Well me father often told me when I was just a lad A sailor's life was very hard, the food was always bad But now I've joined the navy, I'm aboard a man-o-war And now I've found a sailor ain't a sailor any more
Don't haul on the rope, don't 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 ain't a sailor, ain't a sailor anymore
Well the killock of our mess he says we've had it soft It wasn't like this in his day when he was up aloft We like our bunks and sleeping bags, but what's a hammock for? Swinging from the deckhead, or lying on the floor?
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 what's a mainyard for? A stoker ain't a stoker with a shovel anymore.
Well they gave us Aldiss lamp so we could do it right They gave us a radio, we signaled day and night We know our codes and cyphers but what's a semaphore? A bunting-tosser doesn't toss the bunting anymore
Two cans of beer a day and that's your bleeding lot Now we get an extra one because they've stopped the tot So we'll put on our civie clothes and find a pub ashore A sailor's still a sailor just like he was before