Me bonnie bunch o'roses O!
Come down, ye blood-red roses, come down!
It's time for us to roll 'n' go!
Come down, ye blood-red roses, come down!
Ooh! You pinks 'n' posies,
Come down, ye blood-red roses, come down!
We're bound away around Cape Horn
Come down, ye blood-red roses, come down!
We wisht ter hell you'd niver bin born
Come down, ye blood-red roses, come down!
Ooh! You pinks n' posies,
Come down, ye blood-red roses, come down!
Me boots an' clothes are all in a pawn,
Come down, ye blood-red roses, come down!
An' it's bleedin' draughty around Cape Horn,
Come down, ye blood-red roses, come down!
Ooh! You pinks 'n' posies,
Come down, ye blood-red roses, come down!
Ti's growl ye may but go ye must,
Come down, ye blood-red roses, come down!
If ye growl too hard yer head they'll bust.
Come down, ye blood-red roses, come down!
Ooh! You pinks 'n' posies,
Come down, ye blood-red roses, come down!
Them Spanish gals are pullin' strong,
Come down, ye blood-red roses, come down!
Hang down, me boys, it won't take long.
Come down, ye blood-red roses, come down!
Ooh! You pinks 'n' posies,
Come down, ye blood-red roses, come down!
Just one more pull an' that'll do
Come down, ye blood-red roses, come down!
We're the bullies for ter kick'er through.
Come down, ye blood-red roses, come down!
Ooh! You pinks 'n' posies,
Come down, ye blood-red roses, come down!
Ooh! You pinks 'n' posies,
Come down, ye blood-red roses, come down!
Well, our anchor's on board and our rags are all set,
Bold Riley-oh, boom-a-lay!
Them Liverpool Judies, we'll never forget,
Bold Riley-oh, gone away!
CHORUS:
Goodbye, me darling, goodbye, me dear-oh,
Bold Riley-oh, boom-a-lay!
Goodbye, me darling, goodbye, me dear-oh,
Bold Riley-oh, gone away!
Well, the rain it is raining all the day long,
Bold Riley-oh, boom-a-lay!
And the northerly wind, it does so strong.
Bold Riley-oh, gone away!
CHORUS
We're outward and bound for the Bengal Bay,
Bold Riley-oh, boom-a-lay!
Get bending, me lads, it's a hell of a way.
Bold Riley-oh, gone away!
CHORUS
Safe and sound at home again, let the waters roar, Jack.
Safe and sound at home again, let the waters roar, Jack.
Chorus:
Long we've tossed on the rolling main, now we're safe ashore, Jack.
Don't forget yer old shipmate, faldee raldee raldee raldee rye-eye-doe!
Since we sailed from Plymouth Sound, four years gone, or nigh, Jack.
Was there ever chummies, now, such as you and I, Jack?
Chorus
We have worked the self-same gun, quarterdeck division.
Sponger I and loader you, through the whole commission.
Chorus
When the middle watch was on, and the time went slow, boy,
Who could choose a rousing stave, who like Jack or Joe, boy?
Chorus
There she swings, an empty hulk, not a soul below now.
Number seven starboard mess misses Jack and Joe now.
Chorus
But the best of friends must part, fair or foul the weather.
Hand yer flipper for a shake, now a drink together.
Chorus
Was you ever in Quebec
Launchin' timber on the deck?
Where ya break yer bleedin' neck
Ridin' on a donkey!
Way hey and away we go
Donkey riding, donkey riding
Way hey and away we go
Ridin' on a donkey.
Was you ever in Vallipo
Where the gals put on a show?
Wriggle and dance with a roll and go
Riding on a donkey.
Wuz ye ever down Mobile Bay
Screwin' cotton all the day?
A dollar a day is a white man's pay.
Ridin' on a donkey.
Was you ever in London-town
Where the girls eat do come down
See the King in his golden crown
Riding on a donkey
Was you ever 'round Cape Horn
Where the weather's never warm?
Wished to God you'd never been born
Ridin' on a donkey.
Oh, Haul away for the windy weather, boys
Haul away, boys, haul away
Oh, Haul away and pull together boys
Haul away, boys, haul away
Haul away and let's get'er goin' boys
Haul away, boys, haul away
Haul away for the merchants' money boys
Haul away, boys, haul away
Haul away like jolly young sailor boys
Haul away, boys, haul away
Haul away and roll her over boys
Haul away, boys, haul away
God made the bees and the bees made the honey, boys
Haul away, boys, haul away
God made the food but the devil sent the cook, boys
Haul away, boys, haul away
We're rolling down to Cuba for to load up sugar, boys
Haul away, boys, haul away
And rolling down to Cuba just to meet a Creole lady, boys
Haul away, boys, haul away
And soon we'll be in red hot Cuba, boys
Haul away, boys, haul away
Oh haul away and the wind'll move'er, boys
Haul away, boys, haul away
And soon we'll see a pretty woman, boys
Haul away, boys, haul away
Oh haul and shake her as she rolls, boys
Haul away, boys, haul away
Haul away for finer weather, boys
Haul away, boys, haul away
Ooh, haul away for the better weather, boys
Haul away, boys, haul away
Haul away, boys, haul away
Ships may come and ships may go
As long as the sea does roll.
