing game, for that's the sailor's way
 
We'll get paid off in Liverpool and go out on a spree
We'll eat and drink and have some fun and forget the bloody sea
And Jack will go with his sweet Marie and Pat with his 'Cushla play
But I'll get drunk and turn in me bunk for that's the sailor's way
 
And it's goodbye to Bonnie,  we're off to sea once more
Sailor Jack always comes back to the gals he do adore
He'll cross the line and the gulf stream, go round by Table Bay
Around the Horn and home again for that's the sailor's way
 
And it's goodbye to Maggie, we're off to sea once more
Sailor Jack always comes back to the gals he do adore
He'll cross the line and the gulf stream, go round by Table Bay
Around the Horn and home again for that's the sailor's way