The Last Shanty

Well, me father often told me when I was just a lad A sailor's life is very hard, the food is 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 civvies ready for another run-ashore A sailor ain't a sailor, ain't a sailor anymore Well, the killick of our mess, he says we had it soft It wasn't like that in his day when we were up aloft We like our bunks and sleeping bags, but what's a hammock for? Swinging from the deckhead, or lying on the floor? 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 civvies ready for another run-ashore A sailor ain't a sailor, ain't a sailor anymore They gave us an engine that first went up and down Then with more technology, the engine went around We know our steam and diesels, but what's a mainyard for? A stoker ain't a stoker with a shovel anymore 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 civvies ready for another run-ashore A sailor ain't a sailor, ain't a sailor anymore They gave us an 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 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 civvies ready for another run-ashore A sailor ain't a sailor, ain't a sailor anymore, ha! Two cans of beer a day and that's your bleeding lot And now we've got an extra one because they stopped the tot So we'll put on our civvy clothes, find a pub ashore A sailor's just a sailor just like he was before 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 civvies ready for another run-ashore A sailor ain't a sailor, ain't a sailor anymore 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 civvies ready for another run-ashore A sailor ain't a sailor, ain't a sailor anymore A sailor ain't a sailor, ain't a sailor anymore A sailor ain't a sailor, ain't a sailor anymore, ha!