Verse 1. Fifteen men on a dead man's chest Yo ho ho and a bottle of rum Drink and the devil had done for the rest Yo ho ho and a bottle of rum. The mate was fixed by the bosun's pike The bosun brained with a marlinspike And cookey's throat was marked belike It had been gripped by fingers ten; And there they lay, all good dead men Like break o'day in a boozing ken
Yo ho ho and a bottle of rum.
Verse 2. Fifteen men of the whole ship's list Yo ho ho and a bottle of rum! Dead and be damned and the rest gone whist! Yo ho ho and a bottle of rum! The skipper lay with his nob in gore Where the scullion's axe his cheek had shore And the scullion he was stabbed four times four And there they lay, and the soggy skies Dripped down in up-staring eyes In murk sunset and foul sunrise Yo ho ho and a bottle of rum.
Verse 3. Fifteen men of 'em stiff and stark Yo ho ho and a bottle of rum! Ten of the crew had the murder mark! Yo ho ho and a bottle of rum! Twas a cutlass swipe or an ounce of lead Or a yawing hole in a battered head And the scuppers' glut with a rotting red And there they lay, aye, damn my eyes All lookouts clapped on paradise All souls bound just contrarywise Yo ho ho and a bottle of rum.
Verse 4. Fifteen men of 'em good and true Yo ho ho and a bottle of rum! Ev'ry man jack could ha' sailed with Old Pew, Yo ho ho and a bottle of rum! There was chest on chest of Spanish gold With a ton of plate in the middle hold And the cabins riot of stuff untold, And they lay there that took the plum With sightless glare and their lips struck dumb While we shared all by the rule of thumb, Yo ho ho and a bottle of rum!
Verse 5. More was seen through a sternlight screen... Yo ho ho and a bottle of rum Chartings undoubt where a woman had been Yo ho ho and a bottle of rum. 'Twas a flimsy shift on a bunker cot With a dirk slit sheer through the bosom spot And the lace stiff dry in a purplish blot Oh was she wench or some shudderin' maid That dared the knife and took the blade By God! she had stuff for a plucky jade Yo ho ho and a bottle of rum.
Verse 6. Fifteen men on a dead man's chest Yo ho ho and a bottle of rum Drink and the devil had done for the rest Yo ho ho and a bottle of rum. We wrapped 'em all in a mains'l tight With twice ten turns of a hawser's bight And we heaved 'em over and out of sight, With a Yo-Heave-Ho! and a fare-you-well And a sudden plunge in the sullen swell Ten fathoms deep on the road to hell, Yo ho ho and a bottle of rum!
Пятнадцать человек на сундук мертвеца! Пей, а Дьявол завершит начатое! Помощник капитана был пришпилен пикой боцмана, У самого же боцмана мозги насажены на марлинь*, На горле кока остались следы Тех десяти пальцев, что его душили. И вот лежат там они, отличные мертвецы, Словно на рассвете надравшиеся дружки, Йо-хо-хо, и бутылка рома!
Пятнадцать человек – вот и весь экипаж, Мертвы и прокляты, а оставшиеся играют в вист. Шкипер лежит в запёкшейся крови с разбитой головой, Топор поварёнка его щёку подпирает, А сам поварёнок был четыре раза пронзён. И вот лежат там они, и сырые небеса Падают каплями в их закатанные глаза, Мрачным закатом и грязным рассветом, Йо-хо-хо, и бутылка рома!
Пятнадцать из них холодные и окоченевшие, На десяти из команды убийства печать! Удар ли кинжала или унция свинца В этой зияющей дыре в пробитой голове? Наполнились трюмы гниющей кровью, И вот они там лежат, разрази меня гром, Уставившись в небеса, Да только вот душам уготована иная судьба... Йо-хо-хо, и бутылка рома!
Пятнадцать парней – хороших и надёжных, Каждый из этих моряков ходил под парусом с самим Стариной Пью**, Там был сундук с двойным д