But a sailor lad just like his dad,
He loves the flowing bowl.
Oh women on shore he does adore
A girl who's plump and round.
And your money's gone
It's the same old song,
"Get up Jack! John, sit down!"
Come along, come along, You jolly brave boys,
There's lots of grog in the jar.
We'll plough the briny ocean line
With the jolly roving tar.
When Jack ashore, he'll make his way
To some old boarding house.
He's welcomed in with rum and gin,
Likewise with pork scouse.
He'll spend and spend and never offend
Till he's lies drunk on the ground
When the money's gone
It's the same old song,
"Get up Jack! John, sit down!"
Then Jack then will slip aboard some ship bound for India or Japan,
Then in Asia there, the ladies fair,
they all love a sailor man,
He'll go ashore, and he'll not scorn to buy some girl a gown:
When his money's gone
It's the same old song,
"Get up Jack! John, sit down!"
When Jack is old and weather-beat, too old to cruise about,
They'll let him stop in some rum shop till eight bells calls him out,
Then he'll raise his hands high, and loud he'll cry:
Thank Christ! I'm homeward bound:
But his money's gone
It's the same old song,
"Get up Jack! John, sit down!"
<tabber>
From Liverpool to 'Frisco a-rovin' I went,
For to stay in that country was my good intent.
But drinkin' strong whiskey like other damn fools,
Oh, I soon got transported back to Liverpool, singin'.
Chorus:
Roll, roll, roll bullies, roll!
Them Liverpool judies have got us in tow.
A smart Yankee packet lies out in the Bay,
A-waitin' a fair wind to get under way.
With all of her sailors so sick and so sore,
They'd drunk all their whiskey and can't get no more.
Chorus
Oh, here comes the mate in a hell of a stew.
He's lookin' for work for us sailors to do.
Oh, it's "Fore tops'l halyards!" he loudly does roar,
And it's lay aloft Paddy, ye son-o'-a-whore!
Chorus
One night of Cape Horn I shall never forget,
'Tis oft-times I sighs when I think of it yet.
She was divin' bows under with her sailors all wet,
She was doin' twelve knots wid her mainskys'l set.
Chorus
And now we've arrived in the Bramleymoor Dock,
And all them flash judies on the pierhead do flock.
The barrel's run dry and our five quid advance,
And I guess it's high time for to git up and dance.
Chorus
Here's a health to the Captain wherever he may be,
A bucko on land and a bully at sea,
But as for the chief mate, the dirty ol' brute,
We hope when he dies straight to hell he'll skyhoot.
Chorus
When first I landed in Liverpool I went upon the spree
Me hard earned cash, well I spent it fast
Got drunk as drunk could be
And when me money it was all gone 'twas then I wanted more
But a man must be blind to make up his mind and to go to sea once more
Once more, boys, once more, go to sea once more
But a man must be blind to make up his mind and to go to sea once more
I spent the night with Angeline too drunk to roll in bed
Me cloths was new and me money too, in the morning with them she fled
And as I rolled the streets about, the tarts they all did roar
And there goes Jack Strapp, the poor sailorlad, he must go to sea once more
Once more, boys, once more, go to sea once more
And there goes Jack Strapp, the poor sailorlad, he must go to sea once more
And as I walked the streets about, I met old Rapper Brown
I asked him then to take me in they looked at me with a frown
Says he last time you was paid off with me you chuck no score
But I'll take your advance and I'll give you a chance and I'll go to see once more
Once more, boys, once more, go to sea once more
'caused I'll take your advance and I'll give you a chance and I'll go to see once more
Come all you bold sailor lads, and listen to me song
When you come off them damn long trips, I'll tell you what goes wrong
Take my advice, drink no strong drink, don't go sleeping with whores
Get married instead, spend all night in bed and go to sea no more
No more, boys, no more, go to sea no more
Get married instead, spend all night in bed and go to sea no more
No more, boys, no more, go to sea no more
Get married instead, spend all night in bed and go to sea no more
Oh, have you heard the news, me Johnny
One more day
We're homeward bound tomorrow Johnny
One more day
Only one more day, me Johnny
One more day
Oh, rock and roll me over
One more day
Don't you hear the old man growlin' Johnny
One more day
Don't you hear the mate a howlin' Johnny
One more day
Only one more day, me Johnny
One more day
Oh, rock and roll me over
One more day
Don't you hear the caps'n pawlin' Johnny
One more day
Don't you hear the pilot bawlin' Johnny
One more day
Only one more day, me Johnny
One more day
Oh, rock and roll me over
One more day
Only one more day a-howlin' Johnny
One more day
Can't you hear the gals a-callin'
One more day
Only one more day, me Johnny
One more day
Oh, rock and roll me over
One more day
Only one more day a-rollin' Johnny
One more day
Only one more day a-cursin'
Sing it!
One more day
Only one more day, me Johnny
One more day
Oh, rock and roll me over
One more day
No more gales or heavy weather Johnny
One more day
Only one more day, me Johnny
One more day
Oh, rock and roll me over
One more day
