Paddy Lay Back
Hymnal Index | Ship's Company Website
'Twas a cold an' dreary mornin' in December (December)
An' all of me money it was spent, (Spent, spent)
Where it went to, Lord I can't remember (Remember)
So down to the shipping office I went, (Went, went)

CHORUS:
Paddy lay back (Paddy lay back)
Take in the slack (take in the slack)
Take a turn around yer capstan, heave a pawl (heave a pawl)
'Bout ship, stations, boys, be handy, (be handy)
We're bound for Valapariso 'round the horn


That day there was a great demand for sailors, (For sailors)
For the colonies and for Frisco and for France (France, France)
So I shipped aboard a Limey barque the Hotspur (The Hotspur)
An' got paralytic drunk on my advance, ('Vance, 'vance)

I woke up in the mornin' sick an' sore, sir (Sore sir)
An' I knew that I was outward bound again, (Bound again)
When I heard a voice a-bawlin' at the door, sir (The door, sir)
"Lay aft, men, an' answer to yer names !", (Names, names)

It was on the quarter deck when first I saw them (saw them)
Such an ugly bunch I'd never seen before ('fore, 'fore)
There was a bum and a stiff in every quarter (quarter)
And it made me poor old heart so sick and sore (sore, sore)

There wuz Spaniards & Dutchmen & Roo-si-ans (Roo-si-ans)
And Johhny Crapeaus jest across from France (France, France)
And none of 'em could speak a word of English (English)
But they'd answer to the name of "Month's Advance" (vance, vance)

Well I knew that in my box I had a bottle, (A bottle)
By the boardin'-master 't was put there, ('t was put there)
An' I needed something for to wet me throttle, (Me throttle)
Somethin' for to drive away dull care, (Care, care)

So down upon me knees I went like thunder, (Thunder)
Put me hand into the bottom of the box, (Box, box)
An' what wuz there to my great surprise an' wonder, (Wonder)
Found only a bottle of medicine for the pox, (Pox, pox)

So I asked the mate, "Which watch was mine-O."(mine-oh)
He said he'd show me which watch was which.(which, which)
So he knocked me down and kicked me in the stern-O (the stern-o).
Calling me, "a dirty lousy son-of-a-bitch."(bitch, bitch)

Now I wish that I was in the Jolly Sailor (sailor)
along with Irish Kitty drinkin' beer (beer, beer)
I'd think what a jolly lot was sailors (sailors)
and with me flipper I'd wipe away me tear (tear, tear)

But here I am off again to sea boys (sea boys)
It's the same old bloody business over again (again, again)
So stamp the capstan round and make some noise boys (noise boys)
And sing to me the jolly old refrain. (frain, frain